Successfully Raise Rabbits For Meat

Successfully Raise Rabbits For Meat

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A great deal of people are raising bunny rabbits to furnish themselves with organically grown meat for the kitchen table. And it's easy to see why since raising other types of meat such as beef, pork, and chicken involve more room and more effort. Plus, domestic rabbit is an all-white meat that is low in cholesterol and fat. And many physicians recommend rabbit meat for people with digestive issues.

Most everyone understands that rabbits can reproduce extremely quickly and with simply one pair of rabbits it's possible to grow over 100 pounds of all-white meat each and every year. One doe can generate ten times her body weight every year. And the amazing thing is that it can be produced in a space smaller than 100 square feet. Rabbits can even be grown in a tiny apartment or garage. With a few pairs you can raise enough high quality meat to provide for a small family and have enough left over to give to the neighbors. Chickens are another great meat producer, but they require a great deal more space and labor.

With a properly manufactured rabbit hutch the only work that is generally necessary is to check their feed and water every day, perform a visual health assessment, and keep a journal of breeding results for every individual animal. Cleaning their cages every so often is also a great idea. Rabbits are very healthy and vigorous creatures and are generally able to maintain good health and productivity if housed in a sanitary home.

Unlike a lot of other creatures, infant bunnies are fully provided for by their mother. She gives them all they require. They are weaned at 6 to 8 weeks of age which is also the age they get to fryer size. This means that when it comes to raising rabbits they may very well not need any assistance from you. The mother will do all of the work for you. The milk that a mother feeds her litter is very rich and nutritious and is all a tiny bunny rabbit requires.

Another benefit of growing rabbits is that the meat is low in fat and cholesterol, high in protein, and much easier to digest than chicken, beef, and pork. In addition, there is no plucking needed. When you've accumulated some skill you'll be able to pull the hide off quickly and have your meat wrapped and in the freezer in just 10 or 15 minutes. And if you enjoy gardening you'll be delighted to know that rabbit droppings make some of the finest manure. Manure from lots of farm animals will burn your vegetation, but rabbit fertilizer won't.

The best variety of rabbit for meat production is arguably the white New Zealand. These animals are extremely hefty and will grow to roughly 13 pounds at maturity. The majority of producers don't let them reach this size and will butcher them as fryers at about 8 weeks of age. The standard fryer weight is about 4 to 5 pounds and the usual litter size for New Zealand bunnies is from 8 to 10 rabbits.

A second great meat breed is the white Californian. They get up to 10 pounds at full maturity which is a little smaller than the New Zealand. Californian does also have fewer children in a litter than New Zealands which is 6 to 8 offspring. Many times breeders will cross breed these two types since they can generate incredibly hearty babies. Raising rabbits for meat can be an entertaining and rewarding project if done properly.

About the Author:
Joshua Harding has been a bunny aficionado for over 40 years. He has gained a sizeable amount of information on the subject matter and likes to share it with other rabbit fanciers. He maintains a website where you will be able to find lots of interesting articles about raising meat rabbits, making rabbit hutches, and more.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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