However, to build a successful, sustainable commercial rabbit farming business, you require sufficient knowledge of how to efficiently raise the rabbits, good management skills, and a good rabbit. Feeding rates depend on rabbit weight and maturity. Routines, tools and equipment for raising rabbits grit. Rabbits, rabbits, rabbits online level 3 market rabbit project project record book page 16 of 19 when breeding your rabbits, it is esential to keep accurate breeding records. As a backyard animal rabbit is quiet, odorless and. Raising and marketing rabbits is an ideal project for young people. Having 247 access to hay and pellets means that the little runt that was pushed away from the teat in the nestbox now has a chance to catch up with the rest of the litter.
However, many families enjoy spending more time than this with their rabbits. How to start a profitable rabbit farming business pdf. Level 3 show rabbit project project record book page 5 of 24 project rabbit inventory. However, to build a successful, sustainable broiler poultry farming business, you require sufficient knowledge of how to efficiently raise the birds, good management skills, and a good poultry farming business plan. The rabbit known as microlivestock can be a great source of food production. Your chickens will produce eggs, compost, and manure. Rabbit information sheet vaccination routine vaccinations are given to rabbits from 5 weeks of age for myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease vhd1 2 doses given at a minimum of 2 weeks apart and then annual booster vaccinations to remain protected. However, it does take a lot of work to take care of a rabbit. How to start a profitable rabbit farming business pdf guide. Raising earthworms rabbit diseases sanitation getting started before investing your money in rabbit production, get all available literature, talk and visit with other producers, visit a rabbit processor, and talk with your county extension agent. All the rabbit needs is the opportunity to show his true colors to you. Gentle but firm persuasion and persistence will be required. Before investing your money in rabbit production, get all available literature, talk and visit with other producers, visit a rabbit processor, and talk with your county extension agent.
Study the glossary of terms and diseases in this study guide for the written test. The differences are mainly in the amount of wool produced and the percentage of guard hair in the wool. Chemical composition of different raw materials suitable for feeding rabbits 23. Use this section to help you keep track of the does and bucks that you have mated, as well as their total breeding. Rabbits are a prey animal, so they hide signs of illness. Careful selection of rabbits for breeding can lead to improvements in the herd. We facilitate rabbit adoptions, matching people and rabbits together. A little over a year ago, i got a text from my mother. The amount of capital required when raising rabbits for meat depends on the scale of the project. This means you will need a larger breed so it will be a decent size by the 8week mark.
The guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat. It is important to know that when raising rabbits for meat that the older the rabbit gets, the tougher the meat becomes. Guidelines for the housing of rabbits in scientific institutions. Backyard rabbit farming can be a great idea for having healthy meat and an additional source of income for the family without much involvement. This is one of the most important ways in which rabbit keepers can increase production. Guidelines for the housing of rabbits in scientific. Types of rabbit production fanciers pets, breeding stock, and show animals laboratory furhair angora rex meat largest rabbit market. The rabbit has been domesticated for years and is adaptable to confinement rearing and close association with humans. Since having maggie, ive realized that while rabbits are uncommon pets, they really make great additions to the household. Ways to raise capital to start your rabbit farming business in zimbabwe the rabbit production business plan includes technical aspects of how to keep and to take care of the rabbits. Goat farming is a lucrative business, providing income for millions of people, but there are some essential things you need to do before you venture into rearing.
Refer to the information sheet starting a rabbit enterprise for additional insight of advantages and disadvantages of producing rabbits. One thing rabbits are very good at is making fertilizer. Rabbit farming business is a very profitable business, and many people are making money all over the world by raising rabbits for meat. Expert advice on which tools and equipment for raising rabbits is absolutely vital to your success, plus some rabbit handling advice. Here are a few compelling reasons to have rabbits in your household. Breeds the order lagomorpha contains the rabbits, hares, cottontails and pikas. We admitted 10 eastern cottontail rabbits in 2011 and 1292 in 2012 84% dpe were reared successfully and released using the following methods. You can get a loan from the bank, or funding from investors, to use as capital to start your rabbit farming business. List all of the rabbits you own at the beginning of the project and add any rabbits you purchase or add to your project during the project year. Present day breeds of domestic rabbits, including those used for laboratory studies, are all derived from the european rabbit oryctolagus cuniculus sheail, 1971. Ten commandments for raising healthy rabbits mother earth news.
Check with local rabbit breeders to find out about the different breeds and market for rabbits. The first step is to decide how many rabbits you want to raise and for what purpose. Youll find nearly everything you need for your rabbits at one or more of the following links. The majority of your rabbit s diet should consist of unlimited amounts of hay, which can consist of any of the following varieties. Fortunately, the disease only occurs in cycles and often only when populations are at their peak. Now is a good time to assess what you need, and what you might simply want, to keep everything.
