Beveren Rabbit – information and facts about the Beveren Rabbit Breed. Learn more about Beveren Rabbits in this article. Breed photos are included.
Beveren rabbits are known for being one of the oldest and largest of all the fur rabbits. And they were called as multi-purpose rabbits precisely due to their wide versatility in usage. The shape and array of colors help a lot in putting Beverens on top of rabbit shows. The size aids in making the breed a perfect choice for meat. And because of their good temperament, they can be excellent pets and first-rate companions. What else will you look for?
Beveren Rabbit Facts
1. History
They were first bred in Beveren, which is a small town near Antwerp in Belgium, which explains why it was called as such. According to the American Beveren Rabbit Club, the Beveren rabbits were developed from crossing Brabanconne, St. Nicolas Blue, and Blue Vienna. Beverens were officially recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) on 1898as ‘Beverin’, but was later on corrected. Despite this early acknowledgment, the first exhibition of the breed, however, is only on 1905. This was done by Mrs. A.M Martin who is also the first one to import the breed to Britain. Beverens didn’t gain much attention then.
Another important thing to note is that, despite its multi-purpose characteristic, it’s not as widely used as it could be in the United States, as compared to other rabbit breeds. They are more popular in their native country, Belgium, as well as in Britain. It was recorded that Blue Beverens were raised in Buckingham Palace before the World War II broke out. Both the Standard and Giant Beverens were imported to America on 1915.
Today, the primary usage of Beverens is for their fur. Indeed, they are being bred to produce different colors of their coat. The most preferred fur variety is white because it can be easily dyed. But back then when the breed is just starting, the most preferred color of the furriers is the light-lavender blue. Also, during that time, there are two types of Beverens that are classified according to size – the standard Beverens and the Giant Beverens.
2. Appearance
Beveren rabbits are classified as large rabbits, with mature bucks weighing between 8 to 11 pounds and does at 10 to 12 pounds. Yes, female Beverens are heavier compared to their male counterparts. And they also bring in large litters. The young bunnies grow really fast and the does make good mothers and are domicile.
The body shape of Beveren is mandolin. And it quite resembles the body of an English Lop. Ideally, their body is to be of medium length, with a broad, meaty back and a deep, firm loin. Their shoulders are strong and firm which rests in a well-sprung rib cage. When viewed from the side, the body of the Beveren rabbit should present a definite arch. The topline of the body is a smooth curve, which starts at the back of the shoulder, then rises to a high point over the back’s middle line, and curves over the smooth hips to complete the body arch. The head features a broad muzzle. The ears are quite long and contain many furs.
Their fur is dense, glossy and rollback type. The length of their fur ranges from 1 ¼ to 1 ½ inches in average. The guard hairs are plentiful and of fine diameter.
ARBA recognizes Beveren rabbits in 3 different colors – the black, blue and white. The color of their coats can be blue, black, white, brown and lilac. It has to be noted though that all of these Beveren varieties were recognized by ARBA. A special variety called Pointed Beveren is distinguished for having the same colors but having white-tipped hairs. And of all these colors, the blue Beveren is the original and was put into place by ARBA on 1902.
For these rabbits, each color has its own standard. For example, blue should be a clean shade of light lavender blue, carried down into the base and is free from silvering. It should be void of dark blue. The white should have no ivory cast and is off-white tint. For the black variety of the Beveren breed, it should be jet glossy black and its eyes are dark brown. The Brown Beveren should have nut or medium-brown tone evenness all throughout the coat. Lilac doesn’t have a standard until the brown.
3. Personality and Traits
Beveren rabbits have good temperament, cleaning sensitivity and intelligence. They are energetic and they always love to play outdoors. This is the same characteristic that should be highly considered by any rabbit enthusiast who wanted to raise Beverens – that despite them having a good temperament, they shouldn’t be kept indoors. More than their personality, if they are kept indoors, their lustrous coats will suffer because of the indoor central units, compared to the fresh air outside.Beveren is a hardy breed that is easily reared in all wire hutches.
Constant in-breeding has been a growing concern in United States, most especially to the American Beveren Rabbit Club. According to them, they have to import some Beverens from Britain in order to address some of the concerns associated to interbreeding.