Rabbit meat gaining popularity among N.S. farmers

Nova Scotia farmers are jumping on a world food trend to produce more rabbits for local dinner tables.

Rabbits are more economical and environmentally friendly to raise for farmers, who say it’s also a healthy option for consumers.

Those factors have already made rabbits a more popular choice internationally.

“There are a lot of smaller producers in the area who are starting to catch on to it,” Teri Dillon, CSA manager at Tap Root Farms, told News 95.7. “It’s becoming more wildly available. It’s definitely becoming more viable.”

Economically, rabbits eat one pound of feed for every six pounds of meat they produce. A doe will also produce up to 320 pounds of meat, via offspring, annually.

“A cow would produce more than that,” said Dillon. “But a cow takes up a lot of land and a lot of pasture.”

It’s both a physical space issue as well as a feeding issue. Rabbits can exist on a grain-free diet.

In a world of rising grain prices, that’s keeping the cost of rabbit meat low. It also means a smaller environmental footprint.

For those reasons, producers in developing countries are turning to rabbit farming where they are both cheap and easy farm animals. They are also kosher.

Dillon admits there has been some mixed reaction from clients who own shares in the Port Williams, N.S., farm cooperative, when frozen rabbit meat showed up in their weekly delivery.

“We do have a couple people who have said ‘no rabbit,’ because they were a little worried about having to cook it,” she said. “We talked to a couple of people who cooked it and were really happy. We talked to one lady who said she hadn’t had it for years. She’d had it as a kid growing up and she was so happy to have it again.”

There are also health reasons for choosing rabbit. Dillon said it’s one of the leanest meats next to turkey.

“It’s a really healthy meat if you are looking to lower your animal fat,” she said.