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How Lucrative Is Rabbit Farming In Nigeria

Rabbit farming known as cuniculture is a very lucrative business to start up anywhere in Nigeria. It has just so many great perks to it that any entrepreneur might want to consider as a business option. There are testimonies from livestock farmers on why this business is a cool way to make sweet money.

Regularly upgrading your rabbit’s pen or hutch helps keep rabbits safe, healthy and secure. Make sure the roof is waterproof, the walls should be strong enough to cope with bad weather and predators, and check for drafts that could chill the rabbits in winter. Include supportive beams to ensure it’s structurally sound. Provide a warm secure space in which they can make a comfortable home each night, protected from predators and the cold night air. Replace sawdust or straw regularly too; this will help keep your rabbit’s house clean while providing them with soft bedding material.

There are things a rabbit farmer should consider before starting up a rabbit business as an entrepreneur.

WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER RABBIT FARMING

Rabbit farming gives farmers a variety of options and with all of the excellent use of a rabbit, they can never run out of business. Either a farmer sells to the rabbit-meat lovers, clothing companies or pet lovers, he is always in demand.

Here are some benefits of raring rabbits.

MARKETABLE FUR

The rabbit’s fur known as “angora wool” is used for making a range of clothing items; sweaters, winter hats, knitting yarns, scarves and any other fluffy clothing.

Depending on how much a rabbit weighs, it can be sold at a whooping large amount of money.

GOOD FOR FOOD

The meatier, the merrier. People who eat rabbit have confessed rabbits to be tastier and meatier than any other kind of meat they might have had.

Rabbits have one of the highest amounts of protein, lowest amount of fat and very few calories per pound, this contributes to why rabbit meat is eaten a lot in some parts of the world. A special bonus is that rabbit bones are also not completely a waste. Pet owners whose pets suffer from allergies or leaky gut have the option, approved by a vet, to prepare a rabbit bone broth as a cure because dogs and cats particularly love the taste of it.

USE AS PET

For pet purposes, rabbits are a great choice for people who are allergic to dogs or cats.

SHORT GESTATION PERIOD

If we’re to consider the gestation period of a rabbit, it works this way. A doe also known as a female rabbit can have so many babies in a year as they do not have a particular set time for breeding.

The gestation period of a rabbit lasts about 31 days, a pretty fast move. After birth, the litter of rabbits are weaned within a period of four to six weeks.

The female rabbit can immediately get pregnant after delivery if she is kept in the same cage as the male rabbit, this is to say that rabbits can have multiple babies in a year as a way to ensure survival supposing all of the kittens do not make it out alive to the next generation.

Rabbit farmers are able to deliver as many rabbits required considering how quick the gestation period of the female rabbit is.

CHEAP FEED

Feeding rabbits is not very expensive if you are considering the cost. Rabbits are herbivorous animals meaning they are plant eaters in nature.

This does not license a livestock rabbit farmer to feed the rabbits just any household plants around the garden as some can be very poisonous and you may end up losing if not all of your rabbits.

There are approved healthy rabbit feeds options for both the baby and adult rabbits.

A rabbit farmer is expected to feed baby rabbits a special kind of grass called alfalfa hay because it has rich protein value and plenty of calcium to make them healthy.

Adult rabbits should be fed with leafy green vegetables like broccoli, carrots tops, wheat grass, watercress and pellets on a regulated amount to avoid obesity and health issues.

MARKETABLE URINE AND POO

Rabbit farming still remains lucrative as the pros outweigh the cons of doing it. In some parts of the world, rabbits’ urine and poo is a good source of fertilizer after the process of conversion. Rabbit farmers can create a means in the cage to extract the urine and poo and store them up for sales.

LESS CAPITAL TO START

One exciting thing about rabbit farming is that it does not require a huge capital to start up. Two male and female rabbits can grow your business as female rabbits breed easily to keep the business growing.

MINIMAL EFFORT REQUIRED

Starting a rabbit business does not stop you from doing another business. Rabbits require minimal labor efforts and can take care of themselves provided they have food and water in their cage

EASY TO PREY ON

Rabbits are easy animals to prey on judging from how small they are. Farmers should ensure they build a strong cage made from strong wood that is laced with solid wire mesh and very good bolts as a form of predation-protection.

Predators like raccoons, foxes and hawks are afraid of light because of fear of getting caught. Motion lights should be activated round the cage to scare away these predators at night. Make sure your rabbits are kept well secured in their cage to protect them from predators.

PRONE TO INFECTION

Rabbits are also susceptible to infection and diseases. In such cases, infected rabbits should avoid contact with other healthy rabbits so that they do not bite the other rabbits to bruise them and infect the whole others. Aside from that, rabbits do not require constant vaccination. A healthy and clean environment will keep them just fine.

FINAL VERDICT

For entrepreneurs who are considering a rabbit business, it is one of the easiest businesses to start up in your backyard without having to spend a dime on purchasing a land space to train your rabbits. Rabbit farming business is still very much lucrative and provisions are being made to ensure the market blooms. People do eat rabbits on a daily basis and some prefer them as pets.

By kingkentus