Feed to Meat ratio

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Pheasant283

Pheasant283

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Apr 6, 2010
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South Dakota
Anyone out there know what the feed to meat ratio is for rabbits? How many pounds of feed does it take to get one pound of meat. Rex & Californian in particular.
Thanks
 
I find we are closer to 5:1; Dean Goforth in S Carolina is at 3:1---it takes years to get there with attention to breeding, growout etc. He is hitting butcher weight at 8 weeks (5 lbs) and does not wean. He breeds back at 6 weeks (42 days) and that gives the doe a full two weeks for recovery. He also does not have to deal with grow out cages.
 
WOW. Now I have another life goal! :) No grow-out cages would be amazing. Tempting to buy his book/report of his experience--has anyone done that, yet?
 
He and I both feed 16%; after speaking to Dean, I cannot refute his success.

He does not feed any greens or hay (we do). Many claim that rabbits grow slower with a mixed diet, I am not sure but I am happy with our results.
 
Do you feed your growers unlimited pellets and then greens/hay free choice? Or do you offer a fixed ration of pellets and "fill" with the hay and greens? It seems that if they can always choose the pellets then the growth rates ought to be the same either way, because a young growing critter will rarely turn down the energy rich food in favor of the energy poor one.

I always thought the "mixed" rations that caused slower growth were where some pellets were replaced by hay, say by a crazy "frugal" person like me, who will sometimes go a little too far with her penny pinching.
 
eco2pia":ewxx42e1 said:
Do you feed your growers unlimited pellets and then greens/hay free choice? Or do you offer a fixed ration of pellets and "fill" with the hay and greens? It seems that if they can always choose the pellets then the growth rates ought to be the same either way, because a young growing critter will rarely turn down the energy rich food in favor of the energy poor one.

I always thought the "mixed" rations that caused slower growth were where some pellets were replaced by hay, say by a crazy "frugal" person like me, who will sometimes go a little too far with her penny pinching.
Click to expand...

Given the choice, most rabbits will choose greens first. And why not? Fresh is always tastier. The only exception to this that I have seen is with a new rabbit that has never had greens. They sometimes look at the greens as though they doubt they are edible. At first!

Hay and free greens will reduce your feed bill but will also slow the growth rate somewhat. The meat, IMO, has a better flavour. It's a trade off.
 
Maggie is correct; our rabbits will always eat greens first--- weather grass, weeds, blackberry whatever. I like the fact that they get a varied diet and some "greens", again we are happy with our growth and the meats flavor/texture.
 
I have ONE rabbit who chooses pellets above all else and that's Puff - the rabbit I would most like to eat mainly hay ... figures eh?
 
Funny, I noticed that some of my rabbits picked the greens too, but I wasn't trying that with youngsters, just older rabbits. I just assumed the younger growers would choose the pellets the way a horse will choose grain over grass, to the point of illness--though obviously, pellets aren't going to founder a bunny.

I also have an older buck who eyes the greens suspiciously, and other than the occaisional nibble, prefers pellets. He is the fatty, who is on a diet, lol! I would cut his pellets off entirely, but I'm not so sure he wont starve, just to spite me!

I think with my next few litters, I am going to split them and do side by side experiments. It will be too small a group to be conclusive of anything of course, but it should be interesting.
 
So that is 5# of feed to 1# of a skinned and butchered rabbit (not including liver, heart, kidneys), right? Not live weight.
Thank you!
 
PatS":2jutdv62 said:
So that is 5# of feed to 1# of a skinned and butchered rabbit (not including liver, heart, kidneys), right? Not live weight.
Thank you!
Click to expand...

Or course it's Live weight. Any conversion table is "X" pounds of
feed..........per pound of Live weight gain. You can't equate dressed weight
on feed gain conversion. Processing techniques are too varied to
come to any realistic conversion rates.


Ch.Shady":2jutdv62 said:
3 to 1
Click to expand...

I'd have to "see" that to believe it.


Grumpy
 

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