Finding an outside butcher

Finding an outside butcher

If you are slaughtering rabbits for home use, there are two ways to kill the rabbit. 

The neck can be dislocated by firmly grasping the hind legs and head. 

Then it is stretched to full length and with a hard, sharp pull, the head is bent backward to dislocate the neck. 

The other way to butcher the rabbit is to stun it with a hard blow behind the ears with a blunt object such as a stout stick or hammer.

Using a rope attached to one of the hind legs, hang the rabbit with the head

down. Use a sharp knife to remove the head and allow the blood to drain from the carcass completely. 

Rabbits are small, and it only takes a few minutes for all the blood to drain. 

The forefeet should be removed next right at the joint. 

Use the knife to cut the skin around the hock joint, where the thigh meets the lower leg bone. 

Make a cut down the legs toward the tail, and peel the hide down to the tail. 

Remove the tail and pull the skin down the rest of the body. 

Then, set the skin aside. 

Wash the knife to remove any blood clots or fur.

Finding an outside butcher to harvest your rabbits for personal consumption is not usually difficult. You can check online, in the phone book, or with your state meat inspection agency.

Your state meat inspection agency licenses most local butchers, so they should keep a listing of butchers in your area that they can pass on to you. 

Your local feed store also may have notices about butchers that are willing to travel to farms and butcher animals. These butchers operate mobile processing units called MPUs. 

They usually carry everything with them they will need to process animals, though they may need assistance from you or a few other people if you are butchering larger animals.

Rabbits are not required to be inspected under either the Federal Meat Inspection Act or the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. 

Your state may have its own meat inspection program. 

Ask your butcher about any licenses required for

custom butchering and whether he or she has the necessary licensure.

Before choosing a butcher, it is a good idea to visit the facility and make sure it is appropriately clean and sanitary. 

You can ask around to find out what kind of reputation the butcher has with other farmers. 

You are trust the butcher with animals you intend to eat yourself, so you should be satisfied that he or she will do a good job.