Rabbit farming as a separate type of business — how serious is it, or is it more of a hobby? Many people considering this field ask this question. Everyone wants to know whether breeding rabbits is profitable, how difficult it is and whether anyone can do it. Profitability depends on many conditions, but caring for rabbits as such is within the power of both a teenager and an elderly person. We usually answer questions on this subject by saying that everything here is simple, but there are nuances to keep in mind.
A Bit of History
Rabbit farming has long been regarded as a branch of animal husbandry. Like other animals, rabbits were bred for food by many peoples of the world. On long campaigns, military commanders carried cages with animals, including rabbits, in their baggage trains so as to always have fresh meat. Rabbit farming became most widespread in European countries.
The field remains relevant today. Just 10–15 years ago there were a great many rabbit breeders, but because of problems with keeping and breeding, interest in the industry has declined noticeably. The cause of the difficulties is not the animals but people themselves.
Why Many People Fail
The situation can be compared to buying complex household appliances: many people do not read the manual and press buttons at random. An appliance can be repaired afterwards, but a rabbit in such a case will simply die.
Many recall that they or their relatives once kept rabbits — and hearing how it was done, one often feels sorry for the animals: they are kept in pits where the owner cannot even count the stock, or in vegetable crates where a rabbit sits in its own manure for months.
The reasons for such treatment are a lack of knowledge about breeding and keeping rabbits, an unwillingness to invest in proper conditions, the absence of a feed supply and plain carelessness.
The main problem for a beginner is the scarce and contradictory information in specialized publications. It is often outdated or does not reflect reality. Some “experts” make money not from rabbits but from novice rabbit breeders: they sell publications that require buying follow-up volumes and run paid seminars.
A lecturer's competence is easy to check by asking a few specific questions. A real expert will answer them with ease, while an incompetent one will start saying that a livestock specialist or a veterinarian needs to be called in.
How to Start
- Do not rush and act step by step, without making spontaneous decisions — this will save money.
- Find out whether there is a rabbit farm in your area. If possible, look at the housing conditions and talk to the livestock specialist — they will give you your first advice.
- Decide where you will keep the rabbits.
- Select literature on rabbit breeding and veterinary care. Keep in mind that some publications are outdated and some authors promote one method while rejecting all others — compare sources.
- Do not buy many rabbits at once — start with a small stock. No theory can replace practical skills, and mistakes at the beginning are inevitable; the main thing is to keep them to a minimum.
- Do not hesitate to consult those who breed rabbits professionally.
At the first stage, it is best to rely on other people's experience and, on that basis, work out your own technology of keeping and breeding that is convenient for both the animals and the people.
