Jun 12
2
Raising Rabbits For Meat
Raising rabbits for meat is something that nearly anybody can do because rabbits do not take up a lot of space. Rabbit meat is low in fat and cholesterol while being high in protein, making it very healthy. Whether you want to raise meat rabbits for your own consumption or to sell for profit, you can successfully raise meat rabbits with some careful planning.
Before you begin raising rabbits for meat, be sure that you do plenty of research so that you understand the market as well as the care and breeding requirements of your rabbits. It is also important to make sure you have enough space to house all of your rabbits, and extra money on hand in case of unexpected expenses.
Choosing the breed or breeds that you use is extremely important, because not all rabbit breeds are good as meat rabbits. Most meat rabbit farmers butcher their rabbits at 3 months to keep cost down and to provide the tenderest meat possible. For this reason, the larger breed rabbits are greatly preferred by many people. Some of the breeds that grow to 9 or more pounds at full maturity are the Rex, Palomino, Satin, New Zealand, French Lop, and Flemish Giant.
What you feed your meat rabbits is important for ensuring their health, and that their meat will be especially good. You should avoid feeding any type of medicated feed as this will have a negative effect on the meat, and will lower the natural immune system of your rabbits. Adult rabbits over 6 months will need high quality timothy hay supplemented with fresh greens and 1/8 cup commercial pellets per 5 pounds (2.2 kilometers). Younger rabbits will need alfalfa hay and can be given pellets freely, along with fresh greens.
Getting your rabbits into a good breeding schedule will be the hardest part about breeding, but once you do, your does will be able to produce about 3 to 4 litters per year of anywhere from 5 to 10 kits. It’s important to have about 1 buck per 10 does, and to rotate which bucks are with which does to keep a good mix of genes in your herd.
Once you do begin to have kits, you will need to begin to market them. You can sell your rabbits for meat to meat processing companies, or sell them yourself to neighbors or at local farmer’s markets.
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May 12
21
Delicious Rabbit Recipes
These rabbit recipes are intended to be used with domestic meat rabbits rather than wild rabbits, which tend to be older and a bit tougher. Rabbit meat can typically be substituted for chicken or veal, but there are a few dishes that are especially good with rabbit meat.
Rabbit meat is a good choice to cook with because it is mild in flavor, and is also one of the healthiest meats available. It is high in protein, and low in fat, sodium, cholesterol, and calories. The herbs and spices that are used most often with rabbit dishes are bay leaves, rosemary, oregano, sage, sweet basil, and thyme. However, you can feel free to experiment with your favorite herbs and spices as well.
To make the Chinese Sweet and Sour Rabbit recipe, brown 2 to 3 pounds (0.9 to 1.3 kilograms) of cut rabbit meat in ¼ cup of oil or butter over medium heat, seasoned to taste with salt and pepper. Once browned, add in 1 cup of pineapple juice and ¼ cup of vinegar. Simmer over low heat for 45 minutes with the cover on. Mix together 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch and ¼ cup of sugar into ½ cup of water. Slowly stir this mixture into the pineapple juice and vinegar. Add 1 cup of pineapple chunks and 1 medium pepper cut into thin slices on top. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. This will make 4 to 6 servings.
To make Fried Rabbit in Breadcrumbs, you will need to cut 2 to 3 pounds (0.9 to 1.3 kilograms) of rabbit meat cut into serving sized pieces. To prep the rabbit meat, you will first need to dip it into a bowl of milk, and then a bowl of flour with a dash of salt and pepper. Set the meat aside to 10 minutes before continuing. Next, you will need to lightly beat 1 egg into 1 tablespoon of water. Dip the rabbit first into this egg and water mixture, and then into a bowl containing 3 ounces of fresh breadcrumbs. Fill your large frying pan about 1/3 full of vegetable or canola oil and heat to 360 degrees Fahrenheit (182 degrees Celsius). Fry the rabbit meat in the oil for about 20 minutes, or until it feels tender when pierced with a fork. Allow meat to drain on paper towels. This will make 4 to 6 servings.
Rabbit recipes usually go great with any side of vegetables, especially carrots or potatoes, so it’s easy to complement any rabbit dish for your next meal.
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rabbit farming is becoming more popular today than in recent years, so many people are beginning to start their own rabbit farms. Because of the small space requirements and diversity in uses for rabbits, it’s easy for nearly anyone to start and maintain a rabbit farm. However, before you do purchase your first bucks and does, be sure to consider the following questions.
Is there a good market for rabbits in my area? Rabbits can be used for fur, independent or commercial meat production, laboratory animals, breeding stock, show animals, or pets. However, not every type of rabbit is right for every type of production, and the demand for rabbit meat varies in different areas.
