Why Don't Grocery Stores Start Selling Rabbit Meat?

Question

With concerns over food shortages and growing populations, why isn't rabbit being promoted as a food source? Rabbits are easy to breed and there are many of them out there. Why are they not being marketed?

Answer 1

A few specialty meat markets do.

The major chains do not as far as I know.

Answer 2

I raise meat rabbits, and meat goats on our permaculture farm.  Both animals are very earth friendly forms of livestock.

Both rabbits and goats will produce more pounds of meat, with less food, less water, and less space than cattle can.

Rabbits can be raised, even in city apartments.  Rabbits ARE actually being promoted as a good source of protien in some countries.  Africa inparticular has been successful at getting people to accept the idea of eating rabbit meat.

Most Muslims will not eat rabbit meat.  It is concidered to be a "dirty" meat by them.  African Muslims WILL eat rabbit meat.

All of my business is "farmgate," meaning my customers come directly to my farm, and butcher the animals here.  I have customers from about 30 different countries (via the local University).  That's why I've learned so much about the likes, and dislikes of many ethnic groups.

Rabbits are not a mainstream market animal in the U.S.A. because of low demand for their meat.  Where there is a pocket of higher demand, you will find rabbit meat in the grocery store.  

The main reason main stream Americans do not eat rabbit is the "cute bunny syndrom."  How can you possibly eat that cute widdle bunny wabbit?  Pigs, chickens, even beef cattle...not so cute.  Even as adults rabbits are still "cute."

Rabbits do NOT transport well.  If you raise rabbits for the commercial market, your rabbitry needs to be very close to where the rabbits will be slaughtered.  Even then, the rabbits must be transported in air conditioned splendor.

Cattle, pigs, sheep, chicken....you can load them onto semi trucks (chickens are in cages) and transport them over the road several days with minimal loss of life.  If you tried that with rabbits, every one of them would be D.O.A. (dead on arrival).

My question for people who are worried about high food prices (especially meat) why they are not raising their OWN rabbits in their back yards?!  Rabbit meat was nearly the only source of protien that people in the U.K. had during World War II.  Nearly every family was raising some rabbits in their back yard back then.

As the economy gets worse, you will see more and more people turn to things like raising a few rabbits, chickens, and possibly a milk goat in their back yard.

~Garnet

Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years

Answer 3

anything which found in wild though some of its species are domesticated cannot be used for comercial use in some countries as it is posible that some people for their benifts can use product of that species found in wild.  that is why all countries are demanding ban on farming of tiger in captivity, which china is practicing already.  this practice of china is increasing demand for tiger bones and other products in market.

Answer 4

wild meat is not allowed by law to be sold commercially,farm raised animals like red deer,elk,Buffalo,various game birds and yes rabbit can and are sold in stores because they can

be inspected during raising,slaughter and packaging and sale.Our local store brings it in on occasion

Answer 5

apparently you are not from the South. they sell it all the time here(in the South).

Answer 6

What do you mean, "start"? Frozen rabbit has been sold by Pelfreeze for many years.

Answer 7

My question is where is your heart. Instead of asking for another animal to be massively murdered you should get more veggies and other food sources. Why promote more torture and death because of our economy. If every meat slaughterhouse invested in something other than the killing of animals, which is a wasteful industry, we might have lower food costs. Try considering growing your own veggies and fruit and also try to find your heart.

Answer 8

Some of them do, but it is a specialty item.  If someone really wanted to invest in rabbit farms and promote rabbit as the other other white meat or something it could become more mainstream.

Answer 9

I think it comes down to supply and demand for supermarkets.  No one is up for eating Thumper and everyone remembers the Fatal Attraction scene.