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Tips & Tricks On Raising Meat Rabbits

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Are Rabbits the New Super Meat? By Karen Pinchin on May 29, 2013 By all appearances, rabbit could be the food of the future.

Are Rabbits the New Super Meat?

Touted for years by food activists including Michael Pollan, these fluffy herbivores eat alfalfa instead of energy-intensive soy or fish meal, grow quickly and thrive in clean, disease-free conditions. Plus, while their reproductive prowess may be clichéd, California farmer Mark Pasternak and his wife Myriam can’t build rabbit barns fast enough to keep up with demand. Three years ago the couple’s Sonoma-area Devil’s Gulch Ranch had 250 breeding females, or does, a number that has since quadrupled to 1,000 and makes them one of the largest meat rabbit producers in the United States.

At any one time, they have 9,000 rabbits, with 300 to 500 slaughtered every week for regional grocery stores and restaurants, including French Laundry , Chez Panisse , and Zuni Café . 3 Ways To Raise Rabbits For Food. Raising & Breeding Rabbits For Meat. Throughout North America there is a movement to relearn the forgotten skills of self-sufficiency.

Raising & Breeding Rabbits For Meat

People from various walks of life are recognizing that our consumerist lifestyle has a negative impact on the planet and on our quality of life. These groups, families, organization and individuals want change and many turn towards acts of self-reliance. There are many things people can do to increase their self-sufficiency such as growing organic vegetables (in large or small spaces), learning to preserve food, hunting wild animals or homesteading.

Rabbits for Meat. Rabbits for Meat Raising rabbits for meat isn't a new idea, although it hasn't achieved the popularity of other forms of animal protein.

Rabbits for Meat

Rabbit Mating, Kits, & Oat Grass. Breeding Meat Rabbits @ The Elliott Homestead. Hay for Rabbits - What to Feed Pet Bunnies - Proper Diet. Author: Abi Cushman Abi Cushman is the proud owner of two mischievous agouti rabbits named Coco and Cosette.

Hay for Rabbits - What to Feed Pet Bunnies - Proper Diet

She is also the co-editor of a fun wildlife website called Animal Fact Guide. Picture a food pyramid for rabbits. What do you see at the base? If you chose bunny pellets, you wouldn't be alone. But the base of a bunny food pyramid actually isn't filled by pellets. Fiber for Digestion. Correct Diet For Rabbits - Bunny Food. Many people keep rabbits rather than dogs and cats because rabbits can be happily left at home alone all day while their owners are out at work.

Correct Diet For Rabbits - Bunny Food

Though often happy on their own, they are by nature social creatures that enjoy the company of their owners and other animals in the household. They are best kept in pairs because they form strong bonds with each other. They will play with toys, seek out and follow humans, and enjoy being stroked. Most rabbits will use a litter tray and so can live indoors in the house, but they can sometimes be destructive. A rabbit's natural response to pain or distress is to sit quietly, preferably hidden from view. An incorrect diet can be the underlying cause to many health problems. Their teeth are continually growing and being worn down, to cut and grind food before it enters the stomach.

Plants Poisonous To Rabbits. By Cindy Fisher Many plants listed here are not all poisonous, only parts of them are.

Plants Poisonous To Rabbits

Apple is a good example: the seeds are poisonous, but the fruit is perfectly fine for rabbits. Read the complete listing of the plant to get details regarding which parts to avoid. Meat Rabbits On Pasture. Over the weekend I attended a workshop on income opportunities in agriculture.

Meat Rabbits On Pasture

One of the speakers was Daniel Salatin of Polyface Farms. The son of Joel Salatin, Daniel began raising meat rabbits twenty years ago when he was only seven years old. So he knew quite a bit about producing rabbits on pasture. This is a topic I'm very interested in. Since we eat meat and want both to be frugal and to reduce our carbon footprint, it makes sense to produce some of our own meat ourselves. I'm going to share what I learned from Daniel Salatin's presentation. Daniel raises rabbits that he has more or less bred himself over the last two decades. When the does are ready to give birth they are removed from pasture and kept in indoor cages. The rabbit pens used at Polyface Farms are 3'x8' and about 2' high. The critical aspect of the slats is that they be arranged parallel to the long sides of the pen, and that the pen always be moved in the direction of the slats. Naturally Feeding The Meat Rabbits. Some Tips & Tricks On Raising Meat Rabbits.

Thursday, May 13, 2010 Food production is the most important skill in survival.

Some Tips & Tricks On Raising Meat Rabbits

Without sufficient food you’re sunk. A Primer On Backyard Meat Rabbit Raising Practices. Rudolph's Rabbit Ranch& Waterfowl Farm is the name given to my small farm of raising meat rabbits, and ducks and geese for eggs, first for my family's personal consumption.

A Primer On Backyard Meat Rabbit Raising Practices

A backyard meat rabbit operation can be a great idea for someone interested in producing their own healthful, drug-free meat. In addition to providing a family with a quality of meat/protein unparalleled by that found at the grocery store, such a project can involve all family members. Even children can help in chores from breeding to the dinner table. Only a basic understanding of rabbit raising practices is needed. Historic Meat Rabbit Breeds. The domesticated rabbit movement hit the United States in the early 1900s, but it wasn’t until World War I that people really began to take the rabbit industry seriously.

Historic Meat Rabbit Breeds

During wartimes, food prices increased, and domestic-bred rabbits became an affordable delicacy. People also discovered the protein value in rabbit meat was higher than that in chicken, beef, veal and other meats. The animal’s history is ancient, but in this day and age, many rabbit breeds are disappearing from the agricultural landscape.

Requiring little space and producing many byproducts such as meat, fur and fertilizer, rabbits can be a great option for the small sustainable farm. American RabbitStatus: Critical A true American original, the American is one of only six rabbit breeds developed in the United States. The American is a large breed, with mature bucks weighing 9 to 11 pounds and does weighing 10 to 12 pounds. Belgian HareStatus: Threatened. Guide To Raising & Breeding Rabbits For Meat - Sustainable Farming. Related Content A Renter's Homestead You don't have to be a homeowner to homestead. No matter where you live, you can start practicing th... One of the first projects I wanted when we moved to our place in the country was rabbits.

I had read many times that they produced excellent tasting meat at little cost. Expert Info On Rabbit Breeding, Care & Genetics. Here is an index of the most helpful articles and blog posts published on this website. Topics include rabbit care, breeding, showing, genetics, and more. Rabbit Care Information *New* Cold-weather Rabbit Care - Bunnies can live outdoors when it’s freezing and snowing, but they need some extra protection. Here are some tips.Free Rabbitry Record Sheets – Download and print these forms to help you keep track of vital information in your rabbitry.Keeping Rabbits in Top Condition- What can you feed your bunnies to give them an extra edge on the show table?