Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Global meat consumption is getting more unsustainable. One way to counteract this is to change the type of meat that is consumed. Rabbit meat has a lower climate impact than many other types of meat. Growth of the rabbit meat industry may therefore be desirable development. For production to be socially sustainable, consumers must accept it. Rabbit meat can be produced under different conditions. This study examines the acceptance of three different production systems: industrial, extensive, and urban rabbit production.
A survey was carried out to Swedish upper secondary school students. The students got to rank their acceptance of each production system on a scale from 0-10. They also had the opportunity to motivate their answers. A question on what they prioritize when consuming meat was also included.
The results showed that extensive rabbit production was preferred, i.e., advocating a farming system with more animal movement, less productivity, and higher space requirements. Men were more accepting of all production systems than women. No difference could be detected between rural and urban citizens. Regarding previous experience of animals, it was shown that students without animal experience saw urban rabbit farming as more acceptable than people with experience of pets or livestock.
Swedish upper secondary school students have a higher acceptance for extensive rabbit production compared to industrial and urban rabbit production. Although the level of acceptance was affected by gender and animal experience, extensive production was always preferred. The opinions seemed to be based mainly on the animal welfare conditions of the production.