Rabbits are not only cute and fuzzy, but they are also delicious and nutritious. They are an easy to keep species that have simple needs, take up little space, and can be kept on even the smallest of homesteads.
Every part of the rabbit can be used, from food for humans and carnivorous pets to craft projects, nothing need go to waste. While the focus here will mostly be their meat uses, they can have other purposes on a homestead and there are plenty of breeds to choose from depending on those needs. There are wool breeds for the fiber artisan, friendly and small breeds for those 4H children to work with, and breeds that make for wonderful or unique pets. Even when kept as just a pet, a rabbit can still have a use on the homestead by producing the perfect fertilizer with their droppings.
Rabbit meat is incredibly lean, what little fat they have builds up on the surface of the muscle and is incredibly easy to remove. Being high in protein while low in calories and cholesterol, this meat is a great alternative to red meats for those on special diets or who simply want to eat healthier without cutting meat out of their diet altogether. Pound for pound, rabbits are more economical and a greener alternative to such meats as beef or pork.The texture and flavor is very similar to white meat chicken, and can often be substituted in most chicken breast recipes.
Rabbit care is pretty straight forward. Housing, food, water, and cleanup are easy to acquire and can be quite affordable. There are many ways to keep rabbits, each with their own benefits and drawbacks, so don’t feel pressured to stick with one method if another would be a better fit for your lifestyle. In a future article, I will go in-depth on what my set up is like as well as discuss alternative methods that have worked for others.
This is a basic introduction to meat rabbits, below is a list of topics that will be discussed more in-depth in future posts:
- Caring for Meat Rabbits
- Popular Rabbit Breeds for Meat
- Breed Spotlights
- Structure: What to Look for in a Meat Rabbit
- The Colors! A Brief Look at Coat Color Genetics
- The Birds and the Bees of Rabbit Breeding
- Common Health Issues
- Tools for Processing Meat Rabbits
- Preparing and Storing Rabbit Meat
- Recipes
- No Waste: Ways to Utilize Every Part of the Rabbit
- Beyond Meat: Other Purposes for Rabbits