There are chances of deformity even if you have pedigreed rabbits and have documented proof of their heritage. Hormel foods corporation has reached an agreement to acquire texasbased sadlers smokehouse. Obviously given a choice a more diverse gene pool is best. The breeding stock consists of male rabbits which are known as bucks, and female rabbits which are known as does. I harvested dutch for meat and would get 114 pound fryers. Californian rabbits are a mediumsized rabbit breed adults weigh 710 pounds or 3. It also could includes grandparents or sometimes greatgrandparents. If youre breeding for meat it wont hurt to breed them closely. 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. The following breeds are fantastic for meat and fur production because of their ease of care, great mothering skills, high meat tofur ratios and range of coat colors. Livestock industries crusader meat rabbit project which.
Decide on whether heritage or common rabbit breeds. To start raising rabbits for meat, you require breeding stock. Like other lean meat, poultry, and fish, rabbit meat is a good source of high quality protein. In ordinary times many of the small rabbit raisers dont bother to save the skins, but they do have some value. Rabbits also produce lean, healthy meat thats low in fat, and is a culinary delicacy in many countries around the globe.
What to expect when your rabbit is expecting kindle edition by chadwick, sarah. The 10 best meat rabbit breeds for your backyard farm or homestead. Are you considering raising rabbits for meat commercially. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Rabbits are notorious for their breeding habits, and with good reason a female rabbit doe can produce up to 66 baby rabbits kittens per year, which translates to 160kg of meat. When choosing breeding stock for the rabbit farming business, you should be very careful of the health history of the rabbits. Economics of meat rabbits welcome to the homesteading. The farming of domesticated meat rabbits is not a traditional agricultural activity in texas, compared to beef cattle, goat, poultry, and swine production.
There are abundant growth opportunities in supporting industries, such as breeding, animalhealth testing, feed, and vaccines. The new zealand rabbit, at left, is a popular meat breed that usually weighs from 9 to 12 pounds. So its important to carefully evaluate multiple revenue models and make a rational decision that takes into account your business objectives and personal preferences. Europeans tend to like their rabbits older, americans not so much. Australian cattle processor western meat packers group has decided to retain its status as a family business, despite acquisition and merger propositions. Rabbits were sampled from as many sources s possible see table below so thata they represented the average for each breed generally available to rabbit farmers. Line breeding is the act of breeding a father to a daughter, or a mother to son. 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. Shan777 what breed are you raising for 5lbs at 11 weeks and how big are the litters. 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. If one waits until 5 pounds that last pound of weight consumes a disproportionate amount of feed.
Raising rabbits for meat pdf sion to use the information in raising meat rabbits in. Before we begin its important to understand the difference between line breeding and inbreeding. Breeding meat rabbits 101 the imperfectly happy home. Before we can even think about breeding our rabbits we must have a good foundation stock. But, before you begin this journey, there are some important rabbitry issues that you need to consider first. Rabbit farming business is all about mass breeding of rabbits for the sole aim of selling the meat and of course making profits. The meat of the last is described as insipid and that. How to start a rabbit farm business starting a business. Rabbit from farm to table fresh or frozen, rabbit meat is sold all year round. You dont have to buy purebred or pedigreed stock to start breeding meat rabbits, you just need to know what to ask the breeder, what to avoid, and what makes a good meat rabbit. The past 12 months have been busy for tyson foods in terms of mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and investments in other companies tyson foods is the largest broiler company in the united states, and it recently announced plans for two acquisitions that would further solidify its leading position in the. A wide variety of classified ads buy, rent, sell and find anything meat rabbits listings.
The fda has jurisdiction over the shipment of rabbit meat in interstate commerce. Neutral and biased efficiency gains a22 substitution of factors induced by relative price changes 3. Backyard rabbit farming can be a great idea for having healthy meat and an additional source of income for the family without much involvement. Sadlers smokehouse is a familyowned business that specializes in premium and authentic pitsmoked meats for retail and foodservice customers. The guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat. Based on the analysis it was concluded that meat rabbit production is feasible in the kumasi metropolis of ghana. But you do what you gotta when it comes down to your food. Meat rabbit farmers predominantly make use of the new zealand white breed.
The history of the domestic rabbit information on breeding, housing, and harvesting tools to help you. Assessing the feasibility of commercial meat rabbit. It would also make the rabbits a little cheaper for sales, which might help. 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. Rabbit meat production and consumption around the world faostat, 2012. During the great depression, many families began raising rabbits for food to avoid starvation and provide a significant. Raising meat rabbits is a big decision for many homesteaders, including urban homesteaders. 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. Mergers and acquisitions food meat packing industry. Breeding meat rabbits 101 meat rabbits, meat rabbits. Any rabbit can be eaten, no matter how cute, hairy, or small but some are a lot more practical for producing meat.
Raising rabbits for meat introduction to commercial rabbit production. As a backyard animal rabbit is quiet, odorless and docile animal. Four less common but great meat rabbit breeds to start. It can be used in most of the ways in which chicken is used.
The benefits of raising meat rabbits raising meat rabbits is one of the most space efficient means of growing livestock for meat. Before committing to the transaction, the buyer will want to ensure that it. If rabbits are 4 pounds at 12 weeks, then it will be 4 pound fryers on the menu. If youre just starting out, id recommend starting with a trio 2 does and 1 buck. Mergers and acquisitions typically involve a substantial amount of due diligence by the buyer. They can be raised conveniently in residential area with minimum expense. People have been raising rabbits for centuries but breeding rabbits for meat and fur production didnt become popular in the united states until the beginning of the 20th century. Rabbits were a staple of the diet of anatomically modern humans, the phoenicians too consumed rabbit meat, and traded rabbits across the mediterranean spano giammellaro, 1999. There is also some potential in making feed conversion more.
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. Breed of rabbit number of sources new zealand white n 19 californian c 6 flemish giant f 4 within each breed, matings between bucks and does from the same farm were. 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. If you are looking towards leveraging on the livestock industry to generate huge income, then one of your best bet is to start your own rabbit farming business. One thing is certain about rabbit farming business. Types of rabbit production fanciers pets, breeding stock, and show animals laboratory furhair angora rex meat largest rabbit market. I learned, the hard way, that breeders dont generally sell a doe that is producing well.