May 12
3
Various Rabbit Products
If you are considering starting a rabbit farm or have just started rabbit farming, it’s important to know what types of rabbit products that you are able to sell. Rabbits are great in that you can use almost the whole rabbit, letting nothing go to waste.
rabbit farming today mostly focuses on killing rabbits for their meat. Although there is some controversy over eating rabbit meat, it is becoming more popular as people seek healthy alternatives to beef and pork. Rabbit meat has a low fat content and a high protein content, which makes it much healthier than other meats. Meat rabbits usually mature by 6 to 8 months, and their ability to turn 20% of the protein they eat into muscles means that you can have a good profit margin.
Another product of rabbits is their fur, which almost always goes to the fashion industry. There is some controversy with using rabbit fur, but there’s still a big market for it. Most people that farm rabbits for their meat will also sell the fur. Angora rabbits are bred and raised specifically for their fur, which is shaved off every 3 to 4 months and then can be cleaned and spun into yarn like sheep’s wool. Angora fur is incredibly soft and warm, so it is in high demand in the fashion and crafting industries.
Rabbits are widely used in laboratories for various experiments, and it is also possible to breed and produce rabbits specifically for sale to laboratories. With these, there are usually very specific standards in housing and breeding that must be maintained, but if you can get into a contract with a specific lab, raising rabbits for laboratories can be quite profitable.
You can also raise rabbits to be sold as pets, but this should not be done excessively, as finding homes for rabbits can be difficult. This type of rabbit farming is best done on a smaller scale and with the breeds that are preferred as pets, such as the Lionhead, the Rex, and the Holland Lop. Along these lines, they can be sold as 4H projects, or to people who want to show rabbits, but you will need high quality animals with good breeding for this.
With any type of rabbit products you are producing, you will also have plenty of rabbit poop, which can be sold as a fertilizer, becoming yet another great way to use every part of the rabbit.
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The food to conversion proportion is a very significant variable which should be used when assessing the productivity of the rabbit farming business. The food to conversion proportion can be used to measure the amount of growth achieved by the rabbit with regards to the food which has been given. The ratio should show a directly proportional relationship between the amount of food provided and the mass of the rabbit. This is because the food would be wasted if it is given continually despite the lack of improvements. Increased mass would provide more meat, fur and internal organs to harvest.
The rabbit farm venture will experience deficit and losses in the long-term if handler would continue giving food even though it has no positive effects to the rabbit. The handlers should also choose a rabbit breed which can attain the greatest amount of mass and weight with minimal food items. This would allow the rabbit farming business to save resources.
The first thing that should be given attention is the maximum growth which can be attained by the breeding stock utilized in the farm venture. The people handling the rabbit stock should also know the proper amount of food and resources needed in order to maintain the animals properly. Using the breeding stock which can provide the best food to conversion proportion is very important in order to assure the long-term success of the business. The consumer can choose between the medium-sized, meat and giant rabbits. The German and French Angora coming from the medium-size breed exhibits significant growth and increase in mass and weight in a short period of time. It would only require one and a half cup in a daily basis.
The giant rabbits require the greatest amount of feeds. The rabbits coming from this type of breed would usually require 2 to 3 cups of feeds in a daily basis. This would be very impractical considering the weight gain is only 20 percent greater than the meat rabbits.
The meat rabbits are the best choice since it exhibits the most cost-effective food to conversion proportion. It is able to provide 13 pounds of meat. This can be attained by providing the rabbit with one and a half cup of feeds. This would be 50% less than that of the giant rabbits. The giant rabbits can only provide 15 pounds of meat. This is very low considering the amount of food provided. The medium-size rabbits have the most limited meat production capability. It can only provide 6 to 7 pounds of meat. This would not be enough to provide the raw materials needed for commercial distribution.
Handlers and people involved with the rabbit farm business should consult with the experts and professionals who are knowledgeable when it comes to the conversion ratio of the breeding stocks available in the market. This is very important considering the feeds have a very high price. The handlers should choose the breeding stock which can produce the greatest amount of raw materials using only minimal feeds. This would help the rabbit farming business develope in the long-term.
