Any one else have my views on meat rabbits?

[ckcs]

I'm a bit of an oddball with the whole meat rabbit thing. I personally have no problems with people raising, butchering and eating rabbits. I actually applaud the idea and hats off to those that do it. I love the idea of knowing my meat was not genetically altered and the animal lived a good life. That being said I can't (yet) do it myself. I'm not squeamish at all so it is not the butchering that bothers me. I've never eaten rabbit but that is just because I haven't been offered it. I just play with my rabbits too much and it would be hard for me to slaughter them. Even if I raised certain ones as meat and others as pets, I'd still have a mental barrier to get over. Now my barrier is fragile with this and I think I could get over it fairly easily. Getting my family members over it, would be a real challenge.

Now I have no problems with knowing where my meat comes from and that a animal died to feed me. That is not my issue with rabbits. I also don't have a problems with Cows, Pigs or Chickens. If I had the space I'd have those animals and could drop them with very little hesitation. Maybe not having ate rabbit is part of the problem but for the most part I think of rabbits as pets. I breed them for pets and keep them for pets.

 

[Random Rabbit]

We raise a meat breed. Those not held for shows or breeding stock do go for meat. Our processor will take all i send his way...luvs the dressout percentages.

Having said that... personally...i do not particularly Like rabbit meat. ( Heresy !! i know) there are othermeats i prefer to eat... so we send the rabbits out.

Probably not the same as what You were saying...but i believe we give them a good life they are treated humanely... fed and cared for. I enjoy fussing around them... and their antics give us both joy and a reason to get going on a daily basis...

 

[luvabunny]

I am somewhat in your same situation. I don't eat my rabbits, not because I have anything against it, but it is far more prolific for me to sell the unwanteds (I raise a rare - around here - specialty show breed and have stock from the best in the US).

Unfortunately, I have a feeling that eventually, you are going to have to "adjust" to culling. Even in the best of worlds, rabbits, at some point in time, need to be put down. I had a young buck I spent a good deal of money on, that was fine for morning feed, and down in his back for evening feed. Have no idea what happened. An overnight "rest" did absolutely nothing for him and he had to be put down.

No ones fault. It just happens. And I'm not going to take a rabbit to the vet for euthanasia when it is so simple to do. Sometimes, the most humane thing for an animal is death. After the first one, it gets easier and you stop crying during the entire process.

BTW, I was going to do my very first butcher on this buck. He had been healthy up to that point, and was plenty big enough to eat, but I realized after I got started, that I didn't have the proper tools / equipment ready for the job, so he simply got buried. Now, he is very expensive fertilizer.

 

[Cattle Cait]

I posted this last week on my Facebook:

"Here is the difference between a bunny and a rabbit (to me).

A rabbit is food. A rabbit is domestic livestock that is raised under the same mentality that a goat, sheep, or steer is. We do not get attached, we do not love the rabbit, we do not pet the rabbit, we do not hold the rabbit. We weigh the rabbit and mix his feed so that he will become dinner. They are part of a litter or a "round of breedings" or what-have-you. Rabbits are typically fryers or anything that will become dinner.

Then there are bunnies. Bunnies are cuddly. Bunnies are petted and held and given treats. Bunnies have names and personalities and are individuals. We are sad when they die, they are rarely eaten, and are spoiled freaking rotten. Bunnies can be mama rabbits, herd sires, or just pets in the house.

For example - a litter of youngsters destined for freezer camp are "rabbits". Their father, Samuel, is a fat cuddly lump of old man sweetness that will die of old age in his cage. Samuel is a "bunny"."

 

[ckcs]

Random Rabbit I wonder if I'd like rabbit more so than chicken. I like beef and pork but it is pricey compared to chicken. I love chicken though.

Luvabunny I worry about when I'd have to cull a rabbit. I've been blessed in our almost 4 years of owning and 1 year of breeding we haven't had a sick rabbit. I know when the time comes I can do it, but it will be sad nonetheless.

Well said Cattle Cait.

