Raising meat rabbits is one of the most space efficient means of growing livestock for meat. New zealand rabbits are a quintessential meat type rabbit. Rabbit owners expect and deserve the same standard of veterinary care for their rabbits as they receive for their cats and dogs. You will need money for constructing the rabbit hutches, buying the breeding stock, buying the feeds e.
Rabbits are a quickbreeding source of lowfat, highprotein meat and have long been enjoyed as a food by many people across the world. According to the 2017 census of agriculture nass, more than 4,000 farms sold almost 500,000 rabbits nationally. 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 breeders association. If there are no ongoing health issues, a rabbit should visit the veterinarian each year for an annual exam, just. Rabbit raisers will keep their rabbitries hopping and happy with the advice found in rabbits, a hobby farm book. Youth programs raise and use rabbits in projects and curricula. May 05, 2018 rabbit meat has very little fat so takes a delicate touch not to overcook the delectable meat. 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.
The best material for cages is doublegalvanized 14gauge welded wire. Rabbits produce another product besides meat rabbit droppings. Handling live animals, watching them grow, and learning how to care for them has value far beyond that of competition. Rabbits are raised for meat, angora wool, breeding stock, and sometimes, for laboratory use.
The book begins with an overview of rabbit husbandry. Over the last five to six years state legislation has been changed to allow commercial rabbit farming. Publication of the handbook, delayed for many months, coincided with the sixth world rabbit congress held in toulouse from 8 to 12 july 1996. So now, you can order rabbit meat, rabbit fryers or even rabbit burgers today, and then a few days later you can serve your family a tasty rabbit meat treat so much better than the meats available at the supermarket. Bass equipment company has been an industry leader in the design and manufacture of small animal equipment since 1961. You can give your girl a large wooden nest or one made of metal. For meat rabbits, each cage should be about 3 feet square and 2 feet high to give the animals plenty of room to move around.
Free rabbitry record sheets to download and print rabbit. According to rabbit production cheeke, patton, lukefahr and mcnitt, 1987, pg 190, a weanling rabbit gains a. This meeting reported on the latest and best rabbit technologies, as well as those which. Many producers are selling breeding stock as well as rabbits for slaughter. I had a lot more fun making record sheets than i had filling them out. With few exceptions, rabbit farming on a small scale, or even notsosmall, is possible no matter where you live. Choose the best breeds for smallspace farming, produce your own grassfed meat, gather fresh.
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. This is partly due to the lack of available resources in the field of rabbit husbandry. One community feels that modeling ethical and humane animal stewardship is essential and for the highest good of all in todays world of diverse needs. A rabbits pregnancy is about 31 days, some shorter, some a bit longer. A beginners guide to raising rabbits mother earth news. Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, eggs, or other products. But there are many other excellent meat rabbit breeds to choose from, including new zealand whites, silver fox rabbits and californians. The page was originally founded based on a husbandry book called beyond the pellet by boyd craven, former member ashley pierce says. Nutritional requirements and clinical examinations are covered, as well as a bodysystem approach to describing diseases, their diagnosis and treatment. A complete handbook on backy ard and commercial rabbit. Give your girl a nest and lots of bedding on day 28.
At its easiest, the rabbits can be placed in cages directly onto grass. Langer has come up with a 365page book that really introduces a to smallscale farming. 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. Cuniculture is also employed by rabbit fanciers and hobbyists in the development and betterment of rabbit breeds and the exhibition of those efforts. Combine sherry, soy sauce, salt, sugar, and cayenne and add to the meat. Cuniculture is the agricultural practice of breeding and raising domestic rabbits as livestock for their meat, fur, or wool. How to start a profitable rabbit farming business pdf. If you have rabbit and like to bring and have evaluated please contact me before hand.
Raising rabbits on pasture can be as easy or as complicated as you would like to make it. Rabbits sold in the united states for food are commonly crosses. Having tasted the succulent meat, its not because it doesnt taste good. This page is our rabbit husbandry hub page links to the nitty gritty of providing the best handson care for livestock rabbits, whether a hobby rabbitry, a homestead herd, or a commercial enterprise. Table 11 lists common rabbit breeds and their predominant color, weight, and uses. See more ideas about raising rabbits, meat rabbits and rabbit hutches. Excess protein is sometimes cited as the cause of this condition, but when meat and fat are consumed in the correct ratio, such as that. The perfect butchering age is around 8 weeks of age. For the first time since the havemore plan was published way back in the 1940s, a fellow named richard w. Raising pastured rabbits for meat is the first book to address the growing trend of ecological rabbit husbandry for the beginning to marketscale farmer. A 10pound meat rabbit doe can produce up to 320 pounds of meat during a single year. Core topics are covered, including rabbit genetics, reproduction, health and diseases, behavior, welfare, fur and meat production, rabbit production. Meat rabbits have been bred over years with meat production in mind. The amount of capital required when raising rabbits for meat depends on the scale of the project.