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Business is all about marketing. Until you sell your first product, you are not in business. The marketing of your rabbit products must be thought through prior to putting up the facility. Your choice of marketable products will determine the kind and breed of rabbits you have on your farm and the intensity of production you want to adopt.
Put in place a marketing plan. Conduct a market research. Marketing any product is a lot of work. It would be proper for you to conduct a market research and ask questions. Is there a market for rabbit meat in your locality? Who are those who need your product and how much are they willing to pay?
Be innovative and think outside the box. You can also create your market. Marketing is dynamic. Think outside the box! You must have a marketing plan established around the benefits of rabbit meat for the consumer. We live in a generation increasing in their health consciousness with increasing obesity, diabetes, heart problems, weight control, fast food and junk consuming public. You could try to tap into this market segment.
Sell the health benefits of rabbit meat to families and mothers in particular. You can reach out to big conglomerates who want better living for their staffs. Think about recipes and meals you can prepare using rabbit meat, get people to taste for free. How about rabbit burger with lower cholesterol, trans-fat and the like?
Established markets. You may not need to reinvent the wheel. There are established markets for some rabbit products. Rabbits raised for meat are generally marketed as fryers, weighing about 5 pounds (2.3 kg) live weight. The fur market requires that the rabbits have meaty carcasses and clean, top-quality pelts. A large number of pelts are usually required to obtain a satisfactory price.
The price of the salted or frozen rabbit skin is very volatile and has historically oscillated between US0.18 to US0.75 per skin. To access the export market, you will need at least 70,000 skins – one container load. In Spain, the average rabbit slaughterhouse processes 10,000 rabbits per week – in comparison the largest one in Greece processes 1,500 per week. Research laboratories may specify rigid guidelines for their rabbits. Laboratories may require a specific sex, size, age or breeding. The market for rabbits raised for research is generally handled on a contract basis. Find out where they are, their requirements and meet those requirements.
The U.S. does not have a history of rabbit consumption. However, there is an untapped potential especially for the natural and organic markets. National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (ATTRA) P.O. Box 3657 Fayetteville, AR 72702 (www.attra.org) can provide more information on organic certification.
Use direct marketing. Direct marketing requires extra time and effort for the producer but provides the opportunity to produce a high-quality product, educate the consumer, and develop customer loyalty. Many consumers would like to get in touch with their food supply. In establishing a direct market, one can start with producing meat for family or selling to neighbors and friends. Free samples given to businesses patronized by the producer, at county fairs, etc., acquaint potential customers with the product. Farmers’ markets are another ideal way to connect with consumers, as they typically want to know how the animal has been
raised. In this case you sell the “story”.
Advertising by newspaper, radio, flyers, brochure, and the Internet are useful. Some farms send out a newsletter to past customers describing happenings at the farm and emphasizing the quality of their products.
Educate people. Education helps builds a loyal customer base. Make presentations to local organizations such as civic groups, emphasizing that rabbit is a healthy meat, may attract consumers interested in lowering fat and cholesterol in their diets. Customer bases include local health food stores or grocery stores interested in carrying farm-fresh products (these usually require a steady supply), and restaurants.
A Rabbit Field Day at a school could provide the opportunity for people to handle live rabbits, sample rabbit meat prepared in different recipes, get pamphlets about rabbit production and qualities of the meat, see exhibits of crafts that can be made from rabbit products such as rugs from the pelts and rabbit’s foot key-chains. Rabbit producers may be able to coordinate with 4-H groups or the Cooperative Extension Service in order to carry out a project of this kind.
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Jan 12
12
Products From Rabbit Production
Rabbits are exploited on an industrial scale worldwide for the following products.
• Meat –this remains the most popular reason for commercial breeding rabbits
• For fur and wool – used in the garment and clothing industry
• Leather products from processed skins
• Medical research and the Pharmaceutical industry are one of the highest users of rabbit.
