# Price for butchered rabbit



## Christiaan (Mar 13, 2004)

I've been selling my rabbits directly to customers. They are cutup, bagged and frozen and I get $14 each. No complaints about the price from customers. Am I charging too little?


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## Michael Leferink (Jul 12, 2003)

We do well to get $6.00 per dressed rabbit here. You are very lucky!

MikeL


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## dmckean44 (Oct 25, 2005)

A 7 lb organic chicken can cost $14 in the grocery store so it sounds about right to me.


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## dlwelch (Aug 26, 2002)

Michael Leferink said:


> We do well to get $6.00 per dressed rabbit here. You are very lucky!
> 
> MikeL



Location! Location! Location!

Our price is $3.00 per pound. The market won't bear any more in
this area. :bash: 

I would be happy to be selling 50 or so of those $14.00 fryers
per month.

**************************************
Linda Welch
http://www.texasrabbitconnection.com
http://www.texasrabbitconnection.com/forums/


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## doninwis (Jul 14, 2005)

That's a bit steep for fryers in our area, but if you are getting it, it must be fine with the people you are selling to. 

Rabbit is about $4.00 - $4.50 per pound when/where you can find it. If you charge any less, you probably are not comming out on top. If you have to charge less, I'd concider charging a processing fee of $2.00 per head to compensate for you time/labor/materials/electricity in the processing of the procuct. That could make the package worth about $12.00 - $14.00.

That's what we do in this area.

Don


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## Reauxman (Sep 14, 2002)

Charging ANYTHING for processing is ILLEGAL unless you have permits to do so. All you need is one person to turn you in for that $14 rabbit and you will be paying a lot more than $2.


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## doninwis (Jul 14, 2005)

I agree with Christiaan, that's more like we do it.

Another way to get around that is to sell it live and suggest an area of compensation for you to help them get it to the freezer.

I guess it all boils down to the same thing tho doesn't it. I'd suggest that if your area wants you to have a processors licience, you either get it or find someone who has it. It would probably depend on how many you have to process in a year.

Don


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## dlwelch (Aug 26, 2002)

In Texas, it doesn't matter whether we charge or give the rabbit away.
We cannot legally put a product into the retail food chain unless it is processed in an approved/licensed facility (doesn't have to be USDA).
It has nothing to do with the processing fee.

The only exception is for me to demonstrate to the buyer "how to process
the rabbit" with him in attendance. I was assured by the state agency
charged with enforcement that they wouldn't come after me under those
conditions! Due to the fact that I don't have _*product liability*_ on processed rabbit, I limit my sales to family and neighbors. 

**************************************
Linda Welch
http://www.texasrabbitconnection.com
http://www.texasrabbitconnection.com/forums/


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## Ranchermom (Oct 25, 2005)

Each state law is different 

For those of you that want to do small scale Rabbit & poultry processing in the state of Texas less then 10,000 in a calendar year here is more info on it Texas Department of State and Health Service web site click here and it includes

*Three different levels for Texas for butchering.* One of them is Commerical the other Custom and the other is for small livestalk that most of us do. I dont think is that hard to get for individual if you wanted to become custom that is a whole different level. This is quote from that site:

"Individuals that produce low volume poultry or rabbits and wish to slaughter and process them for sale are required to obtain either a Grant of Poultry/Rabbit Exemption or a Grant of Inspection.


*Application for grant of poultry/rabbit exemption*

1. Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) 

Regulations require that meat and poultry establishments develop, implement, and maintain written standard operating procedures for sanitation (Sanitation SOPs). SSOPs must describe all procedures an establishment will conduct daily, before and during operations, to prevent direct contamination or adulteration of product(s). SSOPs must describe which procedures will be conducted before the start of operations and those that will be conducted during operations. SSOPs should include an inspection checklist and a corrective action record to document daily the procedures conducted and to document any corrective actions taken in response to observed deficiencies. 

2. Labeling and Marketing

Meat and poultry products produced under a grant of poultry/rabbit exemption and intended to be sold through locations other than the farm where the livestock is produced, must be clearly marked with the producer's name and address and the term "Exempted P.L. 90-492". 


Now if you want to look more into the Texas Code check on it check out the Texas Administrative Code Section 21 Click here 

(21) Grant of poultry/rabbit exemption--An authorization from the department for a person to engage in a very low volume business of slaughtering and processing poultry or rabbits of his/her own raising on his/her own property and personally distributing the carcasses and/or parts, to retail consumers, restaurants, or other retail establishments, provided that the following conditions are met: 

(A) the person slaughters less than 10,000 poultry, rabbits, or a combination thereof, in a calendar year; 

(B) the person does not buy and sell other poultry or rabbit products (except live chicks, baby rabbits, and/or breeding stock); 

(C) only sound, healthy poultry or rabbits are slaughtered and all processes and handling are conducted under sanitary standards and procedures resulting in poultry and rabbit products that are not adulterated; 

(D) the product bears the processor's name and address and the statement "Exempted P.L. 90-492"; (unless immediately sold to the household consumer); and 

(E) the poultry is not a ratite. 

Hope this helps the Texas people 
As for the sale part I think it goes around here $3.50 per pound. A typical dressed rabbit will weigh 2 lbs at this stage. This gives an average price of $7.00 per fryer. 

Sam


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## dlwelch (Aug 26, 2002)

Ranchermom said:


> I dont think is that hard to get for individual if you wanted to become custom that is a whole different level.
> 
> Sam


It's not hard to get as long as you want to spend the $$$$$$
to meet the building requirements to pass inspection.

