Rabbit farm as a business

Dietary and tender rabbit meat is in constant demand among Russians. This is due to the fact that neither chicken, nor pork, nor beef, nor lamb can compete with him.

Firstly, rabbit meat contains a whole range of essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins. It has little sodium salt and cholesterol, but a lot of lecithin necessary for humans.

Secondly, rabbit meat is absorbed by the body by ninety-six percent. Unlike beef, pork and lamb, which, on the contrary, are quite heavy foods and are only 60% digestible.

Thirdly, rabbit meat significantly regulates the metabolism of human fats and proteins, and also has a beneficial effect on the work of the alimentary tract and intestines.

Fourth, this product is ideal for allergy sufferers. According to its composition, it contains a minimum amount of aggressive substances. Therefore, it is recommended to add it to the food of children up to a year.

Fifth, rabbit meat is very tasty and tender. It is easy and quick to prepare.

Sixth, meat contains very little fat, which is not very beneficial for the body. For people with obesity and diabetes, this product is an ideal nutrition.

In this regard, the demand for rabbit meat is constantly growing. Therefore, many Russian entrepreneurs in recent years have paid attention to the prospects for the development of this business.

A rabbit farm is a business that you can start from scratch, as it brings a stable and high income. The entrepreneur receives a constant income due to the fertility of animals and the high cost of meat.

But for the success of the enterprise, a skillful approach is required in the organization of production and breeding of rabbits. Let's dwell on this in more detail.

How popular is the business today?

In recent years, rabbit farms have begun to open more and more often in the cities of Russia and the CIS countries. Let's look at a few examples.

Rabbit farms in Belarus. This business has been widespread in the country for a long time. Rabbits of Belarus are mostly hybrid species from wild hares. Several basic breeds have become widespread, but only one has unequivocal recognition. This is the famous gray giant.

Rabbit farms in Tatarstan are leaders in the production of this meat in Russia. The main emphasis in cultivation is on the Californian breed. Rabbit meat, fur and breeding stock from Tatarstan is supplied to both foreign and domestic markets. Currently, it is planned to increase production volumes using new production facilities.

Rabbit farms in the Moscow region have been growing like mushrooms after rain in recent years. Entrepreneurs are attracted by the quick return on investment, low costs and minimal effort when breeding animals. Despite the current competition, the cost of meat in Moscow and the Moscow region remains quite high.

The same applies to other regions of Russia. On the Internet you can find a large number of ads offering rabbit meat. But, as a rule, such offers come from small farms with small livestock.

However, it is necessary to state the following fact: in our country, farmers have just begun to master this business. The market is practically not yet occupied, there is a shortage of rabbit meat with a growing demand for this dietary product. Most of the rabbit meat sold is of imported origin.

Therefore, it is worth trying to get into this business. Especially when you consider that the advantages in this matter are much greater than the disadvantages. Let's single them out.

Rabbit farm as a business: the main advantages

Every type of business activity has its advantages. The rabbit farm is no exception.

The advantages of this business include the following:

• The presence of small costs at the initial stage - prepare the territory, purchase or make cages and take care of the nutrition of the animals.
• Consistently high fecundity of animals, due to which it is not necessary to constantly acquire young animals. Females are able to give six to eight births of six to ten rabbits per year. You don't have to do complex mathematical calculations to calculate the main growth and, of course, profit.
• A minimum package of documents is required at the initial stage of organizing your own business. The main thing is to get permission from local authorities and not to have a farm close to residential buildings.
• The presence of low costs for the maintenance of rabbits and a high market price for meat.
• Additional income from the sale of finished fur and skins is possible.

But the most important thing is that there is demand, unlimited sales opportunities and relatively little competition at the present time.

Naturally, at the initial stage, it is necessary to correctly draw up a business plan for a rabbit farm in order to “not burn out”, or use ready-made and proven options. There are many such calculations.

Main cons

The only drawback that can significantly affect the profitability of a business is the high mortality threshold for young and adult animals. Rabbit farms in Russia and around the world are often ruined due to the spread of infectious diseases and improper keeping of animals. In some cases, the entire young or even the entire livestock may die.

Currently, the most optimal are individual entrepreneurship and peasant farms. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.

