Rabbit Slaughtering Methods: Neck Dislocation, Stunning and Skinning
Rabbit processing requires appropriate handling and slaughter techniques to achieve effective bleeding and facilitate carcass preparation. The procedures used should allow efficient removal of the skin while maintaining carcass quality and hygienic handling.
The two most common methods are (a) dislocation of the neck and (b) stunning followed by severing the neck to ensure satisfactory bleeding. This second method may also be used in conjunction with the dislocation technique.
For dislocation of the neck, the rabbit is grasped firmly by the hind legs just above the hock joint. The other hand firmly holds the rabbit’s neck either in front of or directly behind the ears.
The operation is completed by pulling sharply on the neck with a downward and backward twist of the hand. Correct dislocation results in a small gap between the head and the neck. The spinal cord is severed, and the neck is dislocated.
Severing the head with a sharp knife will ensure proper bleeding, which results in a whiter carcass. Skinning can be done by making an incision over the thigh of each hind leg, and the skin can be pulled off by applying slight force.