Providing basic care feed commercially produced rabbit feed is formulated to meet rabbits dietary requirements. Rearrange individual pages or entire files in the desired order. But only give lettuces and cabbages to adult rabbits alone. Angora rabbits produce 8 to 10 inches, or 12 to 16 ounces, of wool per year. With the release of rabbit calicivirus disease rcd, the number of harvested rabbits fell from about 2. Bob bennett is the author of six books on rabbit raising, including storeys guide to raising rabbits and rabbit housing, as well as numerous magazine and newspaper articles.
You will be tested on filling out a breeding rabbit entry form for the fair as well as a meat pen entry. Factors affecting the production of rabbits by small. Does can be bred for 4 to 5 litters per year, once they are kept in good condition. Pdf backyard rabbit farming can be a great idea for having healthy meat and an additional source of income for the family without much involvement. Rabbit farming business plan pdf file comprehensive version 91. Proper handling of the breeding doe and providing her with a comfortable hutch and nest box are also necessary for a sound breeding programme. Homesteading animals rearing rabbits for meat and fur.
In the past, the australian rabbit industry was based on harvesting wild rabbits. The hareraising business is adaptable to any location. Pdf 20091129 06 32 dw c windows system32 filters 20090828 19 14 28,672 a c 092 windows 092 system32 092 apphlpdm. Call 01636 676042 for a contact name and number or visit our website if you do not want a purebred or baby rabbit your local rescue home has rabbits in need of homes.
However, to build a successful, sustainable commercial rabbit farming business, you require sufficient knowledge of how to efficiently raise the rabbits, good management skills, and a good rabbit farming business plan. You will need money for constructing the rabbit hutches, buying the breeding stock, buying the feeds e. Conceptions will be highest during the cool months of the year and lowest during the hot and humid months. Raising meat rabbits is one of the most space efficient means of growing livestock for meat. If you decide that raising rabbits is for you, keep this manual as a handy reference, and plan to use it from year to year. Rabbit study guide 1206 7 rabbit study guide glossary of terms note. For the backyard operation with four breeding does, this labor input is equal to just 112 workweeks 60 hours per year, or less than 15 minutes per day. Breeding rabbit 6 class 8 months and older junior breeding rabbit exhibitors project 225 ages 8. They wriggle and pull away and it can take up to three days in which to get them settles into feeding. Allow a short time between every few mouth fulls for bunny to clear mouth and lickclean lips. There is a great opportunity of rabbit farming, and commercial production can be a great source of income and employment. Rabbits are herbivores which efficiently convert fodder to food. Many owners use sheds, backyards, and old barns as sites for rabbit warrens a highclass word for an area of pens. In the summer, it is wise to place frozen water bottles in the hutches with the rabbits to help keep them cool.
Rabbits are extremely hot natured so it is important to place their shelter in a shaded area. Unlike most other animals, rabbits do not have a regular heat cycle oestrus. The guide additional details the process of breeding stock selection, highlighting the issues of inbreeding as well as giving information on rabbit diseases and pests. Over 4 weeks, children care for newborn rabbits kittens and their mother to gain an understanding of the changing needs of the rabbits and how to care for a pet. Rabbit general care and husbandry diet fiber is crucial to your rabbit s diet and keeps their digestive system functioning properly. Jul 10, 20 rabbits are small mammals found in several parts of the world. The raisingrabbits store is open 247 get rabbit supplies, cages, accessories, toys, tools and more through our secure online store note. Your leader will have pictures of 20 different breeds to show you. Area in which is present only a rabbit rearing of secondary importance. Hand rearing wild rabbits british wildlife helpline. Rabbit farming in other countries has grown from raising a few rabbits for family consumption to large commercial operations with hundreds of rabbits. Rabbits are low maintenance pets and dont live very long. Raising rabbits 101 pdf if you decide that raising rabbits is for you, keep this manual as a handy reference, and.
How to start rabbit farming business raise rabbits for meat and the rabbit farming. In egypt, for example, rabbit projects involving the youth reduced youth migration from rural to urban area, lukefahr, 2008. In the other countries of the eu,except italy of course, the interest for the rabbitrearing is. The traditional rabbitrearing, even if it still has the majority of the stud rabbits, produce only the half of the spanish rabbitrearing production, and this is one of the outstanding characteristic of the spanish rabbitrearing field. Broiler poultry farming business is a very profitable business, and many people are making money all over the world by farming the birds. Introduction one of the main advantages of smallscale rabbit farming rabbitry is that, it requires. Rabbits need daily food and fresh water, grooming and company.
Rabbits need a balanced diet of unlimited grass hay timothy, orchard, oat, brome, limited pellets, and fresh greens. Actual caloric intake is the limiting factor of successfully growing healthy eastern cottontail rabbits. Smallscale sustainable rabbit production attra ncat. When raising rabbits for meat there are many options for food. Only materials, not rabbits, will depreciate a value of 10% each year. Introduction make plans for housing before you purchase your rabbits. He has served as the editor of rabbits magazine, has been a contributing editor to countryside magazine, and is the founder of domestic rabbits and a past director of the american rabbit.
