Rabbit Farming For Health And Wealth

In Africa, Nigeria is the largest importer of frozen fish (FDF, 2002) and requires approximately 1.5million tons of fish and meat annually to meet demand.

  Currently, domestic supply is about 0.5 million tons (Over 30% of demand) including massive importation which gulps over N20 billion annually. Preliminary market analysis according to IFC suggests that an additional 25,000 tons or 100% increase in current production can be easily absorbed.

Cattle which could have been another major source of protein, is being drained by desert encroachment, pest attacks and other factors.

Mini-Livestock production like grasscutter, guinea pig, Porcupine, snail and rabbit is thus placed on the spotlight as the best option for food security in the country today.

Rabbit farming is a profitable business with high probability of recouping original investment. Consequently, expansion in rabbit farming will not only generate jobs and income for farmers, but will also create small-scale business for market mammies and restaurants.

The rabbit-farming business is adaptable to any location. Many owners use shed, backyard, and old barns as sites for rabbit hutch. With the Red-Meat situation what it is and the economy in a turmoil, now is a good time to consider the rabbit business. The best way I know to put good food on the table and a few naira in your pocket without a large investment, is raising rabbits. The Profits can come in many ways: you can sell your rabbit or the urine for laboratory use, the manure for fertilizer to horticulturist or for worm growing, even the hide and fur for expensive leather works. The white-meat, however, is by far the most important product.

The business of Rabbit farming in Nigeria is growing at a feverish pitch attracting entrepreneurs who are considering it either as a complimentary business proposition or as a main and sustainable revenue stream. But either proposition has potentials to earn decent returns. This could be taken to be a fair confirmation of the position that, run professionally, Rabbit farming may well be a key wealth creation engagement to consider in the country.

Local demand for rabbit meat is increasing as the people become more health conscious by avoiding the consumption of red meat. Rabbit are monogastric animals, they are medium-sized hopping mammals with long legs, long ears and short tails. The main reason rabbits are now being preferred by some farmers for rearing purposes is because it is easy to house. They have a short gestation period of 30 to 31days and they are very prolific animal, that is they can produce many litters. In this category, they are next to pigs and grasscutters.  A female rabbit of a good specie can litter up to 50 babies in a year. Other advantages are that they are efficient converters of wide range of vegetables matters into meat, they have a rearing period of seven to nine weeks and they have a high rate of ailment resistance. Rabbits are reared mainly for their meat and the meat is white meat like that of grasscutter. They make good healthy meat, which is averagely delicious and more nutritious than any other meat. The meat is tender, palatable and not fatty. This type of meat is recommended for patient with cardiac problems, diabetes and high blood pressure.

You can get started, without the costly items the so-called experts say you should have, with 25,000 one can kick-off with one male and four females depending on the age, weight and specie. They are reared in cages with galvanized wire mesh floor which costs N16,000 to N20,000, therefore with N45,000 one is already in business.

You can put a few naira in your pocket from just 15 minutes work a day, rabbit farming is good business.

Source: PM News