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Meat Rabbit Facts:

Rabbits are often pets or show animals. Sometimes they are even used for research. They may also be raised for meat or fur. Rabbits are a low cost, nutritious meat.

The U.S. alone provides about 1.5% of the world’s supply of domestic rabbit meat. (Domestic means the meat is from rabbits that were raised in captivity.)

Rabbits provide great meant without a high cost of much waste. Some reasons for their efficiency are that rabbits:

• Don't need much space
  
• Make use of any food they are offered

• Grow and reproduce quickly. In a year, one doe can produce the times her own weight in the meat of her offspring.

• It only takes about 3 months from the time a doe mates until her litter is ready for the table.

Meat Production Breeds:

All breeds of domestic rabbits can be used for meat. However, many meat producers prefer breeds such as the New Zealand White and the Californian. These rabbits have good body shape and conformation. Their dress-out percentage (the amount of meat they will provide) is also good. A short-bodied, heavy muscled rabbits usually yields more meat than a long-bodied, lean rabbit.

Rabbit Meat:

Domestic rabbit meat is mild flavored, tender and pearly-white. It can be used instead of poultry in most poultry recipes. Some desirable characteristics of rabbit’s meat are its:

• high protein content
  
• low fat content
  
• low cholesterol content
  
• low sodium
  
• low amount of saturated fatty acids
  
• fine texture
  
• low bone-to-meat ratio
  
• high digestibility
  
• pleasant taste
  
• year-round availability

• Fryers and Roasters

• Rabbits processed for meat are called fryers, bakers, or roasters, and some times steweres. Their age and weight determine their title.
  

A fryer is less than 10 weeks old. It weighs 3.5 to 5 pounds live. A fryer carcass should be more than half its live weight. This includes the liver, heart, and kidneys. The flesh of a fryer is tender, with fine texture. It has a bright pearly- white color. They are the most common type of domestic meat rabbit.

Roasters are 10-week-old to 6-month-old rabbits. They commonly weigh 5 1/2 to 8 pounds. A roaster's carcass should weigh more than half of the rabbit's life weight. The flesh is firmer than a fryer's. It also has a slightly darker color and coarser texture.

HOW TO:

>> How To Skin, Dress and Prepare a Rabbit for Consumption. (This web page contains some graphic pictures.)

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