KFH or peasant farming implies the entry of other citizens into its composition. All participants in the business have the right to own the property of the company jointly, carrying out any activity in it. To open a KFH, you do not need statutory documents, a name and a memorandum of association. It is enough to issue it to yourself and as a result become the head of the farm. It is not recommended to accept new participants in a developed business. Since in the presence of a large income, conflicts between equity holders are possible. In such a situation, the company is usually liquidated. Especially when you consider that, according to the law of the Russian Federation, a farmer can single-handedly manage his farm, consisting of one shareholder.

The IP form, according to farmers' reviews, is the most convenient form of doing this business. In this case, all the nuances are more transparent and clear. Moreover, it is easier and faster for an individual entrepreneur to receive good benefits from the state.

Minimum sanitary requirements for keeping animals

According to current regulations, a rabbit farm must be located at a distance of at least 300 meters from any residential buildings. This item is regulated by local governments and the sanitary and epidemiological station. Therefore, before building a building, you must obtain permission from them.

The farm complex should be located on a flat area. Its surface must be asphalted, concreted or covered with gravel. In addition, even if a rabbit mini-farm is being built, it is recommended to make a drainage system or storm sewer. This will be of great help in further cleaning the cells.

The entrepreneur needs to think about how to take out the waste products of rabbits in a timely manner. Since heaps of manure and the accumulation of flies will be another reason for people living nearby to contact the sanitary and epidemiological station.

• method of breeding animals;
• how to choose good specimens;
• proper and complete nutrition.

Let's consider these points in more detail.

Basic animal breeding technologies

Consider the basic options.

The cheapest way is hole. It can be used at the initial stage to determine the profitability of the enterprise and find out if you want to do it at all.

To do this, you just need to dig a few holes in the ground and run the animals there.

They will live in them independently, eat, dig holes and breed. The farmer, on the other hand, must supply them with green and grain fodder in time, remove manure. Such a do-it-yourself rabbit farm will not be able to bring in a lot of capital, but it is suitable for the initial stage. Naturally, only meat breeds will be grown, since one can not even dream of any good fur in such conditions. Therefore, it is recommended to choose the appropriate breeds of animals.

A rabbit farm cage project will require certain costs. They will be connected with the fact that it is necessary to purchase either the containers themselves or building materials for them. Cages are traditionally made of wood and metal mesh. The farmer can plan the room, seating adult males, females and young animals where he needs. A do-it-yourself cage rabbit farm is the most popular way to non-commercially raise animals in your own backyard. With the right approach, meat can even be enough for sale.

Shed method of breeding animals. Such a rabbit farm is a whole system, which consists of several tiers of cellular batteries. A standard shed is usually three meters wide, and the length is selected taking into account the number of animals, usable area and, of course, the wishes of the farmer. Cells are traditionally placed on both sides. Such construction of rabbit farms is as compact as possible. Usually they bring a good income, due to the optimal use of usable space.

Professor I.Mikhailov's system. This production of a rabbit farm is currently the most efficient method of breeding animals on an industrial scale. The fact is that it takes into account several factors. It uses special equipment for a rabbit farm, which allows you to water, feed and clean animals using a semi-automatic mode. It also has natural exhaust ventilation. Mikhailov's rabbit farm allows you to create very favorable conditions for the rapid cultivation of animals. As a result, in four months a full-fledged individual reaches a weight of five kilograms. With the cellular method, this requires a minimum of seven months.

Therefore, if there is a desire to seriously engage in this business and grow a large livestock, then it is recommended to choose the latter method of placing animals.

How to choose the right rabbits? Basic Rules

If the room is prepared, then the next problem is the optimal choice of rabbits. This procedure only at first glance seems simple. Let's dwell on a few nuances.

The first rule is the choice of breed. Mostly farmers raise these animals for meat. Therefore, it is recommended to give preference to the Belgian, gray or white giant; German ram; chinchilla. These breeds usually weigh about four kilograms at 4 months. This is a great indicator of their growth.

The second rule is that it is necessary to purchase animals only from those farmers who are engaged in breeding. Naturally, you can buy rabbits at a lower cost on the market or on an ad. But in the second scenario, no one will give a guarantee of quality.

The third rule - you must personally make sure that the purchased specimens are grown according to all the rules, and not "fed" with high-calorie chemistry. Unfortunately, with the increase in demand for young animals, unscrupulous suppliers also appeared.

