Feb 02, 2015 this video is an overview of how and why we raise rabbits. Some people colony raise their rabbits with great success. Generally, three rabbits are required to constitute a meat pen. Rabbits, rabbits, rabbits iowa state university extension. Colony vs cage rabbits is a debate that is picking up steam. Rabbits are extremely hot natured so it is important to place their shelter in a shaded area. These pellets are filled with protein and will help add the necessary weight to your rabbits in a short amount of time. Smallscale sustainable rabbit production snohomish. Methods for raising meat rabbits the green acre homestead. You can grow your own green material for rabbit food. This video is an overview of how and why we raise rabbits. I couldnt find any threads on rabbits, so im asking for any information i can get on raising rabbits for food, and to sell for a profit. Raise rabbits as a great introduction to homesteading, or, for the more established, a simple way to make a little extra money.
These humane methods result in a painless lightsout for the rabbit. Rabbits are fun to raise except when you have to go out and take care of them at 10 below zero. A primer on backyard meat rabbit raising practices. Raising rabbits for meat at home a beginners guide the. Wellorganized and detailed, raising rabbits for meat is an excellent resource for anyone considering meat rabbits as a family food source or farm enterprise. After we process the first litter if i want to keep raising rabbits for food, i definitely want to expand the colony quite a bit. Raising meat rabbits economically isnt just about using. Ive been thinking about what im gonna do when or if i can no longer buy dog food. Switch to nonpelleted, nongmo alfalfa, yard clippings and green forages. 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. With this in mind, literally, anyone can raise rabbits for meat. Rabbit hemorrhagic disease, center for food security and public health, iowa state university, 2016. The standard way for a rabbitry to be set up is to have row after row of 36.
A beginners guide to raising rabbits, including a rabbit barn, pens, feeders and waterers, breeding stock, care and feeding, breeding, butchering, and meat sales. Raising rabbits overview rabbits for food production. Raising rabbits for meat at home a beginners guide. He has authored six books on the subject of rabbits since 1975 and has had numerous articles published in magazines and newspapers. Rabbits are easy to raise and butcher in your backyard, theyre light on the environmentproducing six pounds of rabbit meat requires the same amount of food and water as it takes to produce. Most of the time, rabbit raising involves similar animal husbandry practices independent of the purposes those rabbits serve, whether meat, fur, fiber wool, or pet. Clean and quiet, rabbits are an excellent choice for lots of protein for only a small amount of effort and money.
Raising meat rabbits rabbits are a great choice of livestock for small and urban farms. Available resources to help the rabbit breeder include storeys guide to raising rabbits, 4 ed. The majority of information found in that handbook was an adaptation and revision of commercial rabbit raising agriculture handbook no. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read raising rabbits for meat. Rabbit production, pennsylvania state university agricultural research and cooperative extension provides information to evaluate initial resources needed. I am looking into raising meat rabbits almost exclusively for dog food along with chicken, and maybe quail. Raising rabbits for meat by eric rapp, callene rapp books. This article will outline how to start a commercial rabbit farming business, and the rabbit farming business plan pdf, word and excel. Clean and quiet, rabbits are an easy choice for rural and urban homesteaders. Review of storeys guide to raising rabbits in the rabbit hole.
Need to save money or avoid risky gmo rabbit pellets. How to raise rabbits for meat raise, feed, house, butcher. I started thinking about raising meat rabbits for them. The guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat. After all, two rabbits will be 200 in a short amount of time. If you try to feed them flour, they may just glare at you then kick the flour around and make a mess. Therefore the new zealand white is a good dualpurpose rabbit. Everything you need to know, from best meat rabbits to best food for rabbits and other facts about rabbits table of contents. I could go on forever about the benefits of raising rabbits for meat, but for quick easy convenience i will only list ten reasons why everyone should be raising 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 survival planning. Storey publishing 2009 and the american rabbit breeders association. Discuss daily care, sanitation, management and feed. Doing the best you can for your rabbits and your family. Raising rabbits for meat new society publishers ca. Raising rabbits for meat learn how to get started raising. If you want to raise organic rabbit meat, the food you need to feed them should be all natural like vegetables and fruits. Wire rabbit cages and equipment animals grit magazine wire bending for rabbit cagewire bending. 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. In 4h and ffa, youth members have rabbits for their project animals or sell them at a county fair livestock auction figure 1, page 2. A more humane rule of thumb would be 5 times the size of the rabbit.
They are quiet, dont require large tracts of land, and can consistently produce high quality food for the table. The same characteristics that make rabbits good backyard pets also make them good to raise for meat. There are so many rabbit information out there to plan and get an idea on how to raise it, but i have this simple idea for the best result and easy to follow step. They dont take up much space, are very quiet, and when managed correctly. The rabbit care section serves all who have rabbits.
