At what age do you butcher meat rabbits?

Although companion rabbits are capable of living 10 to 15 years, the vast majority of “meat” rabbits are killed at three months of age. Referred to as “fryers,” these baby rabbits weigh only 1.5 – 3.5 pounds. A small percentage are slaughtered at 8 months old or 4 pounds; they are known in the industry as “roasters.”

How long does it take to raise a meat rabbit?

A rabbit takes 3.5 months to grow, so that's about 105 days. A family of four eating ½ pound of meat each for 105 days is 210 pounds of meat. But you're not going to eat rabbit every day. If you ate rabbit 2 days per week, you'd need 60 pounds of meat.

Is raising rabbits for meat worth it?

In about 12 weeks you'll have a large quantity of healthy, lean meat to feed yourself and your family. A trio of rabbits can produce upwards of 600 pounds of meat in a year which is more than a dressed one year old steer. That's pretty impressive.

What age do you slaughter rex rabbits?

We have found that the age of 4-6 months is the best butcher age for our Rex line, costing us on average 32¢ per lb of meat. After age 6 months, the cost of feeding (especially the larger breeds) increases higher than your actual return on meat.

How long can you leave a rabbit before gutting it?

You should gut furred small game as soon as possible. Especially rabbits and hares, because there's something about their innards that allows them to sour very quickly. In warm weather, it only takes an hour or so for the thin abdominal muscles to start turning greenish blue.

Getting Rabbits to Butcher Weight by 8 Weeks: The SR Rabbit Update 1-31-17

How do you prepare a bunny for slaughter?

The preferred method is dislocation of the neck. The rabbit is held firmly by the rear legs and head; it is stretched full length. Then with a hard, sharp pull, the head is bent backward to dislocate the neck. The rabbit can also be struck a hard, quick blow to the skull behind the ears.

How much meat do you get from 1 rabbit?

A four-pound animal produces about two pounds of meat. Rabbit really tastes something like chicken, and it even gets cut into eight pieces like a frying chicken. However, the bones are smaller and the meat is all white.

How much meat will 2 rabbits produce?

Rabbits breed and grow so quickly that one pair of healthy does (females) can produce more than 600 pounds of meat in a year. Compare that to the dressed yield of 400 pounds for an average year-old beef steer.

How many rabbits should I start with?

Regardless of breed, don't start with too many rabbits! For a novice rabbitry, one buck and two or three does should be good for starters.

Which rabbit is best for meat?

New Zealands

This breed is available in many colors and are the most popular meat rabbit breed to raise. The NZ rabbit weighs between 9 to 12 pounds and matures quickly. Butchering time for New Zealand rabbits is as early as 8 weeks of age.

What is the best rabbit feed for meat rabbits?

Each rabbit hutch should have a hayrack. This you keep full of hay — the rabbit experts recommend Alfalfa, but a good, leafy clover hay is all right. Timothy isn't as high in protein as clover, but if it's properly cured it's better than a poorly cured clover or Alfalfa.

How many litters can a meat rabbit have in a year?

The young are weaned in about 30 days, so you can expect an average of five litters annually per doe.

Is there a market for meat rabbits?

With the proper license or permit, a farmer can sell their rabbit meat to retail outlets such as restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers markets; wholesale; or to customers straight from the farm. Restaurants featuring locally sourced foods or French or European fare are potential markets for rabbit meat.

How many meat rabbits can live together?

Breeding Colonies

If you are raising rabbits for meat or sale and have a very high demand you can keep the bucks & does together full time. One buck can easily cover 10-15 does. If you have too many bucks, they could fight more often and overbreed the does.

Is rabbit meat healthier than chicken?

Domesticated rabbit meat also has fewer calories than chicken and has less cholesterol than any other commonly consumed meats, like beef, pork, and chicken. For those looking for high vitamin content, rabbit is an excellent choice.

Can you breed brother and sister meat rabbits?

So in the most strictest sense of this, you would never mate a rabbit with another rabbit that has a known relative. However, most standards say with rabbits (and other animal terms) that it's ok as long as the relatives at least 4 generations out. Inbreeding is where you breed within a family.

How many rabbits do you need to be profitable?

A profitable meat rabbit business can be started with just three or four does (females), a buck (male) or two, some basic equipment, and a buyer. First, decide on what type of rabbit to raise. It will be easier to find a buyer for the offspring if they are pure bred, but whether or not they have pedigrees is up to you.

How do you bulk up meat rabbits?

Is rabbit healthier than beef?

Well, rabbit is one of the healthiest, leanest, and most environmentally friendly meats you can eat. Compared to beef, pork, lamb, turkey, veal, and chicken, rabbit has the highest percentage of protein, the lowest percentage of fat, and the fewest calories per pound.

Is rabbit meat healthier than pork?

Rabbit meat was richer in calcium (21.4 mg/100 g) and phosphorus (347 mg/100 g) than other types of meat and lower in fat (9.2 g/100 g) and cholesterol (56.4 mg/100 g). Beef had the highest cholesterol content (114.5 mg/100 g), almost double than rabbit meat, while pork was rich in fat (28.2 g/100 g).

How many rabbits should a family of 4 eat?

Depending on the dressed size, one rabbit can easily feed a family of four. An acquaintance of mine who enjoys raising meat rabbits prefers the live weight of his butchers to be 3 to 2-1/2 pounds. Personally, I like to let my growers get up to around 4-1/2 pounds.

Why can't you live off rabbit meat?

The term rabbit starvation originates from the fact that rabbit meat is very lean, with almost all of its caloric content from protein rather than fat, and therefore a food which, if consumed exclusively, would cause protein poisoning.

What age do you dispatch meat rabbits?

Although companion rabbits are capable of living 10 to 15 years, the vast majority of “meat” rabbits are killed at three months of age. Referred to as “fryers,” these baby rabbits weigh only 1.5 – 3.5 pounds. A small percentage are slaughtered at 8 months old or 4 pounds; they are known in the industry as “roasters.”

Can you cook the parasites out of rabbit meat?

While warbles are gross and unsightly, they can easily be removed with a knife. Even if they're not removed, the rabbit meat is perfectly edible. Warbles don't spread diseases to humans, and cooking kills them.

What is rabbit meat called?

Unlike beef, pork or lamb, rabbit meat does not have a special name, it is simply called, "rabbit meat." Despite it being a rarity on many Zambian menus, it is a very popular dish across different parts of the world. Rabbit meat is unique from other meats in that it is entirely white meat.