The slaughtering and processing of rabbits differs significantly from that of common livestock such as pigs, chickens, cattle, and sheep.
It requires a sophisticated and specialized production line tailored to the body size, physiology, and product characteristics of rabbits.
The core objective of a modern rabbit slaughtering line is to maximize the production of intact, clean carcasses and high-value byproducts (such as rabbit skin) while ensuring efficient and humane slaughter.
Rabbit skin (Rex rabbit skin, meat rabbit skin) is an important byproduct with high economic value; therefore, scalding for hair removal is prohibited, and mechanical or semi-mechanical skinning must be used.
Humanity and meat quality: Electric shock followed by immediate bleeding is commonly used to reduce animal pain and stress, which helps ensure meat quality (reducing PSE meat).
Rabbit fat has a low melting point, making the carcass susceptible to contamination. The production line design must facilitate cleaning and disinfection, with low water tank temperatures (e.g., below 12°C) and high processing speeds.
The carcass must be quickly transferred to a cooling room (0-4°C) for rapid cooling and acid removal to inhibit microorganisms and improve flavor and tenderness.
In addition to whole carcasses, production can extend to cut products (forelegs, hind legs, back), prepared rabbit meat, or cooked food processing, increasing added value.
Small/semi-automatic lines: capacity 500-1000 rabbits/hour, with some manual assistance in certain stages; investment is relatively flexible.
Fully automatic lines: capacity over 1000 rabbits/hour, with full automation from stunning to cooling; high investment, suitable for large-scale production.