Question For The Experts

[RabbitDad]

Rabbit meat could easily be classified as a health-food.
As for the commercial end, expenses Vs yield, I'm guessing the cost would be similar to raising poultry, but the yield is greater, labor is less and there are byproducts that could also provide profit.
I'm so old that I can remember crawling out of the ocean & growing legs. Bottom line, I've been here for a very long time. Yet, I've never seen rabbit meat available in grocery stores or restaurants. Why?
Adding to the mystery... chickens are disgusting! They eat ANYTHING, including their own waste and other chickens. Yet they are considered "the healthier" option compared to beef & other meats. Chicken remains a very popular food. Why?
I openly admit that I know very little about rabbits but the little I do know, I'd happily consume rabbit meat long before other common options.

 

[Preitler]

Rabbits are more work, the yield is lower, and even sheep farmers have problems selling the wool nowadays. You can't keep them as cramped as chickens, mechanising everything wouldn't be easy, and they do not eat everything. There simply is no incentive to scale rabbit farming up a lot. There is more profit with other animals.

Rabbit meat is very healthy, people who have problems with other meats often can still eat rabbit. It's very lean - and that might contribute to it not being popular, fat just tastes great. Also rabbits have the stigma of a poor peoples food, like, most would need to by chicken feed, but you can feed rabbits with forage gathered everywhere, for free.
When I was a kid rabbit was the meat on my grandparents sunday table, buying meat was a rare luxury thing. that changed when meat was produced on industrial scale, with all those helpful chamicals. Chickens were primarily kept for the eggs.

That's why it's important to keep those traditions alive, we might bitterly need it again, oil will run out, war is raging again just a few hundred km away, and a lot of what humanity is doing right now looks like a Ponzi scheme, some day of reckoning is due, maybe not during my lifetime, but we can't go ahaed like that forever.

I gather most forage with a basket and scythe, mowing along paths and places that aren't used by farmers, small spots and the banks of the brook. I also keep the grass low around small trees an a christmas tree plot. All stuff npoone else would use.

 

[RabbitDad]

Rabbits are more work, the yield is lower, and even sheep farmers have problems selling the wool nowadays. You can't keep them as cramped as chickens, mechanising everything wouldn't be easy, and they do not eat everything. There simply is no incentive to scale rabbit farming up a lot. There is more profit with other animals.

Rabbit meat is very healthy, people who have problems with other meats often can still eat rabbit. It's very lean - and that might contribute to it not being popular, fat just tastes great. Also rabbits have the stigma of a poor peoples food, like, most would need to by chicken feed, but you can feed rabbits with forage gathered everywhere, for free.
When I was a kid rabbit was the meat on my grandparents sunday table, buying meat was a rare luxury thing. that changed when meat was produced on industrial scale, with all those helpful chamicals. Chickens were primarily kept for the eggs.

That's why it's important to keep those traditions alive, we might bitterly need it again, oil will run out, war is raging again just a few hundred km away, and a lot of what humanity is doing right now looks like a Ponzi scheme, some day of reckoning is due, maybe not during my lifetime, but we can't go ahaed like that forever.

I gather most forage with a basket and scythe, mowing along paths and places that aren't used by farmers, small spots and the banks of the brook. I also keep the grass low around small trees an a christmas tree plot. All stuff npoone else would use.

Very interesting points. While I'm in no position to argue, I question your position on yield & labor.
Time to maturity may also be an issue but I don't know how long it takes for rabbits or chickens to grow up.
The really bad news is that I completely agree with you about current & upcoming world affairs. Not if, but when "it" hits the fan, very few will have the skills / knowledge necessary to provide their own food. As a nation, we seem to have lost our ancestors knack for survival.
I was close to ground zero when the Loma Prietta earthquake hit California. It was pathetic how people reacted. "We are all gonna die! My phone won't work! My ATM card won't work either!
It's people, like the members here who can shrug off such "emergencies" & survive just fine. I pitty the rest but they brought it upon themselves.
I've often laughed at / made fun of the Amish lifestyle... but in a worldwide problem, it's they who are left standing. Guess it's not so comical after all.
I didn't intend for this topic to ruin an otherwise good mood but for those following this, don't take your talents for granted. You are the fortunate few who will still be providing for their families when others have lost all hope.

 

[tambayo]

Mostly i suspect a it is a pet i.e. family and you don't eat those. The other one that keeps cropping up is the rabbit starvation story (note there was no other food and the rabbits where also starving).

 

[kusanar314]

Americans think of rabbits as pets not food, so most people are horrified if you mention eating them, they think of it like you just said you breed cats to eat (though cats and dogs are carnivores and therefore less likely to be eaten in general...). That being said, some of the bigger health food stores do carry rabbit but it tends to be a whole rabbit, frozen, which may not appeal to some people.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

Americans think of rabbits as pets not food, so most people are horrified if you mention eating them, they think of it like you just said you breed cats to eat (though cats and dogs are carnivores and therefore less likely to be eaten in general...). That being said, some of the bigger health food stores do carry rabbit but it tends to be a whole rabbit, frozen, which may not appeal to some people.

