Tips - Is rabbit farming profitable?

Raising Rabbits for Profit

The major question I keep getting from newbies is that, is rabbit farming profitable??  Choose a breed that is recognized for its meat –production qualities, and do some assignment in searching bloodlines within that breed with the necessary qualities to be good production rabbits.

If you have been rearing rabbits for some time as a hobby, the thought may have occurred to you that you could make some little money rearing them. The thought may have even occurred to you that you can make a large amount of money from rabbit farming. After all, two rabbits will be 150 in a short period of time, right? Maybe yes, maybe no

Rabbits have the potentialsh to be one of the most profitable specie to raise. They frequently give birth to a large number of litters, and offspring grow rapidly and reach either table size or breeding weight more quickly than any other species. They do not require large space compared to most species; they are also quiet, and also non demanding animals.

There are several things you should consider before venturing into raising rabbits for profit rather than as a hobby.

 Select your rabbit breeds

Around the rabbit environment, people joke that (all rabbits are made of meat.) True, but some breeds are better suited for the table than others. New Zealand and Californian rabbits are the most popular choice. But a few raise breeds are making a comeback eg, the American Blue and White, or the silver fox, which are also on American livestock breeds.

These raised breeds are wonderful livestock to work with, but they are not easy to come by, and they may not have been formally chosen for production qualities. New Zealand and Californians may be much easier to get; they have the added benefit of a white pelt, which is easier to market than a colored one.

Record keeping and rabbit pedigrees

Managing numerous hundred rabbits is challenging in itself, but managing those rabbits with one eye to conservation breeding is another obstacle entirely.

For instance, it’s necessary to keep more bucks than would normally be required in a general commercial operation. Typically in commercial rearing, pedigrees and lineages are not important, and in fact, many big rabbitries will use crossbred strains rather than purebreds. And even if purebreds are used, pedigrees often are not managed.

Additional leeway also may need to be given to a doe from a rare or difficult-to-obtain bloodline, which is another aspect of conservation breeding to take into consideration. Each individual breeder must come to a decision on his/her own.

Finding rabbit meat processors

Processing is the least pleasant of all the aspects of running a rabbitry, but one of the most important. Several laws and regulations govern processing rabbit meat for retail sales, and laws can vary from state to state.

Finding a processor who has a special license for rabbits also can be a challenge. Generally, the same equipment that is used to process poultry can be used for rabbits, but the dearth of local processors who will handle poultry can make even this tricky.

If selling retail to restaurants, it is very good logic to maintain product liability insurance. In this society we live in, it makes sense to cover your assets in the unlikely event of a problem.

 Producing year-round

In order to keep profitability, it is important for the rabbitry to produce litters year-round. This necessitates having litters when mother nature, and the doe herself, may not think it is the greatest idea.

Rabbits, like many other animals, are at their most fertile during the spring and summer months, and they experience a period of decreased productivity during the shorter days of fall and winter. It is relatively easy to increase the day length for the rabbit by adding a light bulb or two to the rabbit barn.

The light can be fixed on a timer, removing the need to remember to switch them off and on manually. To keep productive activity in the winter, aim to provide 12 to 14 hours of daylight for the livestock. Bucks also will face a period of decreased fertility in the winter months, but it is generally not as pronounced as the does.

Finding your market

Marketing is one of the trickiest parts of raising meat rabbits. The restaurant is good places and increase a good –quality product, and relying on one or two customers can lead to disaster if they should change there, or go out of business.

The market can eventually prove finite, so many new breeders will be in need of stock. Farmers' markets can be a great venue to sell to customers who will accept the work and dedication that goes into them.

Diversity is a good model both for the farm and for the marketing plan, the best advertising is a good product and good word of mouth.