Rabbits are the choice animals for certain kinds of studies involving the eyes and skin and a host of other studies, and research on drugs development.
• Education demonstrations and demonstrators have found the rabbit as one of their choicest applicants in educating students, particularly in biology and zoology studies.
• Pet breeding – presently one of the fastest growing uses to which rabbit are put.
• Manure, which is rich in nitrogen can also be collected from the droppings of the animals and used for organic farming.
Your focus and desire in running a rabbit farm must be well stated and prepared for to enjoy success. You can’t do everything all at once. You must define your aim before you start in order to avoid deviating from that goal.
Whichever product you focus on, the principles of operation are the same. A lot of hard work will be required for success. Your plans should be thoroughly researched before you start.
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Jun 11
19
Increasing Rabbit Reproduction Rates
In order to increase the rate of productivity of does, research has shown that does serviced at about 18 weeks or around 85 % of maturity are able to produce more number of litters per year. Older does become overweight and have a reduced frequency of litters.
In addition to increasing production through earlier servicing, production rates of does can also be accelerated through these three methods:
Extensive reproduction rate. The breeder fully utilizes the does’ maternal instincts by allowing them to nurse their young for five to six weeks, rebreeding them soon after weaning. Does are therefore serviced once every two and a half months.
In the United States and the United Kingdom fryers with a live weight of 1.7 to 1.8 kg (3.74 – 3.96 kg) are produced this way, using breeds such as the New Zealand White. The mother can be serviced before weaning, about five or six weeks after kindling, which allows two and a half months between litters.
Where the quality or quantity of the feed is not up to standard, it is preferable to wean rabbits at about 40 days. At the same time the breeder should slightly lengthen the resting period between weaning and rebreeding so the doe can build up her reserves again.
Semi-intensive rate. The breeder has does serviced 10 to 20 days after kindling and the young are weaned at four to five weeks. There is no real contrast between pregnancy and lactation for does. For 10 to 20 days the doe is newly pregnant while still nursing. The most important phase of embryo development takes place during the slump in milk production (milk production may even have ceased), so there is no real competition between the demands of gestation and lactation. As these does never have a resting period they need sufficient and well-balanced concentrate feed.
In rational European rabbit production units, a semi-intensive reproduction rate has basically been the rule since the late 1980s: rebreeding 10 to 11 days after kindling; weaning at about 34 to 38 days. At this rate, the work can be programmed by the days of the week, as the plan involves an interval of 42 days (exactly six weeks) between matings: 30 to 31 days of pregnancy + 10 to 11 days following kindling.
Intensive rate. The breeder has the does re-serviced just after kindling, taking advantage of the fact that they are then on heat. Weaning should take place at four weeks at the latest, usually at 26 to 28 days. There are three main techniques:
• Servicing the same day or the day after kindling: the true postpartum rate;
• Servicing scheduled for a specific day, generally three or four days after kindling. This corresponds to a constant interval of 35 days (five weeks) between litters; the results of this 35-day rate are economically disappointing because the rate of female acceptance of servicing three or four days after kindling is very low in most rabbit production units,although not all;
• Ad lib mating. A buck left together with postpartum does will serve them several times during the 48 hours following kindling. This is the natural rhythm of wild rabbits.
For more information on rabbit farming, check out “How to Start A Successful Rabbit Farm“
For other alternative farming subjects, you can also check out ostrich farming, emu farming, alpaca farming and deer farming.
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May 11
28
Rabbit Breast Feeding and Weaning
The rabbit doe comes into the nest box to nurse her litter. This is usually once or twice in a day and the sessions last about 3 to 5 minutes. Suckling alone will not provoke the secretion of milk as the mother must also want to nurse.
Daily milk production increases from 30 to 50 g (0.1Ibs) in the first two days to 200 to 250 g (0.5 – 0.6Ibs) towards the end of the third week of lactation. It then drops rapidly. Measuring the young rabbits’ weight at 21 days gives a fairly good estimate of total lactation, as milk production between days zero and 21 is closely correlated with total milk production.
