How to Raise Rabbits for Food and Fur

By Frank G. Ashbrook

This work first published during World War II for a readership facing meat shortages contains a wealth of information, much of which is still useful and practical today. Extensively illustrated by text and full page photographs, it forms a complete how-to guide that will appeal greatly to farming enthusiasts and historians alike. Contents Include: Rabbit Meat for the Family, Advice to Beginners, Location of the Rabbitry, Choosing a Breed, Breeding, Feeding, Prevention and Treatment of disease, General Management, Judging Rabbits, Preparing Rabbits for Market, Tanning Rabbit Skins, Marketing Meat and Fur and How to Cook Domestic Rabbit Meat. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: May 31, 2013
• ISBN: 9781473380684

Book preview

HOW TO RAISE

RABBITS FOR

FOOD AND FUR

BY

FRANK G. ASHBROOK

In Charge, Fur Resources,

Fish and Wildlife Service

United States Department of the Interior Chicago, Ill.

ILLUSTRATED

FIG. 1. HEADQUARTERS OF RABBIT EXPERIMENT STATION MAINTAINED BY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AT FONTANA, CALIFORNIA

PREFACE

THE eating habits of all Americans have been affected by World War II. Meatless days are spreading and radical changes in our menus are taking place. Domestic rabbits are becoming more important in supplying meat in restaurants and in homes. Their value in supplementing the family meat supply or adding to the farm income is widely recognized. This appetizing and nutritious meat is not only releasing other meat for the armed forces and for exportation to our allies, but is supplying variety to the family diet on the home front.

Rabbit production has no objectionable features and requires little space. These animals may be kept in the backyard as well as on the farm. Their hutches can be made of scrap lumber, used poultry wire, crates and similar materials that are obtainable at little or no cost. And as for their food, clean table scraps, truck garden waste, refuse from green groceries, lawn clippings, palatable weeds and small limbs trimmed from fruit trees may be utilized to supplement their regular rations. Rabbit meat is quickly produced as only 90 days are required from the time the doe is bred until the young rabbits are ready for the table.

I owe special acknowledgment to Charles E. Kellogg and George S. Templeton, who have contributed ideas and facts based on research. My debt to Edna N. Sater is noteworthy for suggestions of treatment and arrangement of subject matter, and especially in the chapter, How to Cook Rabbit.

I have reason to be especially grateful to the Fish and Wildlife Service for data obtained from research and for permission to use photographs; and to the Bureau of Plant Industry, Soils, and Agricultural Engineering for working drawings and bills of materials, and to many practical breeders and their associations for supplying information; to the rabbit and fur trade journals for permission to use illustrations.

One other sort of indebtedness calls for recording—the aid both intangible and in direct cooperation which I have had from Caroline McKinley Ash-brook. There are no words to express the ways and extent of my reliance upon her for help and advice.

F. G. A.

Chicago, Illinois.

CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

1. Headquarters of Rabbit Experiment Station maintained by the United States Government at Fontana, California

2. A small backyard rabbitry can quickly supply meat for home consumption

3. Many small well-arranged rabbitries similar to these are operated in California

4. Cuts of a fryer rabbit and practical containers for displaying meat

5. Sorting and grading rabbit skins in a raw-fur receiving house

6. Rabbits are raised by many families both in the city and in the country

7. (Above) Row of rabbit breeding houses, in each of which are numerous breeding hutches. (Below) Developing pens between buildings used in connection with breeding hutches

8. A bird’s-eye view of a rabbitry in an orange grove in California

9. Well constructed rabbitries. The hutches are so arranged as to reduce to a minimum the labor of feeding and handling; (above) exterior view; (below) interior view

10. Construction Details of a Rabbit House

11. All-metal hutches facilitate feeding, watering, and cleaning at U. S. Rabbit Experiment Station

12. Construction Details for Rabbit-Hutch Shelter

13. Additional Details for Rabbit-Hutch Shelter

14. Hutches arranged on both sides of an alleyway in California, are protected from the direct rays of the sun by a lattice superstructure

15. A type of hutch that facilitates feeding, watering, and cleaning. It is also well adapted to tier construction; the arrangement of one hutch over the other

