2006-11-19 11:45:25 · 14 answers · asked by master 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
I don't know if rabbit meat is sold at most butcher shops, but it is sold at most grocery stores. It is usually sold at grocery stores and to restaurants at $5/pound dressed. Normally breeds such as New Zealands, Californians, Satins, Champagne D'Argents, and other large breeds are the ones that are normally used for meat production. Like any other animal used for meat production, they are normally butchered at a certain age or weight size. Rabbits that are used for meat production are normally butchered at 70 days old and close to 5 pounds. They are normally butchered at this age/size in order for the meat to be more tender and for it to taste slightly better. Rabbits normally dress out at around 60% meat. Which means you get 3 pounds of meat from a 5 pound rabbit. At $5/pound that's about $15 to buy a USDA inspected rabbit for cooking.
As far as the nutrition of rabbit meat is concerned, it is one of easiest meats to digest. It has 4 times the protein of pork. All of the fat on a rabbit is directly under the hide and not mixed in with the meat like with steak, pork, or most other meats. So the meat has basically no fat. There is also little to no cholesterol in rabbit meat. Rabbit meat is one of the most healthy meats to eat even over turkey or fish. That's why many doctors recommend rabbit meat to elderly people for a good healthy diet.
One last note, rabbits unlike most animals carry no diseases that are communicable to humans.
What many people don't know is that some of the food you buy in the grocery store does contain rabbit meat. Some food companies incorporate rabbit meat into their food to help bring the cholesterol and fat content of the dinner down. Since rabbit meat tastes like chicken and is more tender, a little sweeter, and it is more healthy, it can be easily incorporated into dinners.
You may have noticed that there is not the onslaught of rabbits in pet shelters like there is for cats or dogs. This is partly due to the meat marketability of rabbits that does not occur with cats or dogs and it helps prevent over-population like what we see with cats or dogs. Over-population leads to people not feeding or caring for their animals properly and many animals starving to death. Although using rabbits for meat may seem cruel to many people it does prevent many of them from being mistreated or not fed properly.
People who raise horses are now running into the problem of overpopulation with pet activists forcing the closures of the few horse processing facilities. The old and injured horses now have really nowhere to go and are forced to suffer in pain till they die. It has also starting causing an over-population of horses and the number of horse abuse cases is starting to soar, with many horses being basically starved to death when they are old and arent' wanted anymore. There is now no one to sell them to or that will take them. Other than horse shelters, which are already overloaded, who is going to want to take a horse that is a few years from dying and ridden with health problems that could cost a lot? So the owner that doesn't want it, keeps it and mal-treats it because they don't want it any longer.
2006-11-19 23:14:39 · answer #1 · answered by devilishblueyes 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would assume you want to keep this rabbit as a pet? If so, getting a rabbit from the butchers would probably not make for a very fun pet.
2006-11-19 11:54:20 · answer #2 · answered by Cristina v 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Rabbits at a pet store are bred to look good, but they prolly taste like crap. Plus, if you get your rabbit at a pet shop, u have to do all the butchering and stuff. LoL it might even be illegal to get em from a pet shop. Probably more expensive anyway.
2006-11-19 11:54:00 · answer #3 · answered by who? me? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The kinds of rabbits they sell for meat are different than pet shop rabbits. They use large breeds like Californians which make good pets but have more meat on them. Pet shops sell breeds usally like Netherland Dwarfs and Holland Lops which most people don't eat. So, smart aleck, I would recommend the butcher. Plus, it'd already be skinned and ready to cook! By the way, I heard rabbit tastes like chicken so why not just save alot of money and stick with KFC?????????
2006-11-19 11:55:15 · answer #4 · answered by SHELTIELUVER 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't know but I'd imagine that the ones kept for butchering might have things wrong with them because I'm sure they weren't kept in great conditions. I had no idea there were farms that raised rabbits for slaughter.. I've never even seen rabbit meat for sale. I'd personally go with a breeder over a pet shop. But even a pet shop is better than a butcher's, I'm sure!!
2006-11-19 11:51:33 · answer #5 · answered by crouchingpossum 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Are you eating it or making a pet of it?
If you are eating it, go to the butcher shop or a person who sells dressed rabbit.
If you want a pet, go to the pet store, or someone who sells live rabbits.
2006-11-19 11:51:04 · answer #6 · answered by istitch2 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Guess i would have to say the pet shop. Thats where I got my first one from 4 years ago and I got a second one about 6 months ago for free from a lady I met through the animal shelter her 10 year old had 6 for his b/day from his grandfather and she was like oh no thats way too many so she gave away all but 2 for free
2016-03-29 02:02:31 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Colleen O is right - rabbits from the pet store are not safe or legal for humans to consume...poisoness stuff, stay away. Plus you wouldn't save much money cuz you would have more work skinning/butchering etc.
2006-11-19 11:55:03 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
That's a sick question to ask on here, we love our pets. Rabbits you get at pet stores or from breeders that sells for pets, aren't good for eating anyway.
2006-11-19 11:54:22 · answer #9 · answered by creeklops 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
pet shop breeds are too small for eating.. butcher ones would be more cost effective overall
2006-11-19 11:50:54 · answer #10 · answered by CF_ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