Rabbit breeding is not only interesting but also profitable in most cases. Farm profitability will depend on several important factors. Of course, first of all, you need to choose the right breed of rabbits. You will also have to spend money on buying convenient cages for animals, feed and vitamins. Of course, you will need to familiarize yourself with the rules for raising the animals themselves.
What you need to know
Rabbit breeding for beginners may seem extremely simple. However, this is not quite true. Yes, these animals breed very quickly. A rapid increase in livestock is genetically incorporated into these animals. Nature has provided such a mechanism in connection with a large number of their natural enemies. However, this is not the only reason for high fertility. The fact is that males, unfortunately, cannot boast of good health. They get sick much more often than other pets. And catching an infection, in most cases they die. Simply put, breeding rapidly, these animals die just as quickly. Therefore, it is very important to provide them with good conditions. You should not regret money on the device of an almost sterile rabbitry. Otherwise, at one point, all efforts to create their own farm will be nullified. If such difficulties do not scare you, read the article further.
Ways to keep rabbits
These animals can be bred in enclosures or in cages. Both of these methods have both their advantages and disadvantages. Animals bred in enclosures are less likely to get sick and gain weight faster. The thing is that they have the ability to move more. And activity, as you know, is a characteristic feature of animals such as rabbits. Rabbit breeding using cells is a simpler task. In this case, it is possible to more accurately control the amount of feed consumed, it is easier to carry out mating, etc. Yes, and the cell rabbit farm occupies much less space than an aviary.
Where to begin?
In the event that you are going to create a fairly large farm that requires significant investments, you will most likely have to draw up a business plan. Rabbit breeding is usually a profitable business. But the bank, when issuing a loan, needs at least some guarantees that your company will generate income, and therefore, you will return the money. Therefore, a business plan will need to be provided to its employees without fail. Since its development is a complicated matter, it is usually assigned to specialists. Typically, a business plan includes the following items:
- Summary.
- Information about the company.
- The environment for doing business.
- Marketing and sales plan.
- Operational plan.
- Workforce plan.
- Financial plan.
Rabbit breeds
Rabbit breeding for beginners is a complex matter, and above all in terms of choosing suitable producers. A very important component of success will, of course, be the purchase of the “right” breed. You need to purchase only those animals that are adapted to the climatic conditions of your region. Of the meat breeds, farmers in central Russia usually choose flanders, white or gray giants, Soviet chinchillas, rizenes or rex.
What should be the building
To breed rabbits on an industrial scale, you will first have to build a large shed. The main requirements that must be observed during its construction are as follows:
- Sufficient space to accommodate all cells.
- Compliance with the temperature regime. In such a farm building it will be necessary to arrange heating. After all, females (with the exception of a short time interval in the fall) can rabbit all year round. For the same reason, a farm needs to be built only from materials that are well-kept heat.
- Ensuring effective air exchange. Rabbitry should not be stuffy, hot or damp, including in the summer.
In the event that you are going to breed rabbits in large quantities, you most likely will need a separate room for the slaughter. Some entrepreneurs also conclude agreements with enterprises specializing specifically in the slaughter of livestock.
Rabbit breeding for beginners: cages
Once you have decided on the breed, you can proceed to the selection of cells. There are several varieties of them:
- For fattening young animals. Such cells will be needed the most.
- For succulent and lactating rabbits. The size of these structures is selected taking into account the area necessary for the normal development of offspring. Also, in such cells, a special mother liquor should be installed. The success of such an enterprise as rabbit breeding depends on how convenient their future "dwellings" seem to future mothers. Cells, therefore, need to be acquired quite spacious.
- For repair females. Are calculated only on one individual.
- For manufacturing rabbits. In size, these cages are larger than those intended for vacationers after feeding offspring of females.
Thus, the choice of successful "homes" is an important component of the success of such activities as rabbit breeding at home. Cells, or rather their area, are selected, guided primarily by the characteristics of this particular breed. They are quite expensive. Of course, when organizing an industrial farm, you still have to spend money on them. If you want to arrange only a small business, you can make them yourself. Diagrams of such structures with dimensions are easy to find on the pages of information resources of an appropriate orientation.
Where to buy rabbits
The success of such an enterprise as fur farming (and rabbit breeding in particular) directly depends on the right choice of producers. They need to be purchased only from trusted breeders. It will be very unpleasant if your pets, for which you paid a lot of money, die in a month or two just because they were not vaccinated on time. In addition, guaranteed purebred animals can only be purchased from breeders with a good reputation.
The number of manufacturers needed depends on the size of the future farm. However, it should be borne in mind that there should be about 10-15 rabbits per rabbit.
What should be the manufacturers
The success of such an enterprise as industrial rabbit breeding also depends on how correctly males and females are selected for brood in an existing herd. Rabbits subject to rejection:
- Aborting or eating litter twice in a row.
- Twice left unfertilized after coating.
