What is avg Dressed Weight of California White or New Zealands

[anthonyjames]

I have local nature center courting me for rabbits for their birds of prey program. I want to make sure that what ever price I give will be beneficial to both of us. And one of the questions was what will the rabbits weigh?

I asked them if they were looking for dressed or live weight. But either way I would like to know a rough average if there is one for a 12 week old Californian or New Zealand White.

 

[dbunni]

Depending on the breed and the bone mass of the animal, you can loose 1/4 to 1/3 of the animals live weight.

 

[Bunnylady]

To approach this question from the other side, most rabbit meat processors are paying between $1.00 - $1.50/lb live weight for 4 to 6 lb. fryers. Anything above 6 lbs, and the price drops dramatically. I'm into "fancy" rabbits, rather than the true meat breeds, but I'm thinking that the above-mentioned fryers would be more like 8 to 10 weeks old.

If it helps any, the serpentarium that takes my culls pays me $1.25/lb, the bigger, the better! (BIG snakes!)

 

[dbunni]

Thinking this through. This is for NZs, broken to be specific. Last year my daughter's meat pen (3) for the fair weighed just under 15#. They were born July 2 and weighed in Aug 8 (we did have to do a little weight maint to keep them under the 15# max! by the end of fair they were over!). So, at this calculation, a 12 week kit would weigh in around 7-8#. (remembering that they gain in leaps and bounds during the latter weeks..some up to a pound a week). In ARBA that particular rabbit would have to show in the "Roaster & Stewers" class...if they were under 8#!.

Our local meat buyers are purchasing at/around 1.00 pound live. for 5-7#.

 

[anthonyjames]

Thanks for the info. I was guessing somewhere in the $8 - $10 range for them.

I am waiting to find out if they will want me to skin them or not. If they do, I have found someone within an hour of me that will give me $4 per pelt if I salt them. Not sure what that means but still looking into that.

So if I sell them for around $8 and the fur for $4 I could live with $12 per rabbit. As they don't eat that much food, would be in moveable pens/tractors for the last 4 - 6 weeks and my main reason for raising them was for our own consumption. Any thing extra is a bonus.