An important point is that the doe’s milk output increases with litter size but the baby rabbits get less milk each than they would in a smaller litter. Depending on genetic type, milk production will not increase above 8 to 12 baby rabbits.
The rabbit litter will start to eat a commercial rabbit feed after weaning.
For more information on rabbit farming, check out “How to Start A Successful Rabbit Farm“
For other alternative farming subjects, you can also check out ostrich farming, emu farming, alpaca farming and deer farming.
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Apr 11
4
Rabbit Gestation to Kindling
Gestation to Kindling
The doe’s abdomen may be palpated 10-14 days after breeding to see if she is pregnant. Where it is observed that the breeding was not successful, the doe should be reintroduced to the buck. The embryos are round and feel like grapes. Gestation in rabbits is between 27 – 36 days. Birth of the kits (kindling) occurs around the 31st day in most rabbit species. A nestbox with wood shavings or other bedding material should be placed in the doe’s cage at 29 days so she can pull fur and build a nest. Cannibalism by the mother is often due to poor nutrition, but sometimes it may have no apparent cause.
Kindling
At the end of gestation the doe makes a nest for the litter with her own fur and materials she has available such as straw and shavings. Kindling or the art of giving birth to rabbits, lasts from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the litter. Litter size varies as much as from 1 to 20 kits. Most litters range between 3 and 12. In rabbit production units the average is 7 to 9, but there are great variations. With proper management, a good doe can have about 8 litters a year
Keeping records will help you identify which does are more productive and which are not. All part and parcel of learning successful rabbit farming.
To learn more, check out “How to Start A Successful Rabbit Farm“
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Mar 11
22
Rabbit Reproduction
Sexual maturity varies slightly between rabbits’ species and between the doe and buck.
The Oestrus Cycle
In most domestic mammals ovulation takes place at regular intervals when the female is in heat or oestrus. The interval between two periods of oestrus represents the length of the oestrus cycle. This is different for different animal species. For example it is four days for rats, 17 for ewes 21 for sows and cows).
The female rabbit, however, does not have an oestrus cycle with regular periods of heat during which ovulation will occur spontaneously. Does are considered to be in oestrus more or less permanently. Ovulation occurs only after mating. A female rabbit is therefore considered to be in heat when she accepts service and in dioestrus when she refuses.
Breeding
Breeding in rabbit farming is the process of introducing the female (doe) to the male’s (buck’s) cage. Otherwise, the buck would spend his time marking new territory in the doe’s cage instead of breeding. Breeding should occur within about one minute. If it does not occur, the doe should be removed and retried in a few days. The doe should not be left in with the buck for long periods of time, because they may fight.
Rabbits do not have a heat cycle like many animals do—rabbits ovulate after mating. Young does and bucks should be well grown and developed before being placed in the breeding herd. A mature buck will service about eight to ten does. Because of the negative effect temperature may have on conception, it is advisable to introduce the animals early in the morning or late in the evening.
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There are different feeding systems adopted for feeding rabbits. The systems are determined by the size of the rabbitry and aim of setting up the farm.
Commercial Pelletized Feeds
Commercially formulated pellets are available as feed for your rabbit. In modern production systems, which account for most of the output, the animals are given balanced pelletized feed. The pellets are usually specially formulated and come as balanced diet treats for the animals. Pellets contain the right proportion of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals for your animals and are usually formulated from plant sources such as alfalfa, grain (barley, wheat mill by-products), protein supplements (soybean meal), vitamins and mineral supplements.
Breeders of rabbit calculate the quantities of feed for total daily consumption for all animals as
follows:
• Young fattening rabbits (four to 11 weeks): 110 to 130 g;
… for other feed consumption rates for different ages see “How To Start A Succesful Rabbit Farm”.
Feeding animals on pellets is most economical for medium to large scale farms. For small holdings, 100 percent pellet feeding may not be an economically viable option. For such breeders, other feeding options may be adapted. These include home-made food and allowing your rabbit to graze.
