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Is rabbit breeding profitable or not as a business? Breeding rabbits as a business - is it profitable?

Kira Stoletova

Recently, maintaining small private farms in order to obtain additional or main income has become increasingly popular. Before developing in this direction, you should think about the choice of the livestock industry and familiarize yourself with information about the direction of interest. Rabbit farming is a good choice. For proper and complete cultivation, you need to draw up a rough business plan for breeding rabbits.

  • The most suitable activity for novice farmers would be raising pets in cages or burrows at home. Such a business can provide financial support and also provide the family with fresh meat. However, you should first draw up a detailed business plan with calculated initial investments, as well as columns for additional profit.

    It is best to engage in such a business for a person who loves animals and is ready to pay attention to them and provide care. This process must be approached responsibly; it is advisable to decide for yourself whether there is a desire to engage in this business in a few years. If yes, you need to move on to drawing up a detailed business plan.

    Construction of a rabbit farm

    In order to start raising rabbits, you need to decide on the place where the construction will take place. We are talking about a personal plot of land or leased territory. The first option is preferable since you won’t have to pay rent. Before the actual construction of the building, you should clarify the requirements for the distance between farm buildings and residential buildings. Perhaps, if there are any buildings on the site, they can be converted into farmland.

    The most favorable place to build a farm will be an area with the following characteristics:

    • flat area on a hill;
    • distance from highways and railways;
    • absence of swamps and reservoirs with high humidity.

    Building a rabbit farm

    • lay asphalt;
    • purchase the materials necessary for the manufacture of shed structures.

    The animal housing can be made from galvanized mesh. When using such a design for raising pets, on one hundred square meters you can place both the cages themselves and third-party premises for solving other economic problems. Moreover, each of the additional buildings can also be used to raise rabbits for a total of up to 1000 each year.

    The shed system, made using two-tier technology, allows you to place up to 60 cages measuring 1.3 * 0.7 * 0.55 square meters in one structure. m. For the manufacture of cages, galvanized mesh with small cells 18 x 18 mm, 20 x 20 mm or 16 x 48 mm is used. It is best to make the floor at an angle; for this, the back wall of the cages should be lowered by 20 cm in relation to the front. This will help make the cleaning process easier. The flooring should be selected with a double bottom.

    Keeping pets in holes is less expensive, but in this case it will not be possible to breed pets for valuable fur pelts, since the fur will get dirty in the hole and become coarser. If you want to breed young animals to obtain dietary meat, it is recommended to use the earthen method of propagation. With this method, animals reproduce more often, feel better and their immunity is stronger, since in the burrows the rabbits are closer to their natural living conditions.

    When breeding eared animals in pits, the farmer spends less money on feeding, since the food is poured into a common feeder.

    It is more convenient to clean the hole, and you will not have to do it as often as in cages. The most important disadvantage of keeping and raising rabbits in burrows is the possible spread of diseases. If even one individual gets sick, the rest will immediately become infected. It is quite difficult to control this process.

    Of the investments for pit housing, the farmer will only need to strengthen the walls in the main home of the pets; each rabbit will dig passages and holes for itself. The main condition for such maintenance is the absence of groundwater in the pit. If the soil allows, it is advisable for a novice farmer to try to breed pets using this method, since it is less expensive.

    Choosing a rabbit breed

    When choosing pets for raising, you should note the most popular and meat varieties of rabbits.

    These rabbits are characterized by rapid weight gain, and at the age of 3 months their weight will be about 3.5 kg, and at 5 months the pets already weigh from 4 to 5 kg. Females of this species have a calm, friendly character. During one birth, a female rabbit brings up to 8 cubs.

    This type of pet belongs to broilers. By 5 months, individuals weigh an average of 4.5 kg with a weight gain of 45 g every day. Meat-skinned breeds deserve special attention, since from an economic point of view they are more profitable.

    Representatives of this species have a red color and a muscular body, but nevertheless their skin is not very highly valued by manufacturers of fur products, since their fur is not thick enough. A more suitable direction for breeding these animals is to obtain meat: the pets are quite massive. The weight of an adult male reaches 5.5 kg.

    Females of this species have good fertility; one female rabbit gives birth to 12 cubs. At the age of 4 months, female rabbits can be mated with males to produce offspring.

    A distinctive feature of the breed is its strong immune system. After slaughter, the output is up to 65% pure meat.

    • Chinchilla rabbit.