Can I properly care for my rabbits? Rabbits are somewhat delicate, and require daily care to ensure that they are healthy. Properly caring for your rabbits is important in keeping your business profitable, since an unhealthy doe will not have as many kits, and the kits will not grow quickly or well if ill cared for.
Am I legally able to raise rabbits? Many people have been successfully able to raise rabbits within city limits because they are not defined as farm animals. However, there are some areas that have limitations to the number of rabbits you can have, and some that may consider them farm animals. Be sure to also check that you can meet all of the space, health, and safety requirements for sales.
Do I understand rabbit breeding? If you do not understand rabbit breeding, you need to go out and fully research this subject before you start. Over-breeding of both does and bucks can have negative consequences. Rabbits are fairly good breeders, but you will need to plan out a good schedule for them to maximize their kit production while maintaining their overall health.
Do I know what breed of rabbit to use? Depending on the type of market you are targeting, you will need different types of rabbits. There are several types of meat rabbits that you can choose from, others that do well as laboratory animals, and dozens of breeds that will sell for show animals or pets.
One way to answer these questions and find information is to visit local rabbit farmers or breeders. They will be able to provide you with information and can help you select your first rabbits. Once you have answered all of these questions and done your research, you are ready to begin rabbit farming.
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May 12
6
Rabbit Breeding Supplies
If you’re just starting out with rabbit breeding or are considering starting a rabbit farm, you will need to have some supplies ready before you even start matching up bucks and does. Some things you will need far before the kits arrive, and others you will need for when they start growing.
You will need to house your does in cages that are large enough to fit the doe along with her 5 to 10 kits. The exact size will depend on the breed of rabbit you have, which will also determine the number of kits she will have in each litter. It’s important that there’s enough room for her to leave the nesting box unattended because the mother spends a lot of time away from her litter in the wild and will need to mimic that.
The nesting box should be wooden and mostly enclosed, and just big enough for the mother with her kits. To keep things clean between litters, you will want to line the bottom of the nest box with newspaper. The mother will use some of her own fur for bedding, but will also need straw as nesting material.
Some other things that you will need to have ready before the kits arrive are a calendar to keep track of due dates, sterile lubricant jelly in case of stuck babies, vanilla extract in case you need to have kits fostered by other bunnies, and a heat lamp to keep outside of the cage. You will only need a heat lamp if you will need to pull kits out to inspect them during the winter.
As the kits start growing, you will want to save any extra clean fur from the nesting boxes for future use. If the kits are late in opening up their eyes, you can use a sterile eye wash to help them along. If you do have to move kits from one mother to another, you can inhibit the olfactory senses of the mother by dabbing a bit of vanilla extract on her nose, which will help her accept the new kits.
The exact age of tattooing varies from breeder to breeder. Some people will do it as young as 4 weeks, but others recommend waiting until at least 8 weeks. Whenever you choose to tattoo your kits, it is important to have the supplies ready far in advance, and be sure you are familiar with how to use them. There are many different types of tattoo devices, so be sure that you have all the parts to your type as a part of your rabbit breeding supplies.
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It’s not that hard to raise rabbits, but to raise high quality rabbits for meat takes some planning and work. Rabbits multiply quickly, which means that it won’t take long to turn a couple of does and a buck into a barn full of bunnies. That’s the easy part. If you want to be sure that you have high quality rabbits that have the best possible meat on them, you have to be willing to do a few things.
The first thing you will need to do is purchase high quality rabbits. Any rabbit could be used as a meat rabbit, but there are some breeds that are preferred, for various reasons. Most of these rabbits are large and docile, which means getting the most meat off out of them, like the New Zealand and the Californian. The Palomino is preferred because they have a smaller bone structure which increases the meat ratio, and the Beveran is used not only for its meat but also for its long fur.
Once you’ve carefully selected the breed you want to raise, you will need to begin to look for good breeding stock. You can search for rabbit farms online to get an idea as to cost, and may even find some good deals there. Before purchasing any rabbits, research the farm as much as possible to be sure you aren’t risking starting with sick or low quality rabbits. You will want to buy rabbits that are at least 6 months old so you can begin breeding them immediately.
Rabbit meat is naturally low in fat and high in protein, making them sought after by people who are on a diet, or are simply looking to eat as healthy as possible. If you want to make your rabbit meat the most sought after, you need to feed your rabbits a high quality diet. It is essential for rabbits to have fresh water at all times, hay, pellet food, and fresh greens.
For your breeding stock that are over 6 months of age, providing constant access to Timothy hay will ensure that they stay healthy. Your growing young kits will need Alfalfa hay until they reach that 6 month mark. If you are keeping them beyond that, they will need Timothy hay as well. You can find pellet food at most pet food and farming stores. Be sure to find a high quality food that contains only pellets and is high in protein. Having some healthy fresh greens is also important when raising rabbits for meat, as it will naturally provide them with plenty of good vitamins and minerals.
