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Bunnies Replace Chicken on Indian Tables |
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Written by Kiki Hubbard
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Thursday, 12 June 2008 |
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India's livestock industry is burrowing into new terrain by embracing rabbit farming in the aftermath of avian flu outbreaks. Farmers say demand for the low cholesterol meat is growing as people steer away from poultry.
The draw? Well, we all know rabbits reproduce prolifically. They also can be raised in relatively small areas (such as backyards) and don't require expensive feed (many are fed kitchen waste). And, unlike birds, farmers raising rabbits can sell the hide in addition to the meat. (At one point in your life you must have had a lucky rabbit's foot, right?) All of these factors point to low-cost investments and good returns. Plus, in India and the Middle East, rabbit meat is a delicacy.
Yet if avian flu were to pervade U.S. poultry (an Arkansas flock recently tested positive for a less virulent strain), I can't imagine Americans requesting rabbit at their local meat counter. Still, rabbit appears to be a good alternative to meat birds. And the way grain prices and transportation costs are headed, we'll need alternatives, the most logical one being to eat less meat.
Source: Daily India
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