Pricing Dressed Rabbit

[HandledWithCare]

Ugh ok so I raise meat rabbits and have a couple of does--ok six--and usually about half the litter is butchered. I live in a semi-rural town in southeast Missouri. What is a moderate price so I can sell these and make enough money to be worth it? I'd usually stay right under store price but Wal-mart and Kroger don't exactly carry butchered rabbits. Help!

HWC

 

[BarredBuff]

I wouldn't go for less than 8$ a butchered rabbit, it is a specialty type of meat and your not commercial so it is not mass produced, so cost should be higher.

 

[terri9630]

I sell mine $10 live. The local grocery store sells rabbit for $6.75lb. We only butcher ours so I don't have to worry about someone mis handling the meat and blaming me because they got sick.

 

[the funny farm6]

i normaly go by most recent price of the live rabbiy and add 3-5 dollars for butchering. right now here in south east iowa, live rabbits are selling for 5-8 dollars each, so i would be asking 8-13 each. i have a couple bigger ones that would be at @15 or so. (none are over 3 mos). we are going to butcher tues, (hopefully).

 

[HandledWithCare]

I've been doing $15 each dressed and $10 live. I have pure NZReds and Red Satin/Florida White. The Satin/Whites are the ones I usually butcher and that's just because I don't have a Satin Red doe or Florida white buck yet. I don't like crossing them that much but they're just for eating. The reds I'll sell live or dressed. Is this an unreasonable price to you guys? I don't have much trouble selling but do get some people griping.

 

[the funny farm6]

As long as the are buying you are good. I have found that people always gripe. And more than usual lately. So I think you are good. I am switching over to purebred new zeland whites. I also have standard rex but they are pedigreed and I have had a lot of intrest in them and I am quoting them at $25.00 with pedigree. So they are worth more alive. Lol.

 

[HandledWithCare]

Awesome, thanks for all the answers, everyone! I feel a lot more confident in my pricing now.

 

[pinkfox]

im seeing rabbit MEAT selling in the PET market at $4-$7 a lb and in the human market at $5-$8 a lb

Id be VERY carefull selling processed/butchered meat unless your VERY familiar with your state laws and the people your selling to.
all it takes is one person to get sick from mishandling the meat and suddenly youve potentially got a world of trouble.

id say price wise your a good deal though for processed rabbit though

 

[the funny farm6]

You might also look into tanning the hides. I get $5.00-$8.00 per hide on top of the price for meat.

 

[terri9630]

I need to learn to tan hides. That way if it was ever necessary we could wear rabbit skins.