Mating two different breeds of rabbits, such as a california. Starting rabbit farming business in south africa business. This means you will need a larger breed so it will be a decent size by the 8week mark. Today they are raised for meat, research, pets, show, and pelts. If youre mostly interested in showing rabbits, you may want to have only a few litters each year and time them to provide stock of the proper age for showing. Feeding rabbits naturally reduce pellet feed a farm girl. Rabbits should have excellent meat producing qualities, emphasis should be placed on body and muscling unit ii fancy type breeding stock rabbits should be good representatives of their breed or breeds if a crossbred, emphasis should be. Or use the supplemental links below to listen to the. May 16, 2018 the most popular breed of rabbit for meat production is the new zealand white.
Many children across the united states participate in 4h and ffa. Listen to the living on the land podcast series on itunesu. A rabbit in the mediumsize breeds that has good meat qualities meaty shoulders. Remember poor breeding stock will produce poor offspring. Discarding meat from rabbits raised for fur is wasteful. The common breeds of rabbits useful in meat production in missouri are new zealand. Raising rabbits for meat and fur is a good way to make money but only if you do it on a large scale, and it should be done as supplementary income only. One doe, in one hutch can produce 70 to 95 pounds 32 to 43 kg of dressed edible meat. Backyard production of meat rabbits in texas oaktrust. Some of the clients you can supply rabbits to are individuals, restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, butcheries and organisations. You can read online raising rabbits for meat here in pdf, epub, mobi or docx formats.
The breed of rabbits is unimportant so long as one of the large, rapid growing breeds is selected. Topics include choosing which breed to raise and selecting your initial breeding stock. Only time, records, and results can prove the worth of breeding stock and the reputation of the breeder. Breeds of rabbits important in producing meat and fur include the. Breed young does of the small and medium breeds at 6 months of age and giant breeds when they are 8 to 9 months old. Mixing your own feed is not recommended because it is difficult to get the right balance of essential nutrients. Providing basic care feed commercially produced rabbit feed is formulated to meet rabbits dietary requirements.
If youre raising rabbits for meat, you may want to produce as many fryers as possible. Regulations for selling rabbit meat vary from state to state. I only kept one sheet for the whole rabbitry and noted several rabbits placements on it in each show. Raising rabbits for meat pdf sion to use the information in raising meat rabbits in. Can be shown as a meat pen, single fryer, or roaster. Based on the the ideal type for meatproducing breeds, commercial. The initial costs in settingup is small, rabbits breed quickly and frequently, they have large litters and grow to a good marketable size in a very short time.
Rabbit breeding schedules are usually based on 7day intervals for ease in recordkeeping. The guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat raising rabbits is one of the simplest things you can do on your homestead. It provides concise information on raising rabbits as a source of meat. Butcher the rabbits at eight to twelve weeks of age, after that the foodto meat ratio drops. Also, it is usually better to start with a breed that is a solid color, as raising a marked breed multicolor can sometimes be difficult and frustrating. A doe can produce five to six five being more common litters a year. The common breeds of rabbits useful in meat production in missouri are new zealand, flemish giant, belgian hare, and chinchilla. Guide to raising rabbits for meat rural living today. Whether you are raising rabbits for meat or as pets, the diet they are offered will need to consist of few basic items. For years, some physicians have recommended rabbit meat to patients with coronary conditions. As with all animals, the growth and physical development of the individual doe should be the final deciding factor when to breed. People worldwide raise rabbits for a variety of purposes including.
After you are familiar with the general aspects of rabbit raising, you can move to a more challenging breed. Whether you raise rabbits for meat and fur, wool, or laboratory uses, select the. Raising rabbits for meat is the howto guide to help you succeed in starting and running a home rabbitry for a steady source of meat or income. Feeding rabbits naturally reduce pellet feed a farm. Many breeding failures result from the does being overfat. To download, rightclick either pdf or word under each icon. Rabbits grow rapidly because they are efficient at converting food into meat. This rabbit breed was originally developed in 1916 by w. For young people, raising rabbits, ideally as a 4h or ffa club project, offers a wonderful learning experience in the life sciences. A roaster is butchered at a higher weight before 6 months. Feeding rates depend on rabbit weight and maturity. When it is time to breed your rabbits it is best to do so on solid ground. Jul 29, 2016 ideally, if your highest priority is producing a good amount of meat in a small amount of time, you should cross breed two different purebred breeding animals.