- Grown less than five rabbits in two litters in a row.
- With a resting period between active sexual hunting for more than 15 days.
The male is also not suitable for reproduction in the event that 30% of the females covered by him turn out to be unfertilized.
How to make mates
Rabbit breeding for beginners is a rather complicated matter in terms of conducting the actual plays themselves. In order for this enterprise to succeed, you need to know a lot and be able to.
The timing of puberty in rabbits depends on this particular breed. Usually the larger it is, the later the animals begin to breed. Most often, the first mating is carried out at the age of 5-8 months. The rabbit needs to be planted to the male when it is in the stage of active sexual hunting. This period lasts about five days at intervals of 10-15 days. However, these figures are also not accurate. It all depends on this particular breed, as well as the age of the animal. To determine the willingness of a rabbit to mate is possible primarily by its restless behavior. You should also examine the genitals of the animal. If they are swollen and reddened, then the female can be planted in the male (not vice versa). Before mating, you need to remove the drinker and feeder from the cage.
Sometimes it happens that the male rabbit for some reason does not like. In this case, she will not let him in. If this happens, the manufacturer should simply change. 3-7 days after mating carry out a control mating. The rabbit is again seated to the male and monitored her behavior. If she actively resists courtship, growls and snarls - then everything is in order. Soon you can wait for the replenishment of the livestock.
Care for puppet rabbits
Rabbit breeding as a business will be successful only if the females carry and feed enough large numbers of cubs. Animals waiting for babies, first of all, need to ensure complete peace. You can not keep pregnant rabbits together. During this period, they become very aggressive towards each other. During a fight, a stronger female can even kill a weak one. Cages with rabbits are placed in a place where no sudden noise can frighten them. Sudden jumps of an animal can lead to a miscarriage.
Among other things, the correct diet is important. Concentrated feeds are given to females dosed, hay - ad libitum. Neither depletion nor obesity of animals should be allowed. Of course, the cells should be dry and clean.
Okrol
Female rabbits are hatched by calves for about 28-32 days. A week before the rounding, the cell is disinfected and a mother liquor with dry hay or straw is placed in it. The female will make a nest out of fluff herself. Moms, these animals are very caring. As soon as you notice fluff in the cage, it means that a scrolling will happen soon (usually the very next night). During childbirth it is important to provide the rabbit with easy access to water. Otherwise, the droppings may be eaten. Water needs to be supplied more than usual. The number of rabbits in the litter depends on the breed of animals. The female can bring from 4 to 16 rabbits. At the first round, there are usually not too many of them.
Why is the rabbit eating her cubs
Sometimes it happens that a female bites newborn babies. There may be several reasons for this:
- Painful condition of the nipples - mastitis. Very often, this problem occurs with females who have fled for the first time.
- Foreign smell (other rabbit or human).
- Fright. Dogs should not bark near cages, children should play, etc.
- Lack of free (for raising rabbits) space in the cage.
- Poor feeding, and therefore lack of milk. In this case, the rabbit often does not bite the cubs, but simply throws the weakest out of the nest.
Rabbit breeding: feeding young animals
Kids usually begin to leave the nest and eat with their mother after about 18 days. If this happens earlier, then the rabbit does not have enough milk. The mother liquors are removed from the cells on approximately the twentieth day. In this case, it is imperative to disinfect the cell. The quality of feed during this period must be monitored as carefully as possible. The digestive system in young rabbits is not yet functioning well and when they get spoiled foods, they can simply die from diarrhea.
Young animals are taught to new types of feed, gradually increasing the amount of an unfamiliar product (within two weeks). Otherwise, it may also result in diarrhea.
Basic Rabbit Care
The diet of these animals is developed depending on the breed and age. In any case, rabbits should receive both concentrated (compound feed, cake, barley, oats) feed, and coarse (hay, twigs). Also, these animals are fed carrots, boiled potatoes, apples, etc. Beets should be given carefully. It is generally contraindicated for babies, since the intestines are very weak. Among other things, the beginning rabbit breeder will need to get acquainted with the list of herbs that can not be given to animals. In addition to the clearly poisonous ones, it includes, for example, euphorbia, celandine and nightshade. So it is impossible to feed animals with potato tops or tops of tomatoes. Of course, the cells must always have fresh clean water.
Basic equipment for rabbit breeding (in addition to cages):
- Large, easy-to-wash feeders.
- Convenient drinking bowls of the special design excluding hit of dirt.
- Brushes and containers for disinfection of premises, as well as detergents.
- First-aid kit with a set of drugs necessary for the treatment of the most common diseases.
In addition to making the right diet, you will need to develop a schedule for cell disinfection. Cleanliness, as you know, is the key to health. And for those weak in terms of resistance to rabbit infections, it is doubly important.
As you can see, rabbit breeding for beginners is rather complicated. However, if you follow the recommendations of specialists, you will surely succeed.