# Rabbit diets and the way their meat tastes



## xa.logan (Mar 30, 2013)

I had a friend once proclaim that his turkeys tasted spicier because he raised them in his pepper garden (he had many different types of peppers). Whether or not this is true, I know that diet plays a direct role in the way that your meat rabbits taste. Has anyone played around with feeding their rabbits a certain food or supplement that causes the meat taste to differ? Or is there a taste difference in a higher grain concentrated diet or clover concentrated diet, etc. Summarizing this question, what makes rabbit meat taste the way it does, and what have you done to make it taste different (or even have a different texture).


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## animalmom (Mar 31, 2013)

I don't think I would want to change or alter the way my rabbits taste, or the meat texture... although I understand the question.  I was in Argentina and the beef there was so much better than any beef I had gotten here in the US.  None of my cattle raising acquaintances could explain to me why their "grass fed" beef just didn't have the taste, and buttery texture that was in the Argentina beef.

I've read that the texture of rabbit meat changes with the age of the rabbit.  The current edition of "Domestic Rabbits", the ARBA publication, has a nice article on meat pens and what a judge should look for in the meat pen.  One point made was that the meat texture of a 70 day old rabbit is what is used for fryers, and that after 70 days the texture changes, is not as fine.  Makes sense to me.

I'd love to see what others are thinking on this line... it seems to me that feed would affect growth, and taste, but to what extent.

I feed my rabbits a commercial pellet from a mill in the next city, so it is very fresh.


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## natem (Apr 1, 2013)

I think raising them on pasture makes a better taste. Cant really prove it though. It has been proven that animals raised on pasture has 7x the omega 3's, which are very good for you


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## xa.logan (Apr 1, 2013)

That's exactly what I'm getting at. I don't really want to try for a 'taste' so to speak but I'm moreso curious as to why certain meats, rabbits in particular, taste the way they do. I know that diet is the main reason. I just can't figure out why. I'm so intrigued by it! Lol. Thank you for putting up with the crazy.


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