People have raised rabbits for hundreds of years without the availability of a complete pelleted rabbit. The good thing about raising rabbits is they fatten up on weed or grass so theres no need to spend on expensive pellets. Aug 09, 2019 the guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat raising rabbits is one of the simplest things you can do on your homestead. Coccidiosis is caused by coccidian protozoa and is the most common disease in rabbits. Whether you raise rabbits for meat and fur, wool, or laboratory uses, select the breeds best adapted to. These pellets are filled with protein and will help add the necessary weight to. If you decide that raising rabbits is for you, keep this manual as a handy reference, and plan to. Bennett first became acquainted with rabbits at age 12 when he earned a boy scout merit badge for raising them. In raising meat rabbits, there are so many ways to do this according to your preference. They can easily be raised in a variety of locations and climates, and require less space and infrastructure than many other species of livestock. The rabbit husbandry, health and protection food and. There is a growing movement of people choosing to raise their rabbits in a colony or in group housing for rabbits.
My rabbits are 8 pound adults, so im looking at potentially 120 square feet as a minimum size for my current herd. Considering this is the exception rather than the rule, well assume that, generally speaking, they are fun to raise. Dec 16, 2016 when people ask me why i raise rabbits they expect me to say meat, pets or fur. So, now that you have a better understanding about raising rabbits for meat, you can go raise your own. Not only do you need to buy quality breeding rabbits but youll also need cages for each rabbit and extras. But they do differ from other livestock species in some pretty significant ways. You can make changes to the interactive pdf budget files for this.
Fresh, all natural rabbits food is ideal for your rabbits optimum health. The first step in rabbit farm is to see how much investment it will need. Sarah kicks off this series with an in depth look at how we breed our new zealand and californian cross meat rabbits. 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. Rabbit garden house rabbit bunny love meat rabbits food for rabbits veggies for rabbits what can rabbits eat caring for rabbits raising rabbits for meat imgur post imgur the different life stages of a rabbit, how long they live, how age influences behavior, and how to care for rabbits from youth to old age. Please do not just overload them with green vegetables and such. Whether you are keeping meat rabbits, show bunnies or ones for fibre, a colony might be your solution for raising happy rabbits. When raising rabbits for meat, you must consider the availability of. International developments bureau of food security. Raising rabbits for meat is the howto guide to help y. Nov, 2018 raising rabbits for meat ebook written by eric rapp, callene rapp. A beginners guide to raising rabbits mother earth news. Breeding rabbits might seem a little intimidating, if you are new to raising rabbits.
Raising rabbits for profit all you need to know about. A backyard meat rabbit operation can be a great idea for someone interested in producing their own healthful, drugfree meat. If your hometown doesnt allow you to complete the rabbitrearing lifecycle on your homestead, dont despair. The guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat mother. Show rabbits, pet rabbits, and livestock rabbits, breeders and pet owners alike. I was hoping to feed them raw, since ive heard feeding raw is what nature intended for them. A plan to raise rabbit for profit has to be flexible and it should cover all details. Commercial rabbit feed works as well, but will increase the cost of raising the rabbits by quite a lot. Raising and eating rabbits in the big city katie cannon heavy table karen cross, liz hare, peat willcutt, and their neighbors are living a revolution, but it would be near impossible to notice unless you sneak into their shared backyard on nicollet island.
Also, too much green food too fast can make them sick. The same characteristics that make rabbits good backyard pets also make them good to raise. As an occupation or hobbywhether for the young, the elderly,or any family member raising. In the summer, it is wise to place frozen water bottles in the hutches with the rabbits to help keep them cool. All the rabbits need is to be checked once a day to make sure they have food and water. The feeding of the rabbits is not expensive either and so you can easily raise them for food or just having them as pets, however remember that not all rabbit breeds are suitable for eating but only a few types of meat rabbit breeds. There are a few basic how tos to succeed in setting up a colony. So lets have a detailed view on the rabbit farming business plan. The young rabbits begin to eat significant quantity of solid food around 1618 days of age. Profitable rabbit farming business plan raising rabbits. 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. Raising rabbits is a centralized source for purchasing nearly everything needed for your rabbits. Raising rabbits on pasture, maine organic farmers and gardeners association, 2009.