16. Details of Construction of a Two-Hutch Unit

17. Details of Construction of a Four-Hutch Unit

18. An All-Metal Sanitary Rabbit Hutch

19. Construction Details for All-Metal Rabbit Hutch

20. Additional Construction Details for All-Metal Rabbit Hutch

21. Details of Construction of a Wooden Nest Box

22. Construction Details for Nail-Keg Nest Box

23. Construction Details for an All-Metal Rabbit Self-Feeder. End, Vertical, and Top Views

24. All-Metal Rabbit Self-Feeder. Front and Horizontal Views

25. All-Metal Rabbit Self-Feeder. Details of Installation

26. Self-Feeder Made from a 5-Gallon Oil Can, 3/8-inch Wood Material, and Galvanized Iron

27. Self-Feeder Shown in Figure 25 Made with Wood Instead of Galvanized Iron

28. Young New Zealand Whites

29. A fine doe and litter of New Zealand Reds

30. Two handsome specimens of the Chinchilla breed

31. A uniform family of New Zealand Whites

32. A cheap and convenient device for cutting hay into short lengths

33. A hay knife saves time and labor in cutting baled hay

34. Rabbits feeding on rolled barley and oats supplemented with alfalfa hay

35. Rabbit diseases are studied by Federal experts, to determine effective methods of prevention and cure

36. (Above) The proper way to lift a fryer rabbit to prevent bruising the carcass or damaging the pelt. (Below) Proper way to lift a medium-weight rabbit

37. (Above) Proper way to carry a heavy rabbit. (Below) Box for restraining rabbit that is being tattooed

38. Construction Details of Adjustable Box for Tattooing Rabbits

39. Various types of satisfactory and make-shift crates used to ship live rabbits

40. Parts of a Rabbit

41. Rabbit exhibitions stimulate developments in the industry and keep the general public informed

42. A truckload of rabbits ready to be hauled to the slaughter house

43. (Above) Method of holding rabbit for dislocating neck in slaughtering. (Below) Proper way to place a rabbit pelt on a shaper, or stretcher, with all the legs on the same side

44. Steps (right to left) in skinning rabbits and removing internal organs. Small jets of water from pipe beneath rack wash blood from back panel and trough

45. Home Made Wire Stretcher for Shaping and Drying Rabbit Pelts

46. Dyed rabbit makes an inexpensive and flattering fur coat

47. This handsome coat is made of sealine, seal-dyed rabbit

48. (Above) Domestic rabbit meat is delicious anytime and can be served throughout the year. (Below) Left-over fried or broiled rabbit meat makes appetizing lunches

49. Broiled rabbit and rabbit in casserole are delicious

50. Rabbit chop suey and rabbit salad make excellent luncheon dishes

HOW TO RAISE RABBITS FOR FOOD AND FUR

I

RABBIT MEAT FOR THE FAMILY

Important Meat in Food for Freedom Program—Backyard Rabbitry for Home Consumption—Market for Rabbit Fur—United States Rabbit Experiment Station—Sections of the Country Adapted to Rabbit Raising

HOW TO RAISE RABBITS

FOR FOOD AND FUR

I

RABBIT MEAT FOR THE FAMILY

WORLD WAR II has changed the eating habits of us all because it has brought about shortages of familiar foods. Radical changes in our menus are taking place. Foods that many of us never before considered eating are being featured now in the food columns of our daily newspaper. But, as we all know, to be assured of victory Americans must do without, so that our armed forces and our allies have the necessities to wage war. Rabbit raising is no longer a minor agricultural pursuit but a major project in our national food producing program.

In many sections of the country the consumption of domestic rabbit meat has attained considerable proportions. Markets for the meat are becoming well established and motor trucks make regular trips to rabbitries to pick up animals and deliver them to central slaughter houses. Meat shortages are becoming very acute everywhere in the United States and people have discovered that domestic rabbit provides a most attractive and tasty variation to a meal that otherwise might be meatless.

FIG. 2. A SMALL BACKYARD RABBITRY CAN QUICKLY SUPPLY MEAT FOR HOME CONSUMPTION

A small backyard rabbitry of three or four does and a buck will supplement the family meat requirements and furnish