The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-12-01
RAISING RABBITS
PROFITABLE
INDUSTRY
European Record Shows
Possibilities In This
Country

For many years rabbits have been
raised in this country as pets and
as fancy stock for competitive exhi-
billions, but now it has become pro-
ftable for many living in the coun-
try, and even city jewellers, to raise
these animals for the food market.
Until war and postwar prices set
everyone to thinking about the food
problem, there had been no real in
centive to breed rabbits for practical
ends, as they We're not actually ped
ed for food, ard better fu: than
theirs could be had for little money.
However, the great change in econo-
mic conditions has materially altered
their status.
The general introduction of any
kind of a food product is dependent
upon the public's familiarity with
that product. American people in
general have learned something of
the value of rabbit meat through the
rather general use of wild rabies,
which were hunted and trapped by
farmers and sportsmen and others n
almost all parts of the country.
Homegrown rabbits do not have the
gamy flavor of wild rabbits, their
flesh being practically indistinguish-
able by taste from that of chicken.
Because of the well-remembercd
Belgian hare boom which took place
some years ago, there is considerable
Discrimination on the part of many
to undertake rabbit raising for profit
Experiments along this line in the
past should not be confused with
rabbit raising as now advocated by
the United States Department of
Agriculture. The Belgian hare boom
spread rapidly for a time and con-
tinued as long as there waG a de-
mand for breeding stock, bus when
this demand was changed to q meat
basis the boom collapsed, a there
was then no real need fer IL new
source of meat.
DEMAND FOR RABBIT MEAT
has proved, however, that rabbit
raising for the purpose of supplying
the meat trade is profitable. City
and suburban dwellers are raising
rabbits in backwards. Although the
total production is at yet compare
lively small, it is steadily increasing.
In such scattered sections of the
country as California, Washington,
Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri, The
domesticated rabbit is recognized as
a regular meat animal. Rabbits are
shipped alive to market in crates OF
are neatly dressed ready for cooking
and are packed in a sanitary manner
for transportation.
There are numerous instances Of
profitable rabbit raising. A resident
in Kansas City, Kans., has raised 500
to 400 pounds of rabbit meat for use
on his own table, at cost of about
half the present meat prices. A
large institution in Nebraska has
raised rabbits instead of poultry and
reports the meat more satisfactory
than chicken, and also a most profit
able product. On a county farm :.
Washington, rabbits were grown to
provide for the county hospitals,
furnishing a substitute for chicken.
EUROPEANS EAT MANY
RABBITS
Further evidence of the marketing
in kh ,ie.i,, N,
be found in the experience of France
and Belgium and other European
countries. In the greater part of
Europe, except the most northerly
portions, rabbit breeding was an in
dustry of considerable Importance
before the war. About 100,000000
rabbits were marked annually in
France, approximately 100000
were raised in Belgium per year fot
home consumption and export The
value of rabbits annually exported
from Ostend to England exceeded
$1,000,000, while, including wild
hares raised in English game pre-
serves, England itself was produc-
Ing llOIH OU,UUO,ouu W Iu,UUU,bUO
rabbits. The consumption in one
year before the war in London
amounted to half million pounds
daily and in Paris to 100000
pounds daily and in Paris to 100000
pounds. What has been done in the
way of developing market for rab
bit meat in these countries indicates
clearly the large possibilities for pro-
grcssive growers in the United
States. The shortage of meat fur
nishes an opportunity which should
be made highly profitable to the rab-
bit grower.
Another economic phase of the
question is indicated by the fact that
meat produced a. or near home saves
frcigh and several profits. The eX-
ample Of Europeans and the expert
crro o. breeders in America alike
indicate that the utility rabbit. parti-
cularly ii grown near the market. can
be made la;gc factor in solving the
mca. problem, TO the mutual profit
Of consumers as we'll as producers.
There are seven breeds of rabbit
which come under the designation of
utility animals. They are comprised
in three types, represented by the