First rabbit harvest

[Maxine]

A friend gave us two old rabbits that she was tired of feeding. She has raised them in the past for 4-H pets and now has an excess of rabbits and doesn't really want to get into the kill. So we have two rabbits we've been fattening up for about a week and a half.

My question is are there any special things you do to prepare the rabbits 24 hours before slaughter?

 

[Dood]

Fast them - no food but water is ok. Sometimes their stomachs can rupture if they struggle to much.

 

[Maxine]

Thanks Dood. I did give them a little alfalfa hay this morning. They were acting so hungry. What can I say....I'm bad at this.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Many people fast their animals prior to slaughter to minimize the chance of contamination of the meat, but I read a study somewhere that fasting causes additional stress, so I always feed mine.

Plus, my plans do not always work out- so I'd rather just give normal care up to butchering day rather than randomly have animals miss a meal.

 

[Maxine]

These two rabbits showed up looking pretty ragged. We've been feeding them alot. So maybe I'll give them a little something this morning in addition to the hay. Then not feed them tonight or tomorrow morning.

 

[Demamma]

I never fasted my rabbits. I figure the less stress the better.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

YOu should give them somthing like hay is fine with out pellets the night before.

 

[Zab]

Never even heard of fasting them.. I won't do it. Then again.. they won't be getting a lot of grain or such right before either.

 

[GBov]

I always fast poultry but never my rabbits.

Even if the guts rupture and sprinkle rabbit poo all over its no big deal, just washes off.

Chicken poo is different, caustic and nasty so the emptier I can get teh poultry the better.

And with rabbits you cut them all the way open so its easy to get the guts out so very little chance of rupturing anything really badly.

 

[fuzzy9]

I never fasted my rabbits. I figure the less stress the better.

:yeahthat:

 

[akane]

Rabbits aren't designed for fasting. They aren't even designed for pellet meals. They evolved to have food around 24/7 and do best that way. Even if it's low quality grass hay so they won't put on any extra weight and doesn't cost much.