Abattoir Practices and Animal Products Technology

FABRICATION OF RABBIT CARCASSES

Steps for making wholesale cuts of rabbits

• There is an increase in the consumption of rabbit meat.
• Hence the popularity of wholesale cuts of rabbit carcasses is also increasing.
• They invariably realize more per pound of meat than wholesale carcass.
• In USA, the small rabbit carcass weighing about 800 – 900 gm is referred to as FRYERS.
• This lends itself to be cut off and easily preferred for marketing.
• It is normally practiced to cut the carcass into seven jointed pieces consisting of two hind legs, two fore legs, two pieces of chest and back and one loin piece.
• The larger carcass is cut into more portions depending upon the weight of the carcass, which may vary from 9 to 12 pieces where the hind legs are divided into two pieces.
• The loin and back portion of rib are cut into 5 pieces and front portion of the ribs and each foreleg into one piece.
• The intermediate (medium) sized carcass is cut into lesser cuts so as to form individual cuts.
• The small carcasses can be prepared and pre-packed and sold as jointed whole rabbit with larger joint may be individually prepacked or combined to make up certain weight ranges depending upon the local demand.