Home-made Feeds
Long before the advent of pellets, rabbits were still fed. In the introductory chapter, research and history documentations reveal that rabbits had been bred thousands of years ago. Early farmers and keepers of rabbit did not have the technology to pelletize feed. They had to be innovative and provide food for their animals based on the technology of the day. They had to feed their rabbits using home-made feed preparations. Such formulations are still viable today, particularly for those keeping rabbits as pets and breeders with small subsistence rabbit holdings.
Home-made feeds basically contains legume high in protein and fiber at about 50 – 60 % of the total diet. A source of energy from grains, oats or barley at between 20 – 30% of total feed and a source of protein at a percentage of about 16 – 17 % as well as mineral supplements and salts. Preferable legumes include alfalfa and clover. Other plants and vegetables that can be fed to the rabbit include grass, dandelion, carrots, nasturtium, parsley, and basil.
The plants can be grown in the garden or pots and introduced to the rabbits gradually particularly for rabbits that have not been used to feeding on greens. One disadvantage to formulating feeds at home is that the feed is often not well mixed and this gives the animals the opportunity to pick items they desire to eat leaving the rest and resulting in wastage of feed. This feeding practice results in a low-fiber diet and potential enteritis. The home-made formulation is usually dried. Because rabbits do not relish dry feeds, one tip is to slightly moisten with feed grade molasses.
Free Grazing
It is also possible to graze rabbits, using movable cages. The danger here is that the rabbits may be exposed to toxic plants, that could lead to fatalities. Studies show that they can still reach slaughter weight but takes a longer time, and the meat is leaner.
Whilst the home-made option and free grazing are options, for anybody truly interested in rabbit farming, the only real option is a commerical rabbit feed to ensure a balanced diet without complications.
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If you want to make your own rabbit feed, note there are some plants that are toxic for rabbits and must be avoided at all cost. Here are the details of some of them.
Milkweed
One of the most common plant poisoning in rabbits is milkweed poisoning. Almost all cases of poisoning by this plant have been reported only in the southwestern United States. The poisoning occurs when rabbits have been given hay that was harvested containing the wooly pod milkweed. It only takes 1/4 of a percent of the rabbit’s body weight of green milkweed to kill a rabbit. Usually the toxin causes paralysis in the neck muscles and is sometimes referred to as “head down disease”. If the rabbit survives the poisoning, an owner will need to provide nursing care until the rabbit has fully recovered.
Fruits & Vegetables
Many common fruits are given regularly to rabbits as treats that they truly enjoy. However, the seeds of the apple and pear and the pits of apricots contain cyanide and are poisonous to rabbits and should always be removed before given to your pet for consumption. Other poisonous foods include the avocado, green parts and the eyes of potatoes and the eggplant and tomato plant (excluding the fruit), among others.
Flowers
There are many popular flowers that gardeners commonly grow that can be potentially fatal to rabbits. These include the bulbs of daffodils, calla lily, daisy, California geranium and morning glory, among many others. Even small amounts of some flowers such as Elephant’s Ear, hemlock and yew can cause death in rabbits. Rabbits should be kept out of flower gardens to stay safe from these potentially deadly plants.
Aloe vera
The juice inside the aloe vera plant can cause a range of problems for rabbits including stomach upset to even death. The severity of the reaction can depend upon how much was consumed, the size and age of your rabbit compared to how much was consumed and on the actual type of aloe vera plant that was eaten.
If you allow your rabbit to roam outdoors in the yard or in a rabbit run, you should familiarize yourself with other plants that can be potentially fatal to your rabbit. Outdoor areas should not only be free from toxic plants but also pesticides that are used to kill weeds. Rabbit owners should never feed their pets any type of fruit, vegetable, plant or any part of a plant unless they are certain it is safe. If you suspect any type of poisoning of your rabbit, seek veterinarian care immediately.
For a full list of toxic plants, please refer to “How To Start A Successful Rabbit Farm“.
A commercial rabbit farm normally uses a pelleted rabbit feed formulated for a specific purpose, in order to give a rabbit farming venture optimum performance.
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