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Post by Currmudgeon on Jan 16, 2004 11:09:07 GMT -5
This is almost enough to make me want to put the rabbitry back in. I used to be able to raise rabbit for less than 50 cents a pound dressed weight. But the dogs can eat the heads and organs, too, so that should bring the price down.
Pity; Jan and the girls won't eat rabbit.
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Post by trigger on Jan 16, 2004 18:46:38 GMT -5
I've been told that when I was a little girl & Dad would come home from rabbit hunting, I'd hold their dead, little bodies & rock them in my little rocking chair, with fleas crawling all over. ;D
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Post by Currmudgeon on Jan 18, 2004 17:32:40 GMT -5
That's so sweet. Particularly the fleas part.
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Post by freundhund on Jan 18, 2004 18:28:08 GMT -5
Currmudgeon Now I do know the price of RABBIT here in Australia. ;D AUD 16 - 20 each dressed. If you can buy them. No Rabbito's any longer Janis only the South Sydney ones<lol>. Between Mixametosis(sp) and Calesi Virus (sp) rabbit numbers are down. Only a few people supply butchers these days. So you are talking gourmet food here. I can supply you with some lovely recipies including a traditional Indian Curry one. As one that likes eating rabbit and it's a declared pest in Australia. Feed it to the dogs, huh. Regards Freundhund
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Kerry
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Posts: 177
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Post by Kerry on Jan 18, 2004 21:19:08 GMT -5
Hi Trigger. My dad would squirrel hunt, and I'd pretend that the stiff, little flea ridden squirrels were babies. Funny, though, I don't remember being bitten by those fleas, but when I accompanied my grandparents into a vacant rental unit, I was attacked by a kabillion hungry fleas and they had to strip me down in the parking lot and pick them off of me. I remember that event very clearly, as well.
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Kerry
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Post by Kerry on Jan 18, 2004 21:29:20 GMT -5
If one feeds a rabbit to a dog, do you skin it, or let the dog do it? What kind of rabbits make a good meal, i.e., the best ratio of meat and bones? I don't think that I could raise them and feed them to the dogs, but I'm just curious. Shhh! We have pet lop ears in the family...
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Post by trigger on Jan 20, 2004 0:11:36 GMT -5
Hi Kerry. Yeah, that would freak me out now. Of course, I don't remember it at all. I also got attacked by a herd of fleas once at a boyfriend's house. Yuck.
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Post by Currmudgeon on Jan 21, 2004 10:52:37 GMT -5
I think I'd skin them out, just so I didn't have to clean up rotting scraps of fur all over the kennel yard. If you have enough, you may be able to market the skins. Or make lots of warm mittens.
I don't know if the breed of rabbit would make much difference. You might want to select a breed for size. Californians and New Zealands are the standard commercial rabbits in the US. This is because of their white fur, which dyes well. They're also a compact, meaty rabbit. A whole adult NZ would be too much for a meal, and if you cut them up, you might have too many hassles dealing with the guts. But the bunnies, when they're weaned at two months, should be reasonable, at 3 - 4 pounds.
I used to raise New Zealand - Checker Giant crosses. They had the size of the Checker and the bulk of the NZ. Ideal meat rabbits, IMO, but the pelts came out every colour of the rainbow. They were BIG bunnies. They weaned at about four pounds, IIRC (It's been 30 years) and dressed out at about 50% of their "on the hoof" weight.
The various breeds size out as foillows:
Small - 2 to 6 lbs (0.9-2.7 kg) American Fuzzy Lop Britannia Petite Dutch Dwarf Hotot Florida White Havana Himilayan Holland Lop Jersey Wolly Mini Lop Mini Rex Netherland Dwarf Polish Silver Tan
Medium - 6 to 9 lbs (2.7-4.1 kg) American Sable Belgian Hare English angora English Spot French angora Harlequin Lilac Rex Rhinelander Satin Angora Silver Marten Standard Chinchilla
Large - 9 to 11 lbs (4.1-5 kg) American American Chinchilla Beveren Californian Champagne d'Argent Cinnamon Creme d'Argent English Lop Giant Angora Hotot New Zealand Palomino Satin Silver Fox
Giant - 11 lbs (5 kg) and over Checkered Giant Flemish Giant (Patagonian) French Lop Giant Chinchilla
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Kerry
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Post by Kerry on Feb 3, 2004 8:09:49 GMT -5
Thanks, Curr, for 'The Compleat Bunny Information List'. Natural food is best. I'd think that the entire rabbit, sans fur, would be best to feed, but yes, I could see how the fur would be messy. Some rabbits are quite large, and some would make a perfect meal.
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Post by whizzie on Feb 3, 2004 9:28:47 GMT -5
Mine have had whole rabbit, complete with fur etc., there was nothing left afterwards, and no mess. I felt a bit queasy at their enthusiasm, but they really did enjoy it with no problems at all. The dam presented it to the puppies who were then four and a half weeks old. They had an incredible food drive, but I don't know if that was in them anyway or created by the bunny. After that they pretty much lost interest in her milk and she had much more fun with them. The previous litter had constantly pestered her for milk and the poor girl found she was constantly running round in circles to avoid their teeth. The only problem with feeding bunny is the greater likelihood of tapeworm.
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Post by JanisN on Feb 3, 2004 18:37:33 GMT -5
What you save on meat you spend on worming, eh? Worming for tw is EXPENSIVE around here.
JanisN
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Post by Currmudgeon on Feb 4, 2004 9:47:49 GMT -5
The only problem with feeding bunny is the greater likelihood of tapeworm. If you can keep the fleas out of your rabbitry, then tapeworm should not be a problem.
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Kerry
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Posts: 177
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Post by Kerry on Feb 4, 2004 23:51:14 GMT -5
If you can keep the fleas out of your rabbitry, then tapeworm should not be a problem. Is there something non-poisonous to use on the rabbits to keep fleas away?
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