Show The Rabbit Industry By Dy Frederic J. J Haskin WASHINGTON Sept 28 It If If a single city of the States that had less than population according ac ac- ac cording to the last decennial census affords a market for more than 1 worth of dressed rabbit meat moat In a year If It this country Imports imports imports im Im- im- im ports more than rabbit pelts In a year the supply of domestic domes domes- tic pelts being only about 2 per cent of ot our requirements and If It rabbits begin to breed at the age of six or eight Ight months and breed six or eight times a year producing Utters litters that I average from six to ten what are i I the possibilities of the rabbit grow ing lag industry As a further factor in working out the answer to this problem It may be stated that Its costs the grower about 30 cents to bring a rabbit to a a marketable marketable marketable mar mar- weight of four pounds and that he will wUl receive for It 18 to 20 cents a pound live Uve weight On this basis the growers grower's margin Is from 45 46 to 60 50 cents a head over the cost of production Obviously the answer is that the industry has a great future and that it is s certain to show an amazing expansion expansion ex ox- and development within the next few years At any rate it is an industry of sufficient importance and promise to engage the attention of the United States department of agriculture which has bas assigned biologists to keep track of Its developments and la is Issuing laau- laau Ing propaganda on how the rabbit propagates and what human beings may realize out of at this animals animal's propensity propensity pro pro- to multiply more rapidly than an adding machine adds Rabbits have bave been bred for food and fur in this country for many years says a recent departmental statement and both hoth wild and domestic domes domes- tic varieties have had a place on the American table but their Importance has been minor and seasonal In the thelast thelast thelast last few years however on the Pacific Pacific Pa Pa- coast particularly in California the production of domestic domes domes- tic rabbits has become an industry of consequence and it Is growing with such leaps and bounds that no one can say how bow important It may become become become be be- come the country over Demand Ahead of Supply the orAlf ri A-ri ond elea-ond es san und San San Diego o Dieg districts of California rabbits are produced In very large largo numbers have to breeders breed breed- ers em some only hall half a dozen and others keep from to ac according according ac- ac cording to this government ty Almost everybody In the rural districts there has at least a few There are now three slaughter slaughterhouses slaughterhouses slaughterhouses houses in the Los Angeles district that kill dress and market from 25 26 to rabbits a month and the demand still sUll keeps ahead of the supply Hotels and restaurants serve rabbits along with other meats and the people use large quantities on the home table Los Angeles is the city with a population population pop pop- of less than accordIng according according accord accord- ing to the last federal census that consumed more than a a. million dollars dollars' dollars dollars' dol dol- lars lars' worth of rabbit meat last year However the population of the city has Increased rapidly since 1920 1920 local e enthusiasts claim that is has doubled doubled and and this may in a a. degree explain the great growth in the the demand demand demand de de- mand for rabbit meat But credIt Los Las Angeles with a population of ot at last and It Is la seen that there Is a potential market In the tho United States tar for more moro than worth warth of rabbit meat a year This Is not taking Into account the possibilities of at rabbit tur fur The pelts are a product by-product but very Important says the official bulletin Felt hats are made out aut of rabbit fur fr Gloves are aro lined with It Garments are trimmed trimmed trimmed trim trim- med with it The rhe pelts are stretched dried and shipped to the raw fur buyers in New York City This country country coun coun- try imports more than rabbit pelts from Australia Austra Austra- lia New Zealand France Belgium and England Most of them come from Australia and New Now Zealand from wild rabbits The supply of domestic pelts It U may be repeated now amounts to but 2 per cent of ot our There are some twenty standard breeds of domestic rabbits it is stated stated stated stat stat- ed but the western breeders now con confine confine- fino their operations mainly to four New four New Zealand Reds New Zealand Zealand Zea Zea- land Whites American Blues and Chinchillas The first three mentioned mentioned mentioned men men- aro are generally considered best beat from tram a a. moat standpoint as they are l I prolific breeders mature rapidly and dress out economically The Chinchilla yields a 0 smaller carcass but an fine extra-fine pelt The young rabbit is 11 marketed as ns asa asa a fryer frer at eight weeks old when it weighs on an average about four pounds For the first f ur weeks It t receives no other tood food than Ui too do dot dosa i milk Then tor for the last four weeks it Is 19 fed ted on a ration of whole oats crushed barley an nn hay bay Very little green food rood is fed The producer producer producer pro pro- ducer soils sells direct to the slaughter slaughterhouses slaughterhouses slaughterhouses houses which operate large trucks which call at the each I week The dressed rabbits are sold I Ito to meat markets clubs hotels and restaurants and the retail price Is Ii from 45 to 50 cents a pound I Departments Department's Activities The department of agriculture through the bureau of biological survey Bur sur sur-i sur vey is doing what it can to promote this growing rabbit Industry says the he department of official Ucla 1 record Ex Experiments Experiments Ex- Ex in rabbit production are being conducted with various breeds on Its Us experimental fur farm at Saratoga Saratoga Saratoga Sara Sara- I toga Springs N. N Y Y The b bureau Is operating co-operating with the National Rabbit Rabbit Rab- Rab Rab Rab-i bit federation in general e extension and experimental work and with the Rabbit Breeders' Breeders exchange in the grading and sale salo of rabbit skins In order that producers may obtain the tho be best t market prices n |