One of the rising trends in agriculture today is meat rabbit production. There is a higher demand today for organic and healthy meat, and rabbit farmers can provide that. The other draw to this type of farming is that the space requirements and initial costs are fairly minimal, especially when compared to other types of livestock. Depending on what you already have and what type of rabbits and equipment you buy, the start up costs for rabbit farming is about $2500 to $7000.
There are a few things that you will need to fully research before you buy anything. The more knowledge you have of rabbit breeds, rabbit care, and the market, the more successful your rabbit farm will be. A knowledgeable rabbit farmer is a good place to start, and you can also find information in books or online.
Knowing what breeds are used for rabbit production is a good first step to choosing which breed will be right for you. The New Zealand, Californian, Flemish Giant, and Palomino are all breeds that are used often in meat production. These breeds are used because they are larger which means bigger litter sizes and more meat, and they have decent meat to bone ratios. You can also choose to produce hybrids by breeding together pure stock from two of these breeds.
Rabbit care is extremely important for the success of your rabbit farm. Healthy rabbits will be better able to produce healthy kits, and their meat will be higher quality. Most important is what you feed your rabbits. They need continual amounts of high quality hay, specific amounts of pellets daily, and should be given small amounts of fresh greens as a treat. They also need to have clean drinking water at all times. As far as housing goes, rabbits need an area that is sheltered and kept from extreme temperatures, as well as clean and relatively quiet.
Knowing your target market is the first step to getting connected. Will you sell to your family and friends or local markets, or will you get connected with a meat rabbit company? Once you've decided, you can begin to make those connections to be sure you have a market for your rabbits once they start producing. There's nothing worse than having a barn full of good kits that nobody wants to buy. These are the essentials of meat rabbit production, and a full understanding of them will help you be as successful as possible.
There are a few things that you will need to fully research before you buy anything. The more knowledge you have of rabbit breeds, rabbit care, and the market, the more successful your rabbit farm will be. A knowledgeable rabbit farmer is a good place to start, and you can also find information in books or online.
Knowing what breeds are used for rabbit production is a good first step to choosing which breed will be right for you. The New Zealand, Californian, Flemish Giant, and Palomino are all breeds that are used often in meat production. These breeds are used because they are larger which means bigger litter sizes and more meat, and they have decent meat to bone ratios. You can also choose to produce hybrids by breeding together pure stock from two of these breeds.
Rabbit care is extremely important for the success of your rabbit farm. Healthy rabbits will be better able to produce healthy kits, and their meat will be higher quality. Most important is what you feed your rabbits. They need continual amounts of high quality hay, specific amounts of pellets daily, and should be given small amounts of fresh greens as a treat. They also need to have clean drinking water at all times. As far as housing goes, rabbits need an area that is sheltered and kept from extreme temperatures, as well as clean and relatively quiet.
Knowing your target market is the first step to getting connected. Will you sell to your family and friends or local markets, or will you get connected with a meat rabbit company? Once you've decided, you can begin to make those connections to be sure you have a market for your rabbits once they start producing. There's nothing worse than having a barn full of good kits that nobody wants to buy. These are the essentials of meat rabbit production, and a full understanding of them will help you be as successful as possible.
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