Rabbits are small mammals that are known to be fast and quick when travelling. One of the few original choices of meat from back when humans used to hunt for their food. Today, rabbits can be considered pets in some households. But they still can be raised to be sold as meat in certain markets. Some people still purchase rabbits to eat, which is why if you want to start owning rabbits to sell. You need to learn how to raise rabbits for meat.
Rabbits are sensitive creatures, which is why learning about how to care for them is very important. There are different types of rabbits that may be raised. Choosing them also depends on the location and type of meat you want to sell. When raising rabbits for meat, you should choose those that aren’t bred for pet purposes, otherwise, the meat will not turn out as great as compared to those raised purposely for eating.
Rabbit Farming
In order to begin rabbit farming, or learning how to raise rabbits for meat. You need to realize that raising them must be done on a communal farm. The rabbits can be housed in their livestock shed, and be fed hay within the confines of their small space. Rabbits can also eat any naturally-growing crops or grass that might be present on the fields where they stay.
In rabbit farming, you must also take into account the herd size of your rabbits. Since certain ordinances are known to permit only a certain limited number of rabbits per year. They are usually only a small herd. The frequency of slaughtering these rabbits for meat is also usually dictated by said ordinances.
Choosing the right rabbit breed is also important. Some of the common rabbit breeds for meat are the Palomino, Flemish Giant, Chinchilla, and the New Zealand. These rabbits are known to have existed for long periods of time since before. It can pack a lot of pounds. This makes them good choices of breeds for rabbit meat. As opposed to other breeds that are usually only used for pet purposes.
Read my other post about pastured meat rabbit.
1. How to raise a rabbit
The first step to raising a rabbit for meat is finding out whether this endeavor is legal in your area. Some countries prohibit raising rabbits for meat for various reasons. While other countries allow the hunting and raising of rabbits on a farm. Other land for the purposes of consumption or for sale for meat. In places where rabbits are allowed to be raised for the purposes of cooking as meat or for sale as meat, then you should make sure to follow any law or ordinance that the local government in said area might impose upon those who want to raise rabbits for meat.
The next thing to do when wanting to raise rabbits is knowing where you can raise them. If you want to raise them on your own property, you have to make sure that it is big enough and wide enough to support the rabbits throughout their life until they are made into meat. Rabbits also fall prey to a lot of predators, so it is important to make sure that wherever they are housed, they are safe from predators.
2. Is raising rabbits for meat worth it?
For those that want to earn a profit by raising rabbits instead of keeping them as pets, you might ask, is raising rabbits for meat worth it? This question really depends on how much you think is worth raising rabbits. Rabbit meat is not necessarily really expensive, since they cost around $10 per pieces, or can reach up $20 or $50.
If the rabbit is mature enough, these prices are what you might earn by selling your rabbits for meat. If the rabbit you are selling is not mature, and not yet fully grown, then the price that you might get from selling them is definitely less as compared to those that are fully grown. This is to be expected, since younger rabbits have less meat in them compared to mature ones.
Asking whether it is worth it to raise rabbits for meat depends on how much you spend for raising them, and how much you can get out of selling them. If there is no demand in the area in which you raise the rabbits, and if no one eats rabbit meat near you, then the fact of raising rabbits for meat might not be entirely worth it. As opposed to areas where rabbits are regularly eaten as meat, then raising them for meat might be worth it.
3. What to feed meat rabbits?
If you’re considering raising your own rabbits for meat, you might also wonder what to feed meat rabbits. Like all animals, rabbits that are used for meat also need food and water. Rabbits that are sold for meat like eating natural hay or grass. Hay can be purchased in most local pet stores. To help the rabbits grow in size, you can add supplements to the hay through the addition of protein-fiber pellets and other fresh vegetables. The containers from which they eat should be sealed enough so that they cannot enter to use it as a place to dump their feces. Otherwise, the rabbits might run the risk of catching a disease from dirty food.
Conclusion
If you want to learn how to raise rabbits for meat, the first place to start is by looking at the type of breed you would want, and if raising rabbits is allowed in your area. Rabbits are still a good source of meat, but only if the breed is one bred to produce a lot of meat. Pet rabbits are not ideal for this, since they do not have the type of body that provides enough meat.
It can be beneficial to get into the business of raising animals and selling them for meat later on, since this type of business is really based on your ability to care for the animals and help them grow into mature animals old enough to sell. Raising rabbits for meat can be a worthwhile business, but it also depends on whether there is enough demand in your area or not. Raising these kinds or rabbits is definitely different from having them as pets.
If you are interested for an outdoor rabbit space in your backyard then read my post about it.
