Determination of Omega-3 Fatty Acid in Pastured Raised Meat Rabbits

Final Report for FNE02-447

Project Type: Farmer
Funds awarded in 2002: $5,937.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2002
Region: Northeast
State: Maryland
Project Leader:
Robin Way
Rumbleway Farm
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Project Information

Summary:

Note to readers, attached is the complete final report for FNE02-447.

There has recently been a push for healthier and less fatty meat sources. Rabbits offer a leaner, tastier and healthier alternative to red meat, but rabbits are a difficult market to get into. People are unsure about the taste and healthy benefits of rabbit meat. We hope this study can help us educate the public about meat rabbits and open up this new and growing field for farmers in the Northeast-an excellent climate for rabbit production. Raising rabbits on pasture is a new and growing market. Rabbits can be raised on 1 acre or less and require very little start up costs. For the part time or full time farmer raising rabbits can add profits without much investment. Rabbits can be raised, bred and kindled outside in portable shelters, with no need for a permanent structure.
Our collaborator Dr. James McNitt of Southern University was a valuable asset in study design, result interpretation and in statistical analysis of the data. Dr. Ivis Forrester-Anderson from Morgan State University was responsible for the taste test portion of the study. We had hoped to send our tissue samples for Omega-3 analysis to Cornell University but the details could not be worked out so the samples went to Ralson Purina Analytical Laboratories in Saint Louis, MO.

Cooperators

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  • David Wilson

Research

Participation Summary
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.