    This breed is the result of crossing a representative of the White Giant variety with an ordinary Chinchilla. Animals of this species not only have tasty and tender meat, but also soft skin that belongs to a high quality class, so it is quite expensive. These rabbits have excellent adaptive abilities, so they will feel good in the Russian climate.

    Males in adulthood reach a weight of up to 5 kg. The fertility of females is at an average level: in one litter a female rabbit brings up to 8 cubs. Baby rabbits experience active development and growth, which by 4 months allows them to have a weight comparable to their age. Approximately 59% of the total weight of meat is obtained from one carcass.

    The homeland of this breed of rabbits is England, where for a long time long-eared rabbits were considered decorative animals. The most striking feature of German Ram rabbits is their long ears. Adults reach a weight of 5.5 kg. They have good immunity and do not need to be carefully looked after.

    The fertility of females of this breed is extremely low: from 3 to 6 cubs, but the young rabbits are characterized by active growth. This leads to the fact that at 3 months, animals weigh 3-4 kg. You should be careful when choosing pets for further cultivation, and do not buy them at markets. The best option is to purchase individuals in specialized stores or fairgrounds.

    Performance of male and female

    After selecting the breed, a male sire is determined. For him and several females, 15 cells should be allocated, combined into one. It is advisable to organize this space on the second tier. Groups of 7-8 rabbits are placed in the remaining cells.

    Be sure to clean the cages from animal waste and dust. Female rabbits are able to become pregnant immediately after giving birth, but it is more effective to allow them access to a male 3 times a year (spring, summer and autumn), which is what most farmers do.

    On average, 6 to 8 rabbits are born. They are nursed by the female for up to 3 months. If you keep 15 females in a shad, the output will be from 267 to 373 heads, and an enterprise consisting of 3 shads will bring up to 1000 rabbit carcasses.

    In the central part of the cages between the dining area and the nest, it is necessary to place a manger made of a 35 x 35 or 25 x 35 mm mesh and fill it with dried grass. Feeders and drinking bowls should be installed under them.

    Rabbit nutrition

    The main food for rabbits is a concentrated mixture - compound feed. It should be stored in a separate room with a dry microclimate. In order to save money, you can make compound feed yourself, and it will be even better and healthier than purchased in a store. Depending on the season, rabbits need to be given other food: fresh grass and harvested hay. The diet of a female who is awaiting the birth of her cubs should be expanded with succulent food and various vitamin elements.

    In order to prepare compound feed yourself, you should purchase special equipment: a grain crusher and an extruder for granulation.

    To make inexpensive and healthy feed, you will need the following ingredients (dosage is indicated in percentage):

    • a mixture of ground wheat and oats - 30;
    • barley with the addition of corn grains - 45;
    • cake - 12;
    • crushed chalk - 0.5;
    • salt - 0.5;
    • bran mixture - 12.

    Daily consumption per adult (in grams) is:

    • forbs - up to 1500;
    • bean hay - 1200;
    • feed from crushed twigs - 600;
    • carrots - 600;
    • cabbage for feed - 600;
    • fodder beet - 200;
    • bran - 100.

    In the first half of the day, rabbits should be given fresh grass or vegetables, and in the evening they should be fed with mixed feed or grain crops. The water in the drinking bowls must be changed 3 times a day.

    To save money, wet mash is prepared independently.

    Income

    The main source of income is the sale of rabbit meat. After slaughter, an average of 2 kg of clean product, ready for sale, comes out per animal. A system of 3 sheds can provide up to 1000 copies, resulting in 2 tons at a cost of 1 kg from 250 to 300 rubles. If we take into account this price range, the total income from the sale of meat will be 400-500 thousand rubles.

    From here expenses should be subtracted, the result will be a net profit of 360 thousand rubles. per year or 30 per month. Separately, once a year they receive 2000 from the sale of offal. As an example, additional profit can be obtained from selling skins in ateliers or clothing factories. These organizations buy skins for 30-40 rubles for unprocessed ones and up to 150 for dressed ones. Thus, by selling 1000 skins each, you can actually get another 150 thousand rubles.

    Those starting out in the field of raising rabbits in order to obtain commercial profit need to have a well-thought-out business plan at hand. If you have it, you can make good money with minimal investment and high returns. Moreover, rabbit breeding is not so widespread now, and the niche for selling rabbit meat is practically free, unlike chicken or pork.

    Types of registration of activities and required documents

    In order to open a rabbit farm, you do not need to have a huge amount of money, since there is no need to purchase a large plot of land. To maintain a herd of up to 1000 heads, a standard plot of six acres is suitable.