To fulfill the food demand for growing population, we have to find out different ways of food production. The production comes from breedings of middle dimension in a farm. The focus is on raising rabbits to add needed protein to family. Kits grow at different rates, even in the same litter. Rabbits are members of the leporidae family, indigenous throughout most parts of the world, and raised in smallholder and largescale, commercial production systems. There are many species in the rabbit family but all domesticated rabbits are believed to have descended from a single species known as the european rabbit. Housing can be a cage in the garage, a hutch in the backyard or a special building with cages for a number of animals. A beginners guide to raising rabbits, including a rabbit barn, pens, feeders and waterers, breeding stock, care and feeding, breeding, butchering, and meat sales. Refer to the information sheet starting a rabbit enterprise for additional insight of.
Raising rabbits for meat osu extension catalog oregon state. This article will outline how to start the goat rearing business, and the goat farming business plan pdf, word and excel. Rabbits can live up to 10 years plus depending on the size or breed like all animals, a rabbit will make demands upon your time. A backyard meat rabbit operation can be a great idea for someone interested in producing their own healthful, drugfree meat.
Children observe the dramatic changes that take place as the rabbits develop over time, from kittens total dependence on their mother, right through to when they become independent. A message to arents raising and marketing rabbits is an ideal project for young people. Starting rabbit farming business in zimbabwe and the business. This is why this manual, first published in 1984, is now being reissued. A sick bunny needs medical care from a qualified veterinarian. Where to get your rabbit the british rabbit council has thousands of members, many of whom are breeders with healthy rabbits for sale. A primer on backyard meat rabbit raising practices. Starting goat farming business plan pdf startupbiz global.
The guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat mother. If you decide to sell all of them, heres your possible income for 3 hens. Research also has documented captivereared quail abandoning the nest shortly after only a few eggs hatched, leaving the rest of the eggs in the nest. Rabbits need a balanced diet of unlimited grass hay timothy, orchard, oat. A beginners guide to raising rabbits mother earth news. Rabbits sold during the year should be recorded under other income. Handling the breeding doe it is advisable to mate does when they are coming into maturity. They must be kept warm at this stage and as with all wildlife, kept away from domestic. Whether you live on a full blown many acre homestead, or on a town lot in the burbs, rabbits are a viable option in your selfsufficiency and survival planning. In early 1960, united state department of agriculture usda was involved in introducing more rabbit to western states of nigeria. Mixing your own feed is not recommended because it is difficult to get the right balance of essential nutrients.
Mark the space where the rabbits will be housed, where equipment will be stored, where processing will occur, etc. Typical parttime enterprises consist of 50 to 100 rabbits. Rabbits have needs similar to those of other household pets. Released captive quail also may spread diseases to wild quail. Area in which the rabbit rearing is an important activity but it does not reach dominant levels. Breeding rabbit 6 class 4 to 6 months intermediate breeding rabbit 6 class 6 to 8 months sr. Whether you live on a full blown many acre homestead, or on a town lot in the burbs, rabbits are a viable option. A fulltime enterprise should have at least 600 females does and 60 males bucks.
Rabbits feed better if both the rabbit and the milk are kept warm. Rabbit farming complements the efforts of the serious gardener and flower grower. Itemanimal description date acquired purchase cost depreciation value at beginning of project bucket feb. Mar 11, 2020 raising meat rabbits is one of the most space efficient means of growing livestock for meat. The rabbit food and agriculture organization of the united nations. It also includes a minidirectory with contacts which will prove to be helpful in launching and running the rabbit farming business. Rabbits are intelligent, friendly and make great companions. There is also a glossary of rabbit terms to help you with words you may not know. Pdf rabbits are members of the leporidae family, indigenous throughout most parts of the world, and raised in smallholder and largescale, commercial.
All words or terms are as applied to rabbits and are not. Includes rabbit, duck, and game recipes for the slow cooker volume 1. Each doe produces 25 to 50 live rabbits a year, which will yield 125 to 250 pounds of meat. While raising rabbits is a laborintensive endeavor, there are many reasons to consider doing so on a small farm. The blog raising rabbits for meat was created to help people educate themselves about the ease and importance of raising meat rabbits. The different breeds of modern domestic rabbit have evolved as far back as the 18th century. You will be asked to identify 15 breeds of rabbits from a colored photograph. Two does and one buck should produce 180 pounds of meat per year. On the other hand, the widescale utilization of rabbits as laboratory animals has led to the production of a great deal of literature on neuroendocrine, physiological and behavioural aspects and the effect of housing systems under laboratory conditions that also offers useful information on rabbits reared for meat.
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