Everyone has a few memories of Elmer Fudd
out hunting “wabbits” during rabbit season. If you raise your own
rabbits you never need to worry about when that season is. Many of
us dream and work toward a more self sufficient lifestyle, preferring to
raise our own food and provide a healthier, more natural diet for our
families. Raising rabbits can also be a true family project, as they
are small and so easy to care for that they can even be maintained by
young children. If you’re interested in providing a healthier meat
source for your family than you can normally get at your local grocer,
then this article will definitely be of interest to you. Rabbit is
one of the meats highest in protein content; it is delicious and
nutritious and it is also one of the easiest and least expensive types of
livestock to raise and process.
The first fact that
many people look at when considering raising their own rabbits for meat is
what kind of return they will get for their efforts. Basically, it’s
rather simple - the average, everyday corner grocers do not normally carry
rabbit on their meat counters. If, by chance, they do, then you will
find it to be much more expensive than the other meat cuts that are
regularly available. Purchasing rabbit meat commercially is so
expensive because it’s not as readily obtainable as most other commercial
meats in the U.S. When considering today’s health-conscious
consumer, rabbit meat is also leaps and bounds above the average
hamburger. For example, rabbit meat is very high in protein at about
20%; it’s very lean with only about 10% fat compared to the average
chicken meat at 11%. The calorie value in rabbit is approximately
795 calories where chicken has about 810 calories. To top it all off
rabbit is all white meat and low in cholesterol to boot. This type
of nutritional information is one of the main reasons that many people are
checking into the why and how of raising rabbits.
Now that you have an
idea of why rabbit meat is gaining in popularity on the family table, the
next question is how you will go about raising them to butcher. The
first step when deciding to raise your own rabbits for meat is to pick a
breed type. It is important to choose a breed that is bred for meat and not a
hobby or pet type rabbit. The most common breeds chosen for meat
production are the New Zealand White and the Californian. Also used for
meat production by some include Champagne D'Argent, New Zealand Red, Rex,
American Chinchilla. Flemish Giants can be used but because of the amount
of bone they are more often used to crossbreed with the New Zealand White
and the Californian.
The average meat
production rabbit matures at around 10 -12 pounds, of course Flemish Giant
crosses might be just a little heavier. Keep this in mind when
selecting the rabbits you use as your breeders, so as to be careful not
purchase a mini type breed by mistake.
My personal choice
for a meat rabbit is the New Zealand White, however, we also raise
Californians and a couple of Flemish Giant Cross. The reason I prefer the
New Zealand is the skin of this breed will more easily separate from the
meat than other breeds. This makes for a faster and easier butcher which
counts for a lot if butchering several rabbits in a single day.
After choosing a
breed, the next step will be your choice of housing and care items for
your family’s new meat production project. A lot will depend on your
climate and the area where you plan to keep the rabbits. Rabbits can be
kept inside or outside depending upon your type of cage. It is also an
important fact to remember that rabbits do better in the cold than in the
heat. This means if you live in a climate that gets very hot in summer
make sure to provide plenty of shade, water, and cooling for your rabbits. If you plan to have cages outside in the weather the best type cage is
usually referred to as a hutch. This is a wooden cage with wire sides and
bottom, with a solid roof. If you have an indoor area such as a barn or
shed that will offer protection from the inclement weather then you will
only require a wire cage.
