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(1) Rabbit farming can easily be done by a husband-wife team and even a family with children of various ages;
(2) Entry into the business is affordable to most small-scale and limited resource farmers without having to mortgage the farm;
(3) Rabbit farming is a form of sustainable agriculture because it not only produces meat, but the manure can be composted using earthworms, and the earthworms and composted manure are in big demand by those with small gardens and flowerbeds.
With all this going for it, no wonder everyone is talking about raising rabbits.
But there is more. From an agriculture economist viewpoint it has limited risks in comparison to many agriculture ventures. We know financial cost or entry costs are affordable in comparison to row crop farming, beef cattle production, and even meat goat production (this is coming from someone who raises Boer goats). Based upon the information “out there,” we know the demand for rabbit meat exists and cannot be met at this time. We also know the demand will grow as availability of the product increases. As a producer group, the Tri-State Rabbit Growers Association can assure growers of a significant price, and we know the Association is working to secure future contracts. It’s a win-win situation.
However, there are certain challenges rabbit producers face, which are common to most agriculture enterprises. Those include:
(1) Limited control over production costs, primarily feed costs. The Association is working on securing a lower cost, high quality feed with their label on the bag.
(2) Limited availability of rabbits. Luckily, rabbits multiply very quickly and many producers are getting into producing breeding stock as well as meat rabbits.
(3) Lack of information regarding production and healthcare. Most studies (and they were done a long time ago) are no longer published or are not easy to find. Information on healthcare of rabbits is even more difficult to find.
So, what are the rabbit industry and rabbit producers suppose to do? Keep on trying! Work with universities, government agencies, special interest groups, and etc. Let your voice as an industry be heard; numbers carry clout.
Although rabbit production is probably one of the oldest livestock enterprises, it is just now beginning to draw substantial attention; and with the technologies
and abilities of mass production, it may offer more potential and longevity than poultry production! The beef and poultry industry faced challenges as they began to pick up pace, the meat goat industry is only able to target the ethnic market; but rabbit meat has appeal to all socio-economic consumers, especially those who are more aware of what they consume and willing to pay more for a healthy food product. The ability for rabbit producers in this area to unite under the umbrella of the Tri-State Rabbit Growers Association holds tremendous potential for success of the group and for individual producers who choose to be a part of this group! For information, contact Robert Spencer at 256-372-4958. |