Although I haven't figured costs recently, someone in South Texas 
finished a small poultry facility last year and her expense was $10,000 (give or take a few $$).


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## Ranchermom (Oct 25, 2005)

Yah your right Linda to get a small process center going it could run in the mula... especially if you get into the Custom or the Commercial but if you stick with the individual less then 10,000 a year exemption it shouldnt run that much if just for rabbits you need what??? a good table, water to keep things clean, dosent say it has to be in a building even, not the "individual exemption" unless I am missing it? I would want a roof over my head at least  Screened in would be great to keep flys away.

I dont see anything anywhere in the Health rules that says for the individual you have to have this and that equipment, just the SSOPs written up someplace and of course do the application. Now if you do Poultry then your looking into more money for the plucker, scalder. 


Sam


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## dlwelch (Aug 26, 2002)

The facility I referred to was under the same type of exemption that 
you referenced. Yes, it has to be in a building. It can't be co-mingled 
with your private kitchen work area in any manner. What spoilsports 
they are!  

And, if things start going good and you get close to the 10,000
number mark, the State will advise that you need to contact them
so an Inspector can be on hand during each day of processing.
There is a small poultry operation in North Texas who had gotten
into this area. 
Dr. Sidwa (State Health Dept.) had suggested to me that a 
"mobile processing" facility co-owned and used by several producers 
might could work. It might would work okay for one producer but 
it would seem to be a more expensive route.

I wasn't interested in pursuing this much further as I have an
excellent market for live rabbits.

There used to be a pamphlet available from the state detailing
some of this further. 

**************************************
Linda Welch
http://www.texasrabbitconnection.com
http://www.texasrabbitconnection.com/forums/


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## Ranchermom (Oct 25, 2005)

> Yes, it has to be in a building


 Oh ok the custom or commercial Yah I can believe it would cost that much especially if you want to do more then 10,000 a year and do more different things with it. 

We have slowly through the years been collecting, tables and all the equipment its taken us about 4yrs to do that. Even that has cost us a pretty penny getting it at auctions and fleamarkets. Even making your own scalder and plucker will cost a bit, still less then buying it.



> It can't be co-mingled with your private kitchen work area in any manner..


 Oh I can't believe that either! I want to make a milk room I figured I would just use the harvest kitchen we plan to build but hubby said nope it has to be separate if we want it certified for raw milk! geeeez now thats another nightmare the milk certified I wont go into it since this is a rabbit topic



> "mobile processing"


 to rich for my blood hehe

10,000 a year I can't even dream of that many I would have nightmares hahaha my family would leave me if we did that many. :walk: 
I think Virginia is 20,000 we read a lot of Joel S books. I think it said that.

Sam


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## dlwelch (Aug 26, 2002)

If you apply to process and market 2 or 2,000 rabbits, you will need
to have a facility approved by the state. You will not be allowed
to butcher and process in the "open" and place rabbits into the
retail market. You need concrete floors w/drains, washable 
interiors, appropiate tables/work areas, etc.

In reality, the main difference is whether an inspector is on site or not
during butchering. For less than 10,000, he is not (normally). 



> just the SSOPs written up someplace


It's actually more involved than just writing something up. The 
inspector in this area volunteered to work with us to develop
the SSOP. LOL Guess he needed to get away from the office! 


**************************************
Linda Welch
http://www.texasrabbitconnection.com
http://www.texasrabbitconnection.com/forums/


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## Ranchermom (Oct 25, 2005)

Linda I dont see this in the Texas Department of State and Health Service or the Texas Administrative Code websites I am going to private email you maybe we can figure out together check your email please.

Oh why or why do they make this complicated for lil ol' country folks like us hahaha

Sam


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## momshobbies (Aug 23, 2005)

I sell my meat rabbits for $7.50. The folks I sell to seem to be happy to pay that . located in mid-Missouri


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## Nick (Oct 30, 2005)

ok so i got a question, what if you do charge for the processing?

say you sell you rabbit on the hoof so to speak for $14 dollars or you can get a cut and froze for the same?


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## doninwis (Jul 14, 2005)

I thought Christiann's origional question was about selling rabbit to customers who might come to the farm for it? Not a commercial operation.And the question was concerning price.

I can understand the rule book if it involves selling to commercial customers like stores and restruants, but if you are only selling a few rabbits privatly each month to those who might come to your place, is all this still necessary?


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## Michael Leferink (Jul 12, 2003)

doninwis,

The FDA regulates rabbit meat at the national level (interstate) and each state has it's own laws. In some cases, each county has it's own laws. It is up to each person to learn and comply with the laws/regs of their location. In some areas USDA regs must be followed. USDA is also needed for import/export internationally. In most states there are state regs which pretty closely follow FDA regs. Here in Louisiana we have a La. State Rabbit Permit that must be obtained in order to sell processed rabbits. The state regs follow FDA, so if a person is licensed by the state of La. they are also in compliance with FDA. As far as selling "off the farm", I believe RooMaN has it right. Anyone can ask anyone to dress any animal for them as a favor. Only licensed processors using certified butchers are allowed to sell butchered (cut up) meat. I think there is an exemption for poultry. This is in Louisiana, in your state it might be different. Now laws/regs change and I am going to be doing some more research. I'll let everyone know if I find anything different.

MikeL


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## Reauxman (Sep 14, 2002)

Mike,
Please do let me know what you know of LA's laws. Those marked breeds are getting addictive, and I have too many culls for my own use. PM me if you'd like.
Lance


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