| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| country roads |
Posted - Apr 24 2010 : 05:29:04 AM
Does anyone here raise their own meat rabbits? DH and I have been tossing the idea around a little bit. We figure the more that we can provide for our selves(meat,veggies&fruit) the better off we'll be. What type of rabbit do you suggest? After the babies are born how big do you let them get before you butcher them. If you let them get to big will the meat be tough or gamey? How many breeders do you keep, we were thinking one male and two females. How long do you let them breed for til you start with new breeders? I have never cooked rabbit before, what is the best way to cook it? Do you have any good recipes you could share? Any info will be greatly appreciated. :)
Take care, Melissa.
Farmgirl # 352
~Think happy thoughts~ |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| homsteddinmom |
Posted - Apr 26 2010 : 10:11:53 AM
We have 200 rabbits, now not all of them are "meat" rabbits. We have new zealand whites, californians,champagne d argents and rex they are considered meat rabbits. we ONLY cross the Champ and the NZW, we got a pupblication from a college that did experiments and came up with the Champ/nzw cross produces more meat with smaller bones. Now i prefer NZW because of the larger litter and faster grow out over the Calis. My NZW will throw 8-10 all the time, my calis ive nver gotten over 5 at a time. My dh does the killing, i do teh butchering. you do not name them, handle them, talk to them, nothing or you will be stuck with another rabbit taking up space and eating food. Like someone else says it tastes like chicken. We boil off the bone and make bb sands, rabbit and noodles, anything that calls for chicken. Wel aso marinate and bbq whole on the grill. There is alot you can do with a rabbit. Just to post , we do have kids and they are ok with it. The are old enough they help with the buthering so they see what happens to the rabbits and they are fine with it. good luck in what you decide!!
Homesteading Mom in East Texas. Raising chickens, Rabbits and goats here on my farm! |
| 1badmamawolf |
Posted - Apr 26 2010 : 07:55:54 AM
Melissa, the key to butchering an animal that is "cute", do not turn them into pets, not even the parents, don't give them names, mine have numbers/letters. handle them only enough to check for problems, look at them as food. As far as butchering goes, if you can butcher poultry without a problem, you should be ok. If there is anyone close who butchers rabbits, ask if you can be there and help.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
| country roads |
Posted - Apr 26 2010 : 05:20:54 AM
DH has decided to talk to one of his friends who used to buy rabbit meat from a man who rose and butchered his own. And see if we can buy some from him to try. I've never eaten rabbit before. Also DH doesn't think I could handle the killing process. I helped with the chickens and turkeys, but he feels rabbits would be tough on me. Who knows? Maybe I would be fine, maybe not. It's hard to say and it's all a learning process. I just feel that in this day and age the more we can do for our selves the better off we will be.
Take care, Melissa.
Farmgirl # 352
~Think happy thoughts~ |
| vintage saver |
Posted - Apr 25 2010 : 06:05:00 AM
It has been many years but at one time my husband and I had over 200 rabbits. We sold them to a large local grocery store and ate a lot of them. I's all white meat and tastes like chicken. I would always fry ours. We buthered them at 6 weeks usually. Now I don't want to do that, raise something so cute and then buther it. We had mostly New Zealand White. I would rather do without meat than do that. I eat meat, but when I think of it, I seriously think of becoming a vegitarian again. |
| msdoolittle |
Posted - Apr 24 2010 : 9:14:01 PM
I have some Californian crosses and a New Zealand White. I have heard that the NZ/Californian crosses make a good carcass. I am not sure what my Cali crosses are, but wouldn't be surprised if it's with NZ's. I am starting off with a pair for right now. This will be my first time to eat rabbit, but I have been assured by many people that it is delicious. :0)
Good luck!
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.wordpress.com |
| theprimitivepilgrim |
Posted - Apr 24 2010 : 4:29:07 PM
Hi Melissa,
The ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association) has a list of breeders by state. They also have several books available, and even offer a rabbit recipe book.
~Michelle |
| country roads |
Posted - Apr 24 2010 : 1:47:25 PM
Thanks Teresa for the information that gives me somewhere to start. Hopefully we will be able to find those breed of rabbits around here when the time comes. I'll also have to do some searching for German cook books. Thanks again Teresa!
Take care, Melissa.
Farmgirl # 352
~Think happy thoughts~ |
| 1badmamawolf |
Posted - Apr 24 2010 : 08:23:04 AM
I raise a cross of New Zeland/Californian, they are an excellant meat rabbits, easy to handle and good mamas. I butcher babies at 8 weeks (sometimes earlier, and sometimes later, depending on size). If you let them get too old, you will pressure cook instead of fry or bake. I have 5 does and 2 bucks, they range in age from 1-5, the older they get, the smaller the litters, or missed breedings. As far as cooking them, I fry like chicken, I make stew/soups with them. You will find alot of recipes for rabbit in german cook books.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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