Good housing and husbandry for rabbit housing should take account of the following principles. Types of rabbit production fanciers pets, breeding stock, and show animals laboratory furhair angora rex meat largest rabbit market. Until the increase in beef consumption in the 1960s, rabbit was popular in the united states. The guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat.
A complete handbook on backy ard and commercial rabbit production. The nsw rabbit industry is still in the development stage, with an increasing number of smallscale producers. Today they are raised for meat, research, pets, show, and pelts. Two does and one buck should produce 180 pounds of meat per year. The amount of cholesterol, fat and sodium is also less than other meat. This project is organized to provide experience for young people in the selection, feeding, husbandry, and exhibiting of rabbits. Raising pastured rabbits for meat ebook nichki carangelo. It is important to know that when raising rabbits for meat that the older the rabbit gets, the tougher the meat becomes. Raising rabbits for meat sustainable farming mother. Textbooks and reference materials for the practitioner.
Before we can even think about breeding our rabbits we must have a good foundation stock. A finegrained white meat, it can be substituted for chicken in many recipes. As a teen, i made up all kinds of record sheets for my bunnies. 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. Devoted entirely to the pet rabbit, this book is a practical and concise guide to health, husbandry and diseases. Housing in pens on the floor should always be considered before. A backyard meat rabbit operation can be a great idea for someone interested in producing their own healthful, drugfree meat. Rabbit meat contains high ratio of protein, energy, calcium and vitamin than any other types of animal meat. The purpose of this work is to bring together as fully and objectively as possible all the available data on rabbit husbandry, health and production. Nov, 2018 raising rabbits for meat ebook written by eric rapp, callene rapp. Smallscale rabbit farming for meat by mark hajdukiewicz on th february, 2014, filed in livestock, other livestock here at pocket farm we believe that rabbits are one of the most versatile yet underused livestock resources by the smallholders of this country.
The following topics are discussed in this publication. As a backyard animal rabbit is quiet, odorless and. 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. So now, you can order rabbit meat, rabbit fryers or even rabbit burgers today, and then a few days later you can serve your family a tasty rabbit meat treat so much better than the meats available at. Nov 26, 2019 the backyard meat rabbits group had roughly 30,000 members from around the world and featured content on animal husbandry related to keeping, breeding, and butchering rabbits for personal consumption and retail sales. It will help you decide if raising meat rabbits is right for you, and how to manage every aspect of husbandry involved, including feeding, breeding, health, processing, and selling. I learned, the hard way, that breeders dont generally sell a doe that is producing well. Feb 18, 2020 explore minimouse52s board animal husbandry. Their meat is very testy, nutritious and easily digestible for all aged people.
The essential features of meat rabbit production are discussed briefly in. I do like the line the bottom with newspaper but she might pull it out. But only give lettuces and cabbages to adult rabbits alone. The guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat mother. Ive been breeding meat rabbits for 37 years and plan to continue for as long as my body will allow it just a comment raising rabbits is anything but inexpensive. It is very important to record breeding info immediately. The cultural acceptance of eating cottontail rabbit meat has set a favorable stage for the growing popularity of raising domestic meat rabbits as a smallscale, backyard enterprise. Raising rabbits for meat requires just a few basic supplies and routine care. Add the rabbit meat and stir until it loses its pinkness, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Commercial rabbit production rabbits have been produced for 3,000 years. While ethical is an admittedly fuzzy standard when it comes to commercial meat production, few would argue that lovingly handraised rabbits arent ethical to. For rabbit meat we have joined forces with the largest rabbit meat supplier in the usa. Like other lean meat, poultry, and fish, rabbit meat is a good source of high quality protein. It includes daytoday care, selective breeding and the raising of livestock. A complete handbook on backyard and commercial rabbit production 11 overview whether you raise rabbits for meat and fur, wool, or laboratory uses, select the breeds best adapted to the purpose. Upon adopting a rabbit, owners should bring their new pet to their veterinarian for an initial exam and information on proper husbandry, advises dr. Meat rabbits are an excellent animal to teach you about a life of animal husbandry. Fresh or frozen, rabbit meat is sold all year round.