One of the most popular rabbits for raising rabbits on a commercial scale is the new zealand white rabbit, which is not from new zealand, despite its name, but from america. Our tiny, backyard homestead grew last summer and with our garden finally experiencing success, we decided it was time to take on homestead livestock. Callene is also a regular contributor to grit magazine. Raising rabbits to survive is not hard to do, but there are some costs involved with basic setup. Important points to consider in while starting rabbit farming business. You may have been considering raising chickens, geese, ducks, goats, sheep or other small livestock for meat, but once you learn how easy it is to raise rabbits, youll never consider another animal for a primary meat source. When raising rabbits for meat there are many options for food.
Some individuals buy quality meat rabbits for 4h, ffa, or private use. Gidenne and others published feeding behaviour of rabbits find, read and cite all the. Types of rabbit production fanciers pets, breeding stock, and show animals laboratory furhair angora rex meat largest rabbit market. Rabbits are one of the most rewarding livestock species to raise.
Not being in a place to house a cow, or even a pig for meat, we turned to rabbits. See more this is an awesome site with great free range rabbit advice. Smaller rabbit breeds tend to fair better in hot climates, but if you are raising the rabbits for meat, then you really dont want a small rabbit breed. See more ideas about meat rabbits, raising rabbits and rabbit cages. In the opinion of the rabbit butcher at aurora rex rabbit ranch, there are at least three very humane methods of killing rabbits for dinner.
A complete handbook on backy ard and commercial rabbit. Members must provide for proper housing, feed and care of animals. 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. Raising meat rabbits is one of the most space efficient means of growing livestock for meat. You can obtain names of buyers from a rabbit magazine. Storeys guide to raising rabbits is authored by bob bennett.
It was just not the best option for us and thats okay. It has good white fur and a good percentage of flesh to bone. You can still raise rabbits for meat without using a thirdparty processor to humanely kill and process them. Here are several humane methods for butchering rabbits for food. It can manifest itself in many places in a rabbits body, but the intestines are one of the most common areas. A complete handbook on backyard and commercial rabbit production replaces an earlier publication of the same name that was produced by the peace corps in 1982. Not only do they require little attention, but they also provide a. I do love my rabbits and i love their meat, but rabbit pellets are invaluable. While raising rabbits is a laborintensive endeavor. Oct 26, 2019 while some feed scraps and treats to their rabbits, others focus on raising meat rabbits using only organic hay and pellets. See more ideas about raising rabbits, meat rabbits and raising rabbits for meat. Sometimes our hobbies will help us to success our goals and can help to our daily needs like this raising rabbit for meat. If you work on a small homestead rabbits might be a great livestock option. Colony vs cage rabbits meat rabbits, rabbit, raising.
The two big focuses remain the same, no matter who raises them. Youll just need help from an urban farm or community garden. Rabbit meat is the cheapest meat that can be raised, not. Chemical composition of different raw materials suitable for feeding rabbits 23. Californian and new zealand rabbits have fared better in heat than some other rabbit breeds, and they both make great meat breeds. Rabbit raising also teaches responsibility, budgeting costs and returns, care and concern for animals, and the acceptance of livestock as a source of food for human beings. Rabbits are very easy and extremely low maintenance. Raising and eating rabbits in the big city the heavy. Average breeding parameters of four breeds raised at the irapuato. A primer on backyard meat rabbit raising practices rudolphs. You may have been considering raising chickens, geese, ducks, goats, sheep or other small livestock for meat, but once you learn how easy it is to raise rabbits, youll never consider another animal for a.
Im using this book myself, and i thoroughly recommend that you look into it as well. In ordinary times many of the small rabbit raisers dont bother to save the skins, but they do have some value. The thought may have even occurred to you that you can make a lot of money raising rabbits. You can feed rabbits grain, but make sure it is whole grain and not a huge part of their diet. We only have one, very spoiled, jack russell, and would prefer to feed her with meat that we know is not full of crap, i am not interested in just buying the cheapest cut of meat does anyone do. Raising rabbits for profit backwoods home magazine. If youve been raising rabbits for a while as a hobby, the thought may have occurred to you that you could make a little money raising them. We only have one, very spoiled, jack russell, and would prefer to feed her with meat that we know is not full of crap, i am not interested in just buying the cheapest cut of meat. The blog raising rabbits for meat was created to help people educate themselves about the ease and importance of raising meat rabbits. As an occupation or hobbywhether for the young, the elderly,or any family memberraising. If youre consider starting your own rabbitry, a great source is a book called raising rabbits 101 that has nearly every piece of information you could ever want to know on the subject. A couple years ago, we wanted to know what would happen, and if it was even possible, to feed rabbits on yard scraps alone to find out, we placed a pregnant doe into a very large outside cage 36 inches by 48 inches and fed her on our yard scraps and grass clippings.
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