The fourth rule - to achieve the optimal result, the following proportion must be observed. There should be one male for ten females. In this case, offspring can be expected quickly enough. But, if the farm is small, then you still need to purchase two males.

The fifth rule - when acquiring young animals, it is recommended to get all the recommendations for growing from the breeder. If the supplier is not able to provide the necessary information, then it would be better to choose another one.

Sixth rule. When purchasing rabbits, you need to pay attention to the condition of the inside of the ears. If there are peculiar scabs and wounds in this area, it can be concluded that the rabbits are infected with a dangerous disease - ear mites. Usually such females do not feed their cubs. Naturally, you do not need to purchase such copies. They can infect others.

Seventh rule. In no case should you buy a male and a female of the same litter for breeding. Nothing good will come of this crossover.

Eighth rule. The main indicators of the disease of the animal are the following: the presence of disheveled hair, a wet muzzle and cloudy eyes, as well as low activity. A healthy specimen always has a smooth coat, without bald spots, clean shiny eyes. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully examine each rabbit. A sick animal can infect others. As a result, the farmer will suffer very serious losses.

Ninth rule. It is not recommended to purchase very large and fat individuals. Especially if they are females. Because obese animals reproduce very poorly. It is also not recommended to buy an adult breeding male or a pregnant female. No one will sell good copies if everything is in order. In the first case, the male is either old or has proven himself to be of poor breeding qualities; in the second case, the female is most likely sick.

Animal nutrition in winter and summer

A rabbit farm as a business will develop if the animals are fully and nutritiously fed. In this case, the young growth develops well, has excellent immunity, grows rapidly and reproduces well.

The standard diet of a rabbit is the following types of food:

• green (legumes or cereals, any dried herbs);
• juicy (root crops, vegetables);
• ensiled;
• coarse (branches, hay, grass flour);
• concentrated (bran, mixed fodder, grains of legumes and cereals).

Be sure to include 50-100 grams of compound feed and a kilogram of hay in the daily diet of an average rabbit. The rest is added additionally, taking into account the time of year. In summer and spring they give rough green fodder, and in winter and autumn - ensiled and juicy.

Naturally, the weight indicated is approximate. The main indicator of whether the rabbits have enough food is the following: if everything poured is quickly eaten, then more must be added. Pregnant and lactating females, as well as growing young, need enhanced feeding. Compound feeds should be given with caution as they cause stomach upset in rabbits.

The most common diseases

As noted above, the most common problem, due to which a farmer can suffer big losses, is the high mortality of young animals.

The first reason for this phenomenon is infection. If the necessary measures are not taken, the disease spreads very quickly throughout the tribe. The most dangerous infections:

• VGBK.
• eimeriosis;
• myxomatosis.

Treating these ailments is almost useless. Therefore, the most effective way is timely vaccination of animals. Naturally, this procedure is costly. But the mass infection of animals to the farmer will cost more.

The second reason is various disorders of the digestive system. As soon as a rabbit eats something spoiled, grass with dew, and so on, serious problems begin. Therefore, when growing these animals, it is recommended to pay special attention to nutrition.

The third reason is colds. Rabbits are very susceptible to drafts and cold. With hypothermia, the development of inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system is possible. Therefore, it is recommended to warm the cells, especially in winter. Keep them out of drafts.

Rabbit farms. Sale of finished products

There are usually no problems with the sale of meat. Since the demand in this situation is greater than the supply.

With a small volume, meat can be sold on the market and through acquaintances. Or simply hand it over for sale, having received permits from the sanitary and epidemiological station.

If the production volumes are large, then the situation will be somewhat different. The owner is advised to prepare a package of documents in advance. It includes a GOST-R declaration, a phytosanitary certificate and a farm certificate. In this case, you can easily offer your products to shops, supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, boarding houses, hotels, sanatoriums, school canteens. The best way out is to conclude a long-term contract with some wholesale buyer. In this case, there will be no problems with the implementation of rabbit meat.

An additional source of income is the sale of skins. Thanks to this, it will be possible to cover part of the costs included in the rabbit farm business plan. Therefore, the main thing is to correctly and carefully calculate everything in advance.

In general, it can be noted that rabbit breeding is a simple type of business even for a novice farmer. The main thing is to pay considerable attention to the execution of a package of documents, animal nutrition, their proper maintenance and to find permanent points for the sale of products. As practice shows, the invested expenses can be returned the next year along with the profit.