Rabbit breeder and exhibitor chris mclaughlin offers years of experience and guidance on the many aspects of raising rabbits on a hobby farm, a livestock choice she considers perfect due to the limited space rabbits need to thrive. A beginners guide to raising rabbits, including a rabbit barn, pens, feeders and waterers, breeding stock, care and feeding, breeding, butchering, and meat sales. Current areas of interest such as animal welfare and coat color genetics are expanded in the new edition. Core topics are covered, including rabbit genetics, reproduction, health and diseases, behavior, welfare, fur and meat production, rabbit production in developing countries, slaughter and the marketing of rabbit products. 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. Inspired by daniel salatin, who has long been considered the pioneer in integrated rabbit farming, nichki carangelo proves that a viable pasturebased rabbitry is not only possible and user.
This new edition of rabbit production has been fully updated throughout. Rabbits also produce lean, healthy meat thats low in fat, and is a culinary delicacy in many countries around the globe. Rabbit farming business is a very profitable business, and many people are making money all over the world by raising rabbits for meat. The backyard homestead guide to raising farm animals. Jan 23, 2018 rabbit meat is popular among homesteaders because rabbits are easy to raise, and they breed easily and birth in less time than other traditional homestead livestock like sheep, goats, pigs, and cows. Rabbits alternative farming systems information center. Bass equipment company, cages for sale, rabbit supplies. Mainly concerning rabbits bred for meat and fur, it also contains practical information on pet rabbits, show rabbits and rabbits used as laboratory animals. Their bodies are described as being commercial in type, that is, muscular or wellmuscled full of meat. If there are no ongoing health issues, a rabbit should visit the veterinarian each year for an annual exam, just as is typically done for a cat or dog. If youre just starting out, id recommend starting with a trio 2 does and 1 buck.
Rabbits reared with techniques adapted to specific environments can do much to improve the family diet of many of the neediest rural families, at the same time supplying a regular source of income. Developed in the 1920s in america, the california meat rabbit breed is recognised by its white body with black points legs, nose and ears. Rabbit meat boasts an incredibly high protein county, giving you a lot of bang for your buck when it comes to putting dinner on the table. Rabbit farming in south africa involves the breeding of rabbits for the meat industry as well as for the use of fur and wool. Rabbit manure is considered a cold manure, and can be placed directly onto a growing garden. Keeping good records is essential to raising quality rabbits. Meat rabbits what you need to know about raising rabbits. You can get a loan from the bank, or funding from investors, to use as capital to start your rabbit farming business. Facebook deletes meat rabbit group because a pet rabbit group. Thats because its not one of the big four beef, chicken, pork, turkey that we casually find in almost every supermarket.
Raising rabbits for meat by eric rapp, callene rapp books. Smallscale rabbit farming for meat pocket farm magazine. Rabbit meat is popular among homesteaders because rabbits are easy to raise, and they breed easily and birth in less time than other traditional homestead livestock like sheep, goats, pigs, and cows. Commercial rabbit farming is now undertaken in all states except queensland which has a total ban on keeping rabbits.
Oct 15, 2014 often overlooked, rabbit is an environmentallyfriendly, easytoproduce, yummytoeat local meat. 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. Here we provide general information on the housing and husbandry requirements of laboratory rabbits. Bone the rabbit and slice the meat into thin strips. Jul 17, 2011 storeys guide to raising rabbits, 4th edition is one of the books i read the most, but if you dont want to purchase a book the usda has a page devoted to rabbit husbandry with many links to. Let the manure break down in place to replenish the pasture. More detailed guidance can be found in the related resources and references provided. Scientists practice cuniculture in the use and management of rabbits as medical models in research. This is done at large commercial concerns on as well as on subsistence farming. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read raising rabbits for meat. The commercial farming of domesticated rabbits, however, has occurred only recently. Backyard rabbit farming can be a great idea for having healthy meat and an additional source of income for the family without much involvement.
We anticipate many cultures and communities globally and for the predictable future will either need or choose to use animals as food andor raise them for their. How to start a profitable rabbit farming business pdf guide. Raising pastured rabbits for meat chelsea green publishing. A primer on backyard meat rabbit raising practices rudolphs. This means you will need a larger breed so it will be a decent size by the 8week mark. Heres everything you need to make a binder to keep track of breeding, litters, weights, sales, expenses, etc.
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