Then click save link as if you are using firefox, or save target as if you are using ie. The price a breeder asks for stock does not reflect the quality of the rabbits. A high quality hay, healthy vegetables, and clean water. Raising meat rabbits is one of the most space efficient means of growing livestock for meat. Based on the the ideal type for meat producing breeds, commercial. In six days it doubles its weight, and after 30 days its weight will have increased eightfold or more.
Except for the chicken, there is no other domestic animal that can produce as much edible meat as the rabbit. Rabbits are kept in abysmal conditions, with anywhere from 10% to 30% dying before they can be killed for their fur. By the end of the second month, the breed known as californian or new zealand white will, if well looked after, weigh over. Keep the following principles in mind when you want to breed your rabbits. 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 spielautomaten games kostenlos survival planning. It is important to know that when raising rabbits for meat that the older the rabbit gets, the tougher the meat becomes. When setting up a breeding system for your rabbitry, your first consideration should be your purpose for raising rabbits. You cannot sell a pedigree rabbit that has mixed blood in its background going back 4 generations. The history of the domestic rabbit information on breeding, housing, and harvesting tools to help you succeed with your program an emphasis on heritage breeds. This publication is part of the living on the land series. You have to decide on the size of your rabbit farming business project i. 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. One doe, in one hutch can produce 70 to 95 pounds 32 to 43 kg of dressed edible meat each year.
Commercial rabbit production poultry science mississippi state. The perfect butchering age is around 8 weeks of age. Meat rabbits are an excellent animal to teach you about a life of animal husbandry. While ethical is an admittedly fuzzy standard when it comes to commercial meat production, few would argue. May 05, 2018 raising rabbits for meat requires just a few basic supplies and routine care. If youre a committed vegetarian averse even to ethically raised meat, theres no reason to keep rabbits other than for companionship. Raising rabbits can be a satisfying experience as well as contributing to the family income and diet. Use the button below to download this publication as a pdf. The guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat mother. If youre not willing to embrace a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, the next best change you can make is resolving to eat only ethically raised meat. Most rabbits are butchered by 10 weeks, which falls in the fryer class.
Meat pen 3 rabbits that are of the same breed, age and size and are shown. Raising rabbits for meat is a lucrative business, providing income for millions of people, but there are some essential things you need to do before you venture into the rabbit farming business. There are some food licensing exemptions in oregon, but these depend on the intended purchasers and consumers. Free rabbitry record sheets to download and print rabbit. Most inline breeding is done to amplify the desirable traits of the 2 rabbits chosen to breed. Dob is date of birth, and dtb is date to breed when your rabbit is a senior and old enough to breed. Meat rabbits what you need to know about raising rabbits. This is one of the most important ways in which rabbit keepers can increase production.
For example, when we first got into meat rabbits 9 years ago we started with two purebred palomino does, and one purebred champagne d argent buck. For years five litters per doe per year was the goal of most rabbit breeders. Jul 02, 2019 rabbit meat is considered healthy as it has low fat content. They produce large litters of 8 to 12 kits, with a fast growth rate to fryer size in 2 to 3. Rabbits also have a high feed conversion rate, meaning they require less feed per pound of meat produced. The goal for raising rabbits as livestock, or pets, is the ability to provide these animals with as much natural food as possible. The guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat. Raising rabbits for profit all you need to know about. How to butcher a rabbit humanely in 6 quick and easy steps. People living in urban areas or on small acreages often consider raising rabbits because space requirements are minimal. Butchering ages depend on the market you are trying to reach. Raising rabbits for meat osu extension catalog oregon state. Raising rabbits can be a cost effective way to raise livestock. Careful selection of rabbits for breeding can lead to improvements in the herd.
Always keep in mind, however, that inbreeding can also magnify undesirable traits, so choose carefully. Rabbit production manual government of nova scotia. One can usually find breeding stock for sale in his own neighborhood and save the ex. Show records i used this one on a rabbitrywide basis. Not only do they require little attention, but they also provide a. On average, rabbits reach slaughter weights of about 3 kg liveweight or 1. Sep 20, 2017 how to start rabbit farming business raise rabbits for meat and the rabbit farming business plan pdf, word and excel financial statements more information find this pin and more on rabbits by two bar d ranch. Smaller breeds of rabbits can start breeding at 34 months of age. This breed features a wellrounded body, small bone structure, and pink eyes. Breeding meat rabbits 101 the imperfectly happy home. Rabbits are fast growing efficient food converters e.
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