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The meat rabbit industry will be better placed to supply booming demand for its product after the delivery today of high-performance research rabbits to a commercial company.
The “Crusader” project, undertaken
by CSIRO and supported by the Rural Industries Research and Development
Corporation (RIRDC), achieved remarkable results with a 5 per cent increase
in the number of kittens weaned and a 10 per cent improvement in average
daily growth rate.
However, Crusader rabbits
are now ready to be fully commercialised by the industry and a handover
of breeding stock, consisting of more than 100 rabbits, took place today.
The rabbits were transported from the CSIRO Armidale (NSW) research station to the Snowy Mountains Gourmet Rabbit Company located near Bredbo about 100km south of Canberra.
Operated by Michael &
Kathleen Bowerman, the company currently operates a 200 Doe breeding operation
and is a major supplier to the Canberra market.
Kathleen Bowerman said the
“Crusader” rabbits would complement their existing operation.
“With such strong demand for our product we are in the process of expanding our operation to accommodate up to 400 Does and this expansion means we can incorporate the Crusader rabbits smoothly into our farm,” she said.
“The industry is entering
a very exciting phase as consumers discover or rediscover the wonderful
flavour of rabbit meat.”
CSIRO will continue to provide
advice and the project will continue to be managed to the benefit of the
entire industry.
Dr Sandra Eady, who led the
project, said she was excited by the prospect of Crusader rabbits underpinning
industry development in this country.
“The meat rabbit industry
has the potential to grow into a significant rural enterprise and that
can be supported through faster growth rates and improved fertility.”
Background:
It is somewhat ironic for
these rabbits to be going to Bredbo which was devastated by feral rabbit
plagues in the past.
Michael Bowerman can clearly
recall huge numbers of feral rabbits that were largely wiped out by CSIRO
research into eradication! However, commercial meat rabbits are an entirely
different type to the feral rabbits.
A recent review of the industry forecast that production will continue to grow steadily at around 14 per cent a year to 2005, slowing to 10 per cent in 2008, and 8 per cent by 2015.
While this is much lower than the 1999 growth rate of 31 per cent, it is consistent with the average 10 per cent growth rate the industry achieved between 1999 and 2003.
The meat rabbit industry in Australia has grown considerably in recent years, from production of 106 tonnes of meat in 1999 to an estimated 250 tonnes in 2003. The industry is now national with farmers in most states.
ENDS
Media inquiries
Michael & Kathleen Bowerman
0416 084 052 or 02 6454 4169
RIRDC Peter McInnes (08)
8556 7331
 
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