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Rabbit Production. James I McNitt
Читать онлайн.Название Rabbit Production
Год выпуска 0
isbn 9781789244434
Автор произведения James I McNitt
Жанр Биология
Издательство Ingram
Fig. 2.1. Rabbits in a supermarket in France. Rabbits are often sold this way in Europe but cut-up, packaged carcasses are also popular. European consumers, like their North American counterparts, are less willing to cut up rabbits and poultry than they were in the past. (Courtesy of J.I. McNitt)
Since about 1950, the rabbit industry in Europe has changed dramatically. In 1950, most rabbits were produced on a backyard scale, with about six does per rabbitry. There were a very large number of very small producers. In common with other agricultural endeavors, continuous intensification of production has occurred (Fig. 2.2). While the number of rabbit raisers has decreased, the size of the average rabbitry has continued to increase to a level that the Europeans refer to as “industrial-scale broiler rabbit production.”
Fig. 2.2. An outdoor rabbitry near Barcelona, Spain, providing good ventilation and protection against rain. Note the dropping boards at the rear of the cages (bottom). The manure can be removed readily by hand or with a tractor. (Courtesy of P.R. Cheeke)
Modern European rabbit production is the most advanced in the world with the possible exception of China. This is especially true in the area of genetics. There are numerous private genetics companies that sell high-producing hybrid breeding stock to rabbit raisers. Generally the hybrids involve the New Zealand White and Californian breeds. The size of the European rabbit industry is sufficient to attract the serious and competitive attention of feed manufacturers, veterinary supply companies, equipment suppliers, and so on. Typically, rabbits are raised in hanging wire cages in environmentally controlled buildings and fed pelleted diets.
The prospects for the rabbit industry on the Continent appear bright. The people are sophisticated in their cuisine, and rabbit meat enjoys a high demand. Although production in France in the early 1980s dropped, rabbit production in Italy is expanding. The island nation of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea has one of the highest per capita rates of consumption of rabbit meat. Continued sophistication of rabbit production in Europe, with the use of hybrid breeding stock, environmentally controlled buildings, and innovative management, is foreseen.
At one time rabbit meat was widely consumed throughout Great Britain. Much of it was wild rabbit, harvested by hunters who earned their livelihood by shooting, trapping, or snaring rabbits. To some extent, this helped control the rabbit populations and kept crop losses at manageable levels. Wild rabbits were also raised in large fenced warrens managed by gamekeepers. This practice was discontinued because of the extensive ecological damage that occurred. In the 1950s, the viral disease myxomatosis was accidentally introduced into Britain, resulting in a spectacular kill of many of the wild rabbits. The repercussions of this on the domestic rabbit industry are still being felt. The sight of blind, deathly sick rabbits dying of “myxo” throughout the English countryside was repugnant to many people. The mention of rabbit brings to their minds the pathetic appearance of the diseased rabbits. Many British people who once enjoyed rabbit meat will no longer eat it. For this reason, and some stigma that rabbit is a “poor person’s meat,” the British rabbit industry is quite small. Vocal and sometimes violent animal rights extremists are a further impediment to rabbit production in England.
North and South America
Rabbit production continues to be a very minor component of agriculture in North America. Interest in rabbit raising has been highest during periods of economic hardship, such as in the depression of the 1930s and during World War II, when people were most interested in producing their own food.
During the 1920s and 1930s, southern California was the major site of commercial rabbit production. Several large processors operated in the Los Angeles area. After World War II, intensive industrialization of southern California occurred, and rabbit production declined sharply. One of the major rabbit processors operating in California was a company called Pel-Freez. In 1951, Pel-Freez moved to Rogers, Arkansas, and has grown to become the largest rabbit processing plant in the United States. The surrounding area, including neighboring states such as Missouri, has become the major rabbit raising area in North America. Other regions of significant production include the Pacific Coast states of California, Oregon, and Washington and parts of the Midwest. Rabbit production occurs in nearly all areas of the United States and tends to be a small-scale, part-time activity. One of the major problems in most areas is the lack of reliable markets. With the worsening global economy, there is a renewed interest in small-scale rabbit production combined with gardening so that families can stretch the food dollar.
Rabbit meat is sold mainly in large cities that have high concentrations of immigrants from European countries such as France, Italy, and Portugal, where eating rabbit is traditional. In the early 1980s a significant “health food” market for rabbit meat began to develop, because of the low fat, low sodium, and low cholesterol content of the meat and a trend away from red meats in the American diet. The abundance of food of all types in the United States suggests that rabbit meat, to become a more significant component of the diet, will have to displace some existing meat sources. This can be done by making rabbit available at a lower price than other meats, which is unlikely in the near future, or by developing specialty markets based on some unique property of rabbit meat, such as being antibiotic-free. The identification of rabbit as a “healthful” meat is a step in this direction.
In the United States, most commercial rabbitries are part-time endeavors, with breeding herds of 20 to 100 does. There are relatively few rabbitries with 300 to 600 does, and very few with 1000 or more. Economic realities of rabbit production on the American scene indicate that it likely will remain largely a part-time type of enterprise. For commercial meat production, the New Zealand White is by far the major breed, although some Californians are used. The use of rational crossbreeding programs or hybrids is also becoming more popular.
In the 1970s and 1980s, considerable interest in the Rex breed as a fur animal developed in the United States. In some cases, the promotion of Rex fur production was fraudulent or unethical, with promises of unrealistically high prices for the pelts and with very high prices charged by the promoters for the breeding stock. Many people with no knowledge of rabbit raising and little likelihood of success lost their investments. A fur industry based on the very attractive Rex fur may develop in the future.
The situation in Canada for rabbit production is very similar to that in the United States. The major areas of rabbit consumption are Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, where there are large European ethnic populations. In Mexico, considerable interest in rabbit production has developed as a means of increasing the protein intake of low income people. Major breeds used are New Zealand Whites, Californians, Chinchillas, and a local breed called the Criollo.
In the Caribbean region, there is some small-scale rabbit rising for local meat production, particularly on French-speaking islands such as Guadeloupe and Martinique, and the Dominican Republic. In Haiti, there was a large commercial rabbitry near Port-au-Prince, and rabbit rising is promoted in the hinterlands by a variety of organizations, including various missionary groups. In January, 2010, a devastating earthquake shook the heart of Haiti. This came on the heels of decades of economic and political degradation and four violent hurricanes in 2008. Since these disasters and the exodus of many urban residents to rural areas, the Haitian people have taken a keen interest in adding rabbit meat production to help fight against poverty and hunger. There has thus been a strong thrust toward increasing production and, within two years, over 1500 rabbit producers