A couple of months ago I was going to get some American Blues. I love the way they look. I figured we would raise them to sell as meat rabbits. I figured it would a stepping stone towards someday us eating rabbits. I've since put the idea on hold as I will have a limited amount of outdoor cages initially and really want English Lops. Another obstacle to eating rabbits for me is price. While I am a little concerned over genetically modified animals, I am not frightened to the point of not eating them. I do dislike the idea of animals being raised in poor conditions but admittedly I take the out of sight out of mind attitude. As a result of accepting those two points, I buy without hesitation boneless chicken breasts from Walmart for $2 a lb. I figure I could raise rabbit meat for about that price. It would be a much better choice over the walmart chicken but it would take more work and time than picking up chicken at Walmart.

 

[paintrider89]

I posted this last week on my Facebook:

"Here is the difference between a bunny and a rabbit (to me).

A rabbit is food. A rabbit is domestic livestock that is raised under the same mentality that a goat, sheep, or steer is. We do not get attached, we do not love the rabbit, we do not pet the rabbit, we do not hold the rabbit. We weigh the rabbit and mix his feed so that he will become dinner. They are part of a litter or a "round of breedings" or what-have-you. Rabbits are typically fryers or anything that will become dinner.

Then there are bunnies. Bunnies are cuddly. Bunnies are petted and held and given treats. Bunnies have names and personalities and are individuals. We are sad when they die, they are rarely eaten, and are spoiled freaking rotten. Bunnies can be mama rabbits, herd sires, or just pets in the house.

For example - a litter of youngsters destined for freezer camp are "rabbits". Their father, Samuel, is a fat cuddly lump of old man sweetness that will die of old age in his cage. Samuel is a "bunny"."

:goodpost:

 

[MamaSheepdog]

When I first started raising Rex for meat, I didn't handle the litters, because I didn't want to get attached to my food. But that backfired in that the does I kept back for breeding were not friendly, and I had to work hard to overcome that and have sweet does.

Now I handle all of the babies, and pet them one and all. I like having hordes of happy bunnies at feeding time. I also like the fact that when I take them out and put them on the chopping block they are not stressed out at all. Just because they are meant for meat, I don't think they deserve any less affection than my keepers.

I do have a lot of rabbits at one time though- if your production is very small, it may be harder because you would get more attached to them. :?

The hardest part is actually starting the processing. There are always other things to do that don't require bonking bunnies on the head, so it is easy to procrastinate. However, once you do get motivated to do it, it is not bad. The end comes swiftly, and once they are dead they are just meat, and you can't hurt them.

I would strongly suggest having someone there for moral support even if they don't actually help. But best of all is to process with someone that has butchered before or has their own animals that need to be done. That is what I do now- my friends raise rabbits as well, and we usually do about 17 at a time. Our kids help too, so it goes very quickly.

When you have someone there with you, you tend to talk about other things, so you aren't focused solely on the macabre fact that you are killing animals for your food. We actually have a great time, and the satisfaction of putting all of that meat into your larder to feed your family is incomparable... much nicer than buying a bag of meat at the market.

 

[Flemishstar]

CKCE, I started helping my Grandam butcher rabbits, and chickens when I was 6 years old (young I know) But I was always her little assistant, We would do 20 rabbits at a time, and 30 chickens at a time, so I agree with MSD that when you have more it is alittle easier, even though i have been doing it all these years (im 29 now) I still alwyas need someone with me, I have on a few occasions "dispatched" a few my self, All my chickens and buns, live the life of riley, lol, and wether I have 2 pr 20 I do handle all of them, I just can not help it, and like MSD said wether they or keepers or for meat I think they all deserve luvvins, I dont know what it is with me, but I just cant ignore them, I have to dispatch a doe and even though i got her 2 months ago she is VERY hand shy and Ive never even petted her, and Its still hard for me, cause i think her personality is cute lol even though shes a whack job!! I guess I just need to do it and shut up about it, I will, like Ive done others,but not wothout a week of procrastinating like"tonight I will" and I never do it, lol ...but I think I really may tinight...(i Think ) lol
Good Luck

Aldo

 

[dayna]

Now I handle all of the babies, and pet them one and all. I like having hordes of happy bunnies at feeding time. I also like the fact that when I take them out and put them on the chopping block they are not stressed out at all. Just because they are meant for meat, I don't think they deserve any less affection than my keepers.

