The building housing the rabbits must have proper ventilation.
There are many advantages to raising rabbits for meat, such as the relatively low overlay costs and the animal's high reproduction rates. Unlike many other types of farming, rabbit farming does not entail high land requirements. Starting a rabbit farm, however, takes careful planning. You must research many aspects of the operation before constructing the farm, such as the type of floor in the rabbit shed and the style of watering system you will use.
Instructions
1. Identify your market. Before starting a rabbit farm, it is important to know from where your profit will come. Will you be sending them to an agricultural market? Will you be seeking the bids of independent contractors? It is useful to construct a business plan before making the investment.
2. Check with the local authorities regarding permits and requirements for starting a rabbit farm. There may be specific ordinances regarding housing a significant amount of rabbits in a single space, depending on the area.
3. Select a building to house the rabbit farm, or construct one if necessary. Proper ventilation is required to reduce ammonia smells and reduce the spread of disease. Choose a flooring type. Some rabbit farm operators prefer a dirt floor because it absorbs urine better, while others have concrete floors because they can be swept easier.
4. Construct or purchase the rabbit cages. They are generally made out of wire mesh, placed in long rows. The recommended space inside the cages can vary according to each rabbit's needs. For example, a doe with a litter will need a larger cage than a breeding buck or young meat rabbit. It may be useful to have varying size cages.
5. Install a watering system. Although rabbits can be watered with individual bottles, most large operations use an automated system to save labor. This will be one of the most expensive overhead costs.
6. Set up the feeding system. "J" feeders are a common choice, in which the top is outside of the cage for you to dump pellets in, with the bottom extending into the cage for the rabbit to eat from. Each cage requires a feeder.
7. Lay sawdust under the cages to absorb the urine. Add breeding boxes to the cages to hold pregnant does.
8. Purchase breeding stock. Young does about 6 months old are preferable because they have a long reproductive life ahead of them. Obtain breeding bucks. They should be of a meat breed that gains weight efficiently, such as a Californian or Flemish Giant. Breed the does to begin increasing the farm stock.
Tags: rabbit farm, because they, starting rabbit, starting rabbit farm, watering system