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rabbit breeding is an important part of rabbit farming, whether for meat and fur, or for pets or show animals. It is important to have rabbits that are well bred and have good pedigrees.
Before breeding the doe, be sure that she is healthy enough for breeding. She should have bright eyes, move about her cage without limping, and have normal poop that doesn’t smear on her fur. She should also be eating and drinking normally. If you suspect that there is anything wrong with your doe, have your veterinarian check her out before breeding her. Breeding a sick rabbit could lead to spontaneous abortions or stillborn or sickly kits.
To breed your healthy doe, place her in the cage of the selected buck. Does are much more territorial than bucks, so she will be more receptive if placed in with the buck. The best way to tell if the pregnancy was a success is to see if she will accept a buck again about a week after the initial mating. If she rejects him, she may be pregnant.
If you do not already have some type of bedding in your doe’s cage, you will need to provide it for her so that she can nest when she is ready. Some does will begin nesting a week before giving birth, and others will begin just a few days before. Straw, newspaper, and aspen bedding are all good choices. The doe will also pull fur from her chest area to add to the nest. It is best that she has a nesting box that is just deep and wide enough for her to fit with her kits, to mimic the hole in the ground that wild rabbits dig.
The pregnancy will last a total of 28 to 32 days. It is normal for the doe to leave her kits shortly after birth. The kits have no scent which will attract predators, but the mother does, so she stays away from them as much as possible. Soon after birth, be sure to check on the kits to make sure that they are warm. If they do not feel warm, you can place a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel in the nest with them to help keep them warm.
In order to have a successful rabbit breeding program, you will need to be sure that the mother rabbit is well taken care of during pregnancy and after birth so that she can properly care for her kits.
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Mar 12
30
The Benefits Of Rabbit Farming
rabbit farming has a lot of benefits above farming other animals for meat. Whether you want to farm rabbits in addition to other animals or are looking to start a rabbit farm, it’s important to understand what the benefits are to starting a rabbit farm.
There are several different uses for rabbits in today’s markets which means they are great to use for a variety of purposes. They are typically raised for fur and meat, but are sometimes sold as pets. A lesser known use is for laboratories, which usually requires very a very specific breeding program and certain standards. With such a variety of uses, you can be assured that your rabbits will be profitable to you in at least one market.
Rabbit meat is great because it is high in protein and low in fat. With so many people becoming more health-conscious and seeking healthier alternatives, rabbit meat is making a comeback in the markets today. Part of what makes the rabbit meat so good is that rabbits are great at the conversion of protein in feed to muscles. Pigs convert about 17% and cows about 10%, but rabbits can convert about 20% into muscles. And because rabbits are designed to be leaner, they naturally have a much lower amount of fat.
The rapid rate of reproduction is another advantage to breeding rabbits. A female rabbit will become sexually mature about 6 to 8 months. She can start having litters immediately, and can do so continually. The amount of litters she will have in a year will depend greatly on her general health, her breed, the breeding conditions, and the environment. Sometimes, a breeding may not take, and environmental factors occasionally cause spontaneous abortions. Larger breeds will have larger litters, as will healthier does that are maintained in a steady environment. So, a doe can have anywhere from 15 to 63 kits in one year.
One of the other benefits to farming rabbits is that they are easy to keep as far as space is concerned. They can easily be kept in cages that stack, and do not need any amount of pasture land to graze in. And because they are not usually considered farm animals, you can actually start a rabbit farm in your city backyard or house. They are also quiet animals, which means no matter how close you are to your neighbors, your rabbit farming will not disturb them in the early hours like chicken farming would.
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Mar 12
22
How To Raise Rabbits For Meat
Raising rabbits for meat is easier than you may think. Rabbits do not take up a lot of space, are usually very hardy, and multiply quickly. When done correctly, you can multiply your breeding stock and therefore your profits in less than a year. At the best, a breeding pair could potentially produce 800 kits in the span of one year.
Before starting to purchase your rabbits, you will need to be sure you have plenty of space for them. Each doe will need her own cage in which she can raise her kits, and each buck will need his own cage. Paired animals of the same gender can become aggressive towards each other, and paired animals of opposite genders will not allow for optimal control over breeding pairings.
When you purchase your first rabbits, be sure you get the highest quality of rabbits that you can find. It is important to start with rabbits that are sexually mature, healthy, and everything you want in a meat rabbit. The most popular breeds of meat rabbits are New Zealand, Californian, Florida White, Palomino, and Beveran. There are other breeds that can also be used as well. Which breed you choose will depend on your preferences, and whether you want to also use and sell their fur.