I call them all bunnies and pet and love them too. I figure a happy well adjusted animal does have less stress on killing day. I also don't let the other rabbits see me doing the deed. I never know if they know whats happening so I don't want them to see their littermates killed. Silly maybe, but it's how I do it.

I love each and every one of my "bunnies" from birth to the dinner table.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

When I first started raising Rex for meat, I didn't handle the litters, because I didn't want to get attached to my food. But that backfired in that the does I kept back for breeding were not friendly, and I had to work hard to overcome that and have sweet does.

Now I handle all of the babies, and pet them one and all. I like having hordes of happy bunnies at feeding time. I also like the fact that when I take them out and put them on the chopping block they are not stressed out at all. Just because they are meant for meat, I don't think they deserve any less affection than my keepers.

I do have a lot of rabbits at one time though- if your production is very small, it may be harder because you would get more attached to them. :?

The hardest part is actually starting the processing. There are always other things to do that don't require bonking bunnies on the head, so it is easy to procrastinate. However, once you do get motivated to do it, it is not bad. The end comes swiftly, and once they are dead they are just meat, and you can't hurt them.

I would strongly suggest having someone there for moral support even if they don't actually help. But best of all is to process with someone that has butchered before or has their own animals that need to be done. That is what I do now- my friends raise rabbits as well, and we usually do about 17 at a time. Our kids help too, so it goes very quickly.

When you have someone there with you, you tend to talk about other things, so you aren't focused solely on the macabre fact that you are killing animals for your food. We actually have a great time, and the satisfaction of putting all of that meat into your larder to feed your family is incomparable... much nicer than buying a bag of meat at the market.

I do the same as my Sistah...I don't differentiate between my rabbits, they are all touched, held, petted, cared for and generally loved on from birth until they leave my herd, whether that be by sale, butcher or just death. I find that happy rabbits that are used to being handled have a much smoother, easier dispatch experience than those that have NOT been handled regularly.

 

[Cattle Cait]

I get attached too easily. As soon as I hold them, they become bunnies, and I become incredibly sad when I have to process.

Case in point - the ugly duckling that I love now. I should not have petted him, because now there's no way I could eat him.

 

[akane]

I have no problem with pet --> dinner. I have a broken black kit I'm trying to sell in the house right now with my house rabbit. Playing on the bed occasionally. Getting treats. but if she doesn't sell before she's old enough for him to breed her she's getting a bullet in her head and becoming dog food. Half mini rex so too small for a good meal but great doggy snack. I've had entire litters of meat rabbits inside. I hand raised a litter hauling them with me on vacation with the nest tucked in a backpack and have a pic of them lined up on the couch as roasters. They all got butchered.

 

[Cottie]

The end comes swiftly, and once they are dead they are just meat, and you can't hurt them.

I do believe that is the most brilliant way of phrasing it I have ever seen. :goodpost:

 

[hoodat]

I've never killed any animal that I didn't feel sad over the necessity but if we are to live something else must die. Even vegetarians must kill to have their salad. The ground given over to raising vegetables is denied to wild animals and often entire habitats, down to tree, brush and all of the animals birds and insects living there are either killed in the clearing or wander off to starve with their entire little world destroyed so that crops can be farmed on that land.
I have a little ceremony I go through when killing a rabbit. First I hold it and thank it for the pleasure of its company and the life it is about to give to me. I then give it a quick painless death with a shot from a pellet gun at the joint of the skull and spinal column. Instant death. You can actually see the light go out in their eyes so you know it is instant. I then quickly cut the throat to bleed it while the heart is still pumping and bleed it onto bare ground saying,"This is the blood of my brother the rabbit. Mother (to our mother the Earth)please nurture its spirit".
I don't know that it makes the actual killing easier but it recognizes the circle of life and shows respect for the animal.

