How do you start a rabbit farming business? Are you interested in starting a rabbit farming business but you don’t know how to go about it? Do you need a sample rabbit farming business plan template? Then i advice you read on.

Rabbit farming business can be very lucrative for an entrepreneur who has a talent or a passion for animal husbandry and live stock farming. It is not an expensive venture. Starting a rabbit farming business does not need much money like every other business do, rather it requires that the entrepreneur have a knowledge about animal husbandry and how best to raise animals.

 You can start it in your backyard, with just two male rabbits and six females, a wire cage and information from a farming manual. Aside the knowledge, it is also important that you are passionate about animals. If not, then get someone who loves spending time with animals.

The Potentials and Profitability of Rabbit Farming

Rabbits are prolific in nature
Rabbits meat is highly in demand as it is medically recommended over red meat.
Rabbits have low mortality rate.
Rabbits are not aggressive and require minimal handling

Without wasting your time, below is a candid advice on how to start a rabbit farming business.

Starting a Rabbit Farm – Sample Business Plan Template

1. Consider the availability of breeding materials

If you are thinking of investing in this business, it is necessary you know how to acquire your materials at a very minimum cost. These materials includes ”the rabbits, breeding cages, feeds, concentrates, etc because all these are what are considered as the raw materials there are required for the business.

2. Get the basic knowledge about rabbit care

This is very important to avoid unnecessary loss due to diseases and high mortality. Get to know everything you can about rabbits, from their common diseases and ailments to their gestation period, feeding pattern, etc. You can get this information by doing a search online or visiting your local library and reading up about rabbits.

3. Get a rabbit farming business plan

This is very important especially if you are going to breed rabbits on a commercial scale. You need to factor in every possible details including your financial overhead cost and profit potential.

4. Decide on where to house your rabbits

It is necessary that a rabbit house be spacious enough, so as to give chance for the young ones and also the growth and expansion of the business. Rabbits can be kept in hutches or in cages. The rabbit cage should be constructed in such a manner that the rabbits will be protected from rainfall and direct sunlight.

5. Feeding the rabbits

Rabbits feed on either compounded feed or grasses like elephant grass, potato, shrubs, leaves and herbs. They must be given food at least twice a day. Clean drinking water must made available for them 24 hours a day. These containers should be cleaned regular basis for the sake of the health of the rabbits . It is advisable to study their exact daily consumption of compounded feed in order to avoid wasting the feed.

Production

Rabbits are prolific in nature and they do multiply rapidly. Rabbits begin breeding from 4 t0 5 months of age. The gestation period for female rabbit (the doe) is 31 days and they normally give birth to 6 -10 kits (baby rabbit) at once. Rabbits are capable of reproducing seven times in a year. For reproduction to take place, the buck and the doe should be kept in one place to mate. After that, you have to separate them. One female rabbit is capable of producing up to 50 kits in a year.

6. Factor in your overall expenses

Starting and running a rabbit breeding business is not all that expensive but, you still need to do everything possible and everything within your power to minimize cost in such a way that it will not affect your profits in the business. try mapping out plans to maximize your profit.

7. Marketing your rabbits

Start by creating awareness among individuals beginning with your families, friends and colleagues, restaurants, hotels, eateries etc. Tell them about the nutritional value of rabbits as well as the economic importance. However, it is advisable that you carry out more research on your own even before you invest a dime in setting up your rabbit farm. You must know the market strategies and the level of demand; as this will help you avoid unnecessary loss and regrets.

Lastly, before you consider starting and running a rabbit farming business on your own, you should assess and ascertain whether franchising will be worth while. If you can get a franchise, then why start from scratch.