    The most important step in the process of becoming a rabbit breeder is choosing the best type of business registration. There are only two of them:

    • personal type of subsidiary plot (LPH);
    • status of an individual entrepreneur (IP).

    The decision to obtain one or another type of registration should be made based on the chosen method of selling the final product. Before this, you need to study a detailed plan with calculations and think about what form of enterprise to open. Mini-rabbit farming has the most advantages through private household plots. If you want to engage in large-scale production of rabbit products, at a minimum you need to open an individual entrepreneur.

    The most suitable option for small private farms is private household plots, and when choosing it, it is necessary to prepare and submit a package of documents consisting of the following certificates and papers:

    • Certificate of ownership of the land plot. It can be obtained by contacting the local cadastral office of Rosreestr.
    • Personal health book.
    • Sanitary record of a vehicle used for transporting rabbits. This document must be presented only if the animals were transported in a personal vehicle.
    • Certificates from a veterinary clinic doctor about the health status of animals.
    • Examination results from a veterinary laboratory confirming the safety of meat.

    To open an individual entrepreneur, for example, in the field of rabbit breeding, you will need to present the following documents:

    • A certificate stating that the farm is engaged in breeding this particular type of animal.
    • Certificate confirming the passage of phytosanitary control.
    • Financial declaration drawn up in accordance with state standards.

    Individual entrepreneur status will allow you to fully develop your business plan, but at the same time it will lead to a number of not very pleasant moments, namely:

    • Increase in funds spent on organizing business activities.
    • The need to obtain specialized permits.
    • Mandatory payment of tax.

    In turn, private household plots are not subject to tax obligations. Control over the activities of farmers who have registered their activities in this way is carried out by rural local authorities, and individual entrepreneurs are monitored by representatives of Rosselkhoznadzor. After registration, a special number will be assigned, which indicates the type of economic activity, namely “breeding rabbits and fur animals on a farm.” This combination also provides for an automatic ban on leather production from rabbits that have been hunted. You should register your activities as private household plots only after identifying the market for the products.

    Like any other type of business, a rabbit farm has its own income and expense items. In this area, expenses are divided into two types: one-time and permanent expenses. Depending on the care and maintenance of individuals, income, like expenses, can either decrease or grow, so it is very important to approach such a business with full responsibility. If you started keeping rabbits in cages, but ran out of money to continue doing this, you can try to transfer the enterprise to earth keeping.

    One-time expenses include:

    • Purchasing rabbits. On average, they buy 45-50 heads of breeding young animals, which will cost about 13.5 thousand rubles.
    • Payment for the services of Rosreestr representatives. For individuals the cost is 2 thousand rubles.
    • Purchase of materials for the construction of sheds.

    The list of fixed costs is slightly broader and includes costs for:

    • visiting a veterinary clinic;
    • nutrition;
    • payment of electricity bills;
    • purchase of hay.

    Veterinarian services for a farm will cost 300 rubles for each individual, and this amount increases depending on the chosen organization. Thus, a doctor’s visit to service 3 shad with 15 females kept in each of them will cost over 12 thousand rubles. During each year, the female gives birth to an average of 24 rabbits. With proper care, there can be more young animals.

    When breeding rabbits in natural conditions, in pits, females produce offspring more often and better. The cubs are weaned from their mother at 2 months and killed at 90 days of age. In order to provide proper nutrition to a rabbit mini-family (1 mother and babies), you need to prepare 340 kg of feed. On the market, the average price for 1 kg is 9 rubles. Thus, over the course of a year, it will take 3 thousand rubles to feed one family, and providing provisions for 3 shad will cost about 126 thousand rubles.

    Breeding rabbits as a business has long been popular among rural households, so novice entrepreneurs are wondering whether such production is profitable or not?

    Rabbit farming as a business is profitable only if the entrepreneur takes into account possible risks, has thought through a business plan in advance and offers high-quality products, explaining in detail to the consumer what the advantages of rabbit meat are and why it is so important to eat it.

    Statistics show that a rabbit business can bring quite a good profit, but you should not expect that big money will appear immediately after the sale of the first batch of the product. As a rule, payback is achieved in a period of two to four years, and in different local regions this period can vary significantly.

    Prospects

    Foreign consumers have long understood the value of rabbit meat, which is why this product is in high demand on the Western market. In the United States of America, constant developments are being carried out, the goal of which is to obtain