Perceptions of consumers, retailers and their attitude towards rabbit meat in the KZN province, South Africa.
Loading...
Date
2021
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The broad objective of the current study was to determine the response and attitudes of
consumers and retailers towards rabbit meat. Growth performance and the quality of rabbit
meat as influenced by breed were also determined. A survey was conducted among 226
respondents (n=201 consumers and n=25 retailers) from two different municipalities under the
uMgungundlovu district (Msunduzi and Richmond local municipalities), in the KwaZulu Natal
province to investigate their perceptions and attitudes towards rabbit meat. Both rural and urban
areas under the selected municipalities were visited. The results of the study showed that there
was a positive association (p<0.001) between gender, consumption of rabbit meat, and
willingness to purchase rabbit meat from butcheries and supermarkets. Out of the sampled
population, sixty one percent (61%) of the consumers who had indicated to have never
consumed rabbit meat before reported that rabbit meat is rare to find. Hence rabbit meat scarcity
and lack of exposure were stated as the major reasons for the low consumption patterns and
highlighted as the main reason why they have never consumed it. Only 8.6% of the respondents
reported that it is against their religion to consume rabbit meat and a small portion (3.4%) of
the population highlighted that they feel disgusted just by even the imagination of consuming
rabbit meat. The results also revealed that out of the total interviewee’s, only two percent (2%)
of the respondents indicated that they perceive rabbits as pets and not as the type of protein
source that they would be prepared to consume.
It was further observed that there was a strong significant association (p <0.05) between race
and willingness to consume rabbit meat should it be made available in the retail stores.
Furthermore, a large percentage (63.2%) of the respondents showed their willingness to
purchase rabbit meat if it were to be made available in the local markets, whilst the remaining
(33.8%) highlighted their lack of interest or willingness to purchase rabbit meat. There was a
significant association (p<0.05) that was observed between occupation of the respondents and
their willingness to purchase and consume rabbit meat. Out of the total number of retailers that
were interviewed, twenty eight percent (28%) perceive that there could be a market for rabbit
meat within the meat industry, whilst the remaining 72% reported that they do not see an
opportunity/ market for rabbit meat in the South African meat industry.
An on-station experiment was conducted to assess growth performance and rabbit meat quality
whereby forty-eight rabbits from six different breeds (New Zealand white, New Zealand red,
Californian, Chinchilla giganta, Cinnamon and American sables) were used. The rabbits were
grown under the same conditions, fed a similar commercial pelleted diet from the weaning
phase (35 days) and slaughtered when a commercial slaughter weigh of 2.5kg was reached.
Feed and water were offered at ad libitum, with the following traits measured weekly: feed
intake, body weight, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio. Following a feed withdrawal
period of 12 hours, the rabbits were slaughtered and eviscerated. Carcass characteristics,
physicochemical properties and growth performance were evaluated. The findings showed that
there were significant differences between carcass characteristics of various breeds. Significant
differences among dressing percentage were observed (p>0.01). No significant differences
were observed for the pH values of the Longissimus dorsi between the different breeds at pH45
and pH24. Lowest pH values were observed after 24 hours post slaughter. Water holding
capacity as a measure of the freshness of the meat is a vital meat quality attribute, significant
differences (p<0.01) were observed between breeds for this characteristic. Meat from chinchilla
giganta had the highest water holding capacity of 66% whilst New Zealand Red and Cinnamon
had low water holding capacity of (59.7%) and (59.1%) respectively. The results indicated that
breed had no significant effect on various carcass characteristics except for
dressing yield of carcass. In conclusion, regardless of the production purposes of the breed
(meat or fur) carcass and meat quality traits were similar.
Description
Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.