Diet is extremely important when caring for meat rabbits, especially if you are planning on eating them yourself. They should always have access to fresh water and high quality hay, as well as pelleted food. When they are under 6 months of age, they should have Alfalfa hay. Any rabbits over 6 months should have Timothy hay. It is also important for rabbits to have fresh greens every day, such as spinach, cilantro, carrot tops, and parsley. Do not feed your rabbits iceberg lettuce as it has little nutritional value and can actually make them sick.
What you feed your rabbits will determine how healthy they are, which will affect their reproductive abilities, and how healthy the meat will be. Rabbit meat is a white meat that contains less fat than chicken meat and is very high in protein. When you are able to feed your rabbits a high quality diet, you will be able to make their naturally healthy meat even better.
Whether you do it for yourself or for profit, raising rabbits for meat is easy to do, and only requires quality rabbits on a quality food.
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Mar 12
14
Rabbit Breeding For Meat
If you are looking into rabbit breeding to produce rabbit meat, having a good breeding program is important to produce the highest amount and quality of rabbits that you can.
For people breeding rabbits for show or wool will need to carefully select breeding pairs and pay careful attention to lineages and pedigrees. But most rabbit farmers that are simply breeding for meat will not have to worry as much about that, but should still be keeping track of which rabbits are successfully producing large litters and healthy, large offspring. Replacement breeders can be chosen from these pairs to help better the breeding stock.
When you are just starting out, it is best to find a breeding pair that are already sexually mature, and possibly even a doe that has had kits before. Does become mature anywhere from 4 to 7 months old depending on the breed, so it’s better to have a pair or two ready to go rather than having to wait.
Breeding pairs should be kept separate except for when mating, and the doe should always be brought to the buck’s cage. Does can be very territorial and may attack rather than breed with a buck that is brought into their cages. If the doe is receptive to breeding, it will occur immediately. Most farmers will leave the doe in with the buck for a second breeding, just to be sure that it takes.
The does should be kept on a 35 day breeding schedule. That will give them enough time to recover between births, and will give you a chance to check on the health of each doe. It is important to check that the doe is as healthy as she can be before breeding her, as a healthy doe will produce healthier kits, and more of them.
The most important aspect of breeding is scheduling rest time for both your does and your bucks. A buck should not be expected to breed more than once a day, and should have a day or two off in between breedings. Too much activity for the buck will tire him out and he may not even be able to properly breed with the does if too much is expected from him.
The gestation of rabbits is from 28 to 32 days, and the kits will begin to eat on their own by 2 weeks old. Once you get the schedule figured out, rabbit breeding will become easier and you will see a huge increase in the amount of rabbits you have, and your profits.
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Mar 12
6
Healthy Crock Pot Rabbit Recipes
There are many rabbit recipes that will allow you to make delicious dishes with rabbits. You can even make rabbit dishes in a crock pot, which means a small amount of prep time early in the day for an amazing meal in the evening.
Aged Rabbit – If you have an older and therefore tougher rabbit to cook with, this is a great recipe for you. For preparation, you only need to cut the meat and chop some veggies, and it will cook for only about 4 hours. This recipe is intended to create 4 servings.
1. Cut one rabbit up into medium-sized chunks.
2. Dice 3 large onions, slice 6 medium carrots, and cube 4 to 5 large potatoes. Potatoes can be either yellow or white.
3. Gather the following spices: 1 bay leaf, ¼ teaspoon fresh oregano or 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 dash of salt, and 1 dash of pepper.
4. Add the rabbit to the bottom of the crock pot. Put the vegetables over top. Add spices. Pour 1 10 ounce can over the top of the vegetables.
5. Put the cover on, and cook on LOW for about 4 hours. Depending on the size of the rabbit chunks and the amount of rabbit meat, you may need to cook for longer, or you may be able to cook for less time.
6. Stir thoroughly.
7. Turn off crock pot and serve.
This recipe goes very well with a salad on the side, and when served with or on rice. For best results, use fresh and organic ingredients and brown rice. To make this recipe more of a stew, you can replace the can of mushroom soup with 1 cup of cooking wine and ½ cup of water. You may need to thicken this by adding a ¼ cup of flour and ½ cup of water mixture.
Other variants to this recipe include adding chopped celery, diced tomatoes, corn, or button mushrooms in place of or in addition to other vegetables. You can also add spices such as paprika, or anything else you prefer. The can of cream of mushroom soup can also be replaced with a can of cream of chicken soup, or a can of cream of celery soup.
Whatever you choose to do with your rabbit recipes, you can know that you are making the right choice by eating rabbit meat, as it is much healthier than most red meats, and contains more protein than chicken.
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