 

[skysthelimit]

I have no problem with culling. I kiss, then I cull.

I have no problem with necropsy, dissection is one of my favorite things to do.

I have no problem butchering and feeding to the dogs, I look at the empty cage, and I miss him/her, I look at the pelt and know they will be with me a lot longer this way then they ever would the other way.

But once I've seen the insides, I don't want to eat it. I don't want to handle any meat and eat it, store bought or otherwise. I don't like the way it looks precooked. And if I have to kill it, handle it and cook it, I really can't eat it.

It's just my general aversion to raw meat. But I could never become a real vegetarian. I don't keep meat here, but every once in awhile I'll get the urge. Sometimes I feel sick afterwards (can't eat chicken anymore at all). Sometimes it goes down real good.

 

[HoppyMeal]

The great thing about rabbits and bunnies is their is an endless supply of cuteness every couple of weeks. I get to pick which ones I want to keep, eat or sell. I use a rabbit wringer (which I made) it takes less than 5 seconds to dispatch the rabbit and no bruising and very little twitching and no bulging eyeballs. I'm looking at this as an extra meat to feed my family, plus I hunt so it doesn't bother me to process meat animals.

 

[dayna]

On a side note, HoppyMeal how do you like your wringer? I use an air rifle, a single .22 hollow point to the head. I'm working on trying different "ammo" for my air rifle.

Have you used an air rifle? Do you prefer the wringer over other methods?

And I agree, I'm eagerly awaiting 3 litters of babies! I can't wait to see all the cuteness!

 

[HoppyMeal]

I have enclosed a diagram of the rabbit wringer I made, I found on the internet. Instead of using 1' piece of wood I used angle iron and drilled a hole in each end to mount it.


I have killed the rabbits by hitting them in the back of the head, but that bruised the meat and then you have to deal with trying to hold them down while they are trying to get loose. With the wringer I grabbed the rabbit by the scruff of his neck and carried him to the wringer, grabbed a hold of the back legs, slid his neck into the wringer and pulled both back legs backwards and that was it. Lights out. Also I bought 2' by 3/8" rod and a 2' piece of 1" angle iron at Lowes for about $12.00. If you know someone with a welder, they can make it for you. It only took about 15 min. I had material left over. I may make something to hold it by its feet. I haven't decided yet.

 

[Pepperoni]

On a side note, HoppyMeal how do you like your wringer? I use an air rifle, a single .22 hollow point to the head. I'm working on trying different "ammo" for my air rifle.

Have you used an air rifle? Do you prefer the wringer over other methods?

And I agree, I'm eagerly awaiting 3 litters of babies! I can't wait to see all the cuteness!

In my opinion I like using a rifle over a wringer. We used to have a homemade wringer similar to what Hoppymeal posted. It was quick and pretty easy, but I have to be honest, the sound and feel of the neck "popping" gave me the willies. Plus every once in a while I'd have an unruly rabbit that would fight and struggle and tear me up as I was getting it in there. I hated getting scratched and I figure the added stress of that fight wasn't good for the rabbit.

Now I take rabbits to a corner behind our garage. There's a good patch of tasty weeds there and they typically get busy sniffing and eating as soon as I set them down. Once they are busy it's very easy to put a .22 in the back of their heads. If I was doing large numbers of rabbits it would be more financially sound to use the ringer, but since I only do a few every couple of months it isn't so bad to break out the gun and ammo.

The thing that I just cannot do is put down a little kit. I admit that when I have had kits that I feel need to be culled right away, due to injury or deformity or whatever, that I have my husband do it. He's my hero.

 

[3mina]

I love playing with everybunny, then I love filling my freezer.
Making sure my litters are well handled makes processing day tons easier, Whipple & I did a batch yesterday we hadn't handled for various reasons and they were the worst we've done that we had bred.