[Unpad.ac.id, 1/07/2013] Who doesn’t love rabbit? Many people pet this cute animal because of its pudgy body shape and soft fur. Little do we know, rabbit offers alternative for meat in Indonesia.
It is Prof. Dr. Husmy Yurmiati, Ir., M.S., a professor of Unpad Faculty of Animal Husbandry who conducted a research on this unique animal. Rabbit offers five potentials for us, i.e. as a food source, fur, animal fancy, fertilizer, and laboratory, “Rabbit is a small animal with huge potentials,” according to Prof. Husmy who is an expert on livestock production.
It is not easy to introduce rabbit meat as a livestock. Besides not having a good market, not many people want to eat rabbit meat because they are not used to it. “It is not easy to promote rabbit meat. In 1980 the government promoted rabbits as meat-producing livestock to meet the nutritional needs of the people, but until now, there are still many obstacles.
In fact, rabbit meat provide considerable benefits for our health. Rabbit meat texture is similar to chicken meat: finely textured and colored white. It has protein content similar to chicken but with low cholesterol levels, making it suitable to consume for people with high blood pressure, heart disease, and high cholesterol level. In addition, rabbit meat does not contain hazardous substances that could threaten the human body. It can be processed into various snacks, such as satay, meatballs, burgers, nuggets, and shredded meat.
Rabbit meat tastes good. Any type of rabbit meat has a taste of its own and requires a particular recipe in making it. Unfortunately, this potential has not been supported with the right marketing management. Admittedly, the undeveloped market of rabbit meat and the low production of rabbit are some of the problems. This is why the price of rabbit meat in the market is still relatively high.
“We were once going to add rabbit meat into the nutrition menu in some hospitals, but unfortunately the supply is very limited because the rabbit meat market is weak. We also held an event to open the market, but it was difficult the get the rabbit supply, “she said.
Prof. Husmy is the coordinator of Himpunan Masyarakat Perkelincian Indonesia (Himakindo) and also a member of the Asian Rabbits Production Asociation (ARPA) and Word Rabbits Science (WRSA). Through these organizations she continues to do counseling about rabbit potential to the public, as well as a become a featured speaker in a seminar on rabbit both in Indonesia and abroad.
Te development of rabbit meat abroad has grown tremendously, even rabbit farms have become major industries, just like poultry. “The development of rabbit breeding as a food supply in Indonesia is continually growing. This can be seen from a growing number of cook shops serving rabbit meat, among others along the way of Bandung-Lembang,” she said.
Prof. Husmy also pioneered research on rabbits at the Faculty Animal Husbandry of Universitas Padjadjaran. Admittedly, there were not many literatures on rabbit when she began the study. However, her efforts are not in vain. Her research has attracted many of her students to also conduct research in the same field, either focusing on rabbit meat production or on the science.
Until now, there have been a lot of research on rabbits conducted by students under the direction of Prof.. Husmy. Not only the students from Universitas Padjadjaran, but also students from other Universities. “Currently, there are research that focus on the processing of rabbit skin, which is good for making crackers, to manufacture fiber clothing from leather and rabbit fur,” she added.
Prof. Husmy is the coach of Rabbit Ranch Student Activity Unit (UKM) of Unpad Animal Husbandry. Through the Rabbit Ranch, Prof Husmy also actively provides seminars, lectures, and exhibitions of rabbit meat snacks to the public.
Rabbit ranch is a place for student who are concerned about rabbit sand want to learn more about them. I often encourage my students to not only raise rabbits, but also to focus on the feeding, breeding and management, “she said.
This professor who was just inaugurated in April 2013 is storing a myriad of expectations about rabbits. Her dream is to develop Rabbit Village. She wants to build a village engaged in rabbit ranch, ranging from raising, feed manufacturing, and the meat processing. “I think, with that, rabbits can be popularized to the public as a good food product. In addition, it can also increase income for the people involved in and around the ranch, “she concluded. *