Please don't generalize Americans like that. There's plenty of people here who breed rabbits for meat, as well as many people in other countries who only think of rabbits as pets

 

[eco2pia]

Very interesting points. While I'm in no position to argue, I question your position on yield & labor.
Time to maturity may also be an issue but I don't know how long it takes for rabbits or chickens to grow up.
The really bad news is that I completely agree with you about current & upcoming world affairs. Not if, but when "it" hits the fan, very few will have the skills / knowledge necessary to provide their own food. As a nation, we seem to have lost our ancestors knack for survival.
I was close to ground zero when the Loma Prietta earthquake hit California. It was pathetic how people reacted. "We are all gonna die! My phone won't work! My ATM card won't work either!
It's people, like the members here who can shrug off such "emergencies" & survive just fine. I pitty the rest but they brought it upon themselves.
I've often laughed at / made fun of the Amish lifestyle... but in a worldwide problem, it's they who are left standing. Guess it's not so comical after all.
I didn't intend for this topic to ruin an otherwise good mood but for those following this, don't take your talents for granted. You are the fortunate few who will still be providing for their families when others have lost all hope.

I think it is partially about housing. Rabbits cannot be raised in giant pens or barns, they have to be individually caged in some cases--but it is not extraordinarily worse than laying hens. The yield per acre/individual/unit of human labor is lower with rabbits relative to chickens.)

Another reason is the bottom dropped out of the fur trade in the early 80s, and also I have to agree that IN GENERAL, Americans DO NOT feel comfortable eating "cute and fuzzy little bunnies".

We typically do not eat horses, insects, and some people refuse sheep for the same reason (things I have heard: "Lambs FROLIC, I am not eating anything that frolics!"...I have bad news for this person, who was not a vegetarian).

Americans are, in my experience, extremely non-adventurous eaters. We have invasive species like carp or green crabs, and we throw them away, or leave them in waterways, rather than recognize a new food source that is a delicacy in other areas and open season on them. There are people in this world that do not recognize that a whole beef steer only has about 10% steak...if that. Cows are steaks and burgers, there are no other cuts...I mean, I know that almost every part of an animal is food, but I also know a lot--A LOT-- of squeamish eaters. There is a huge disconnect in this country. Even the "farm to table" movement requires farmers to create a bucolic disneyland version of farming for public consumption. I have little patience with this, honestly, and that is why I choose not to participate in this movement.

 

[kusanar314]

Please don't generalize Americans like that. There's plenty of people here who breed rabbits for meat, as well as many people in other countries who only think of rabbits as pets

Lol, where do you think I live? I'm generalizing my own people from every experience in my life. Sure, some people ( like my dad) are fine with killing and eating rabbits, but ask the general public what they think and you'll see that in GENERAL I'm right.

 

[ladysown]

Most people I know are horrified at eating rabbit.... but sometimes they get used to the idea a little bit.

 

[RabbitDad]

I think it is partially about housing. Rabbits cannot be raised in giant pens or barns, they have to be individually caged in some cases--but it is not extraordinarily worse than laying hens. The yield per acre/individual/unit of human labor is lower with rabbits relative to chickens.)

Another reason is the bottom dropped out of the fur trade in the early 80s, and also I have to agree that IN GENERAL, Americans DO NOT feel comfortable eating "cute and fuzzy little bunnies".

We typically do not eat horses, insects, and some people refuse sheep for the same reason (things I have heard: "Lambs FROLIC, I am not eating anything that frolics!"...I have bad news for this person, who was not a vegetarian).

Americans are, in my experience, extremely non-adventurous eaters. We have invasive species like carp or green crabs, and we throw them away, or leave them in waterways, rather than recognize a new food source that is a delicacy in other areas and open season on them. There are people in this world that do not recognize that a whole beef steer only has about 10% steak...if that. Cows are steaks and burgers, there are no other cuts...I mean, I know that almost every part of an animal is food, but I also know a lot--A LOT-- of squeamish eaters. There is a huge disconnect in this country. Even the "farm to table" movement requires farmers to create a bucolic disneyland version of farming for public consumption. I have little patience with this, honestly, and that is why I choose not to participate in this movement.

Besides being very well stated, Eco2pia is right.
I saw some "common food" in S.E. Asia that I'd consider definitely "off the table" (pun intended). In most cases, even if I could eat it, I couldn't keep it down.
FYI... I ate a truck-stop hotdog on a bet & somehow survived!
Every insect imaginable, private parts of monkeys, fish-head soup or puppy kabobs isn't on my menu.
I've heard from reliable sources that dog is very good. Now it's possible that was one of those "mystery meats" we ate but thankfully I'll never know.
The strangest thing I tried, intentionally, was iguana. Believe it or not, it was quite tasty.
Anyway some of what the indigenous people called "food" was / is enough to make me physically sick just thinking about it.
Frolicing cuteness made me chuckle but it's true! A good example is... my wife is repulsed by rats but squirrels are adorable. The primary difference being furry tails.

 

[kusanar314]

Frolicing cuteness made me chuckle but it's true! A good example is... my wife is repulsed by rats but squirrels are adorable. The primary difference being furry tails.

But, I'm betting you if you told her she was starving and had to eat a rat or a squirrel, she would probably choose the squirrel even though it's cuter because rats are "icky"

 

[RabbitDad]

But, I'm betting you if you told her she was starving and had to eat a rat or a squirrel, she would probably choose the squirrel even though it's cuter because rats are "icky"

You are 100% correct!
She barely eats anything. I don't know how she survives!

 

[Zee-Man]

When it comes to food I crave variety. Admittedly my standard deviation on that scale is about 6! On the other hand there are certain flavors I won't eat. Olives! Yech! The common person doesn't cook. The common person isn't frugal. The common person won't grow vegetables much less meat.
.
I feed my rabbits mostly wild forage. They definitely have their favorites. Ragweed is plentiful and they pounce on it. Goldenrod is OK. Wild Roses are candy. Thistle, prickers an all, are also a favorite. Mulberry saplings are appreciated as are maple seedlings. Staghorn sumac, the fresh branchlets, have made it on the table. It has been a dry summer, so the forage from my yard has been slight. But verges are prolific.

I have a rancher nearby who grows Sudex grass as greed fodder for his cattle, but also to break up the soil. He invited me to cut some for the rabbits and they loved it. I have a crop at 12" in my garden. It grows to about 60"! The 15lb bag of seed will last me years. @Preitler 's point about wide variety of free or low cost food is well taken!

@eco2pia makes sound points too. Production requires separation. If kept together, well, they breed like rabbits! I think that is one of the main reasons they are not grown for production. Infrastructure is a big barrier for start ups. Meat poultry doesn't have much infrastructure. Egg farming balances infrastructure with production. Aside from veal, cattle farming is more about growing their food than any infrastructure, but ROI exceeds the machine and housing costs. Dairy is much the same, grow the food, SILOs of food, and some equipment. Add cheese and the equipment cost grows a bit, but the ROI is still great.

 

[Olbunny]

Maybe there isn't enough profit for a commercial rabbit meat market. But this doesn't mean that individuals can't try. I am. I'm trying to reach out to private chefs n such. Willing to pay for a prime protien. And the price of red meat can outrageous. Prime steak is pretty expensive.
I also would have to watch my end for efficiencies to. We will be raising rabbits for a while. And if I can supplement my costs I'll try. I believe that we can produce a product that could help considerably. If you could get 15 bucks a pound and averaging 2 pounds each is 30 $. Times 8 rabbits 240$. Even if we sold 10 a year that would help cover our feed costs. Gotta start somewhere. If you can continue to improve , better.
Things like smoking can help improve added value. And selling a whole rabbit is easier than parting out. Selling a hormone n steroid free meat
Hey maybe it's just me, I'm always looking for more and willing to go try

 

[ladysown]

I know people who have made a decent living at raising rabbits as part of their overall farm operation. Not JUST rabbit, but as a good portion of their farm income. Would be nice if the packers would pay people a bit better.

 

[Therese]

Live rabbits for meat, pedigreed rabbits, unrelated pairs/trios...pets
Meat....
Organs ($17/oz)...
Pelts (tanned or not)
Ears/heads/feet/blood for dog treats
Droppings for fertilizer
Urine for insecticide/lure
I am probably forgetting something!
There is no waste about rabbits. Every bit can be used or sold. Everything that is thrown away, is....a shame!

 

[Dimplz]

Here is my two cents . . .not an expert, but have looked in to this issue. Why is rabbit not main stream like chicken?

Here is what I have learned.

1. Scaling up gets harder to manage without automated systems.
2. Labor involved in care and regular maintenance gets very time consuming the more rabbits there are.
3. Space for each rabbit is needed. If you packed breeder rabbits together the way chicken farms do the egg layers, it would be disasterous. The doe need space, and are territorial, so cramped conditions would result in fighting to the death. Plus, males are needed to get more rabbits. Hens lay eggs without a male present.
4. There is no longer a market for furs, so the biggest by product of meat rabbits is no longer a hot commodity. Synthetics and furs made from plant fibers have replaced a lot of animal products.
5. The Rabbit Starvation myth keeps people from looking at rabbit as a source of healthy meat.
6. House Pet Society people are terrible about shaming anyone who choose to raise an animal for meat when they consider it a pet.
7. Ignorance and society's programing leads people to believe eating meat is bad for us, and we should eat bugs and plants insead.

There it is. That is my input on this.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

5. The Rabbit Starvation myth

What's that?

 

[eco2pia]

Just thought I would put this here. The price is pretty stinking high. This is a small looking fryer by my estimation.

 

[eco2pia]

What's that?

Rabbit meat is supposedly so lean that you can starve to death eating it every day. This was probably potentially true if you were eating wild rabbits in the dead of winter when they were also starving and you were burning tens of thousands of calories a day keeping warm and working physically hard. It would be difficult to envision a situation today in which this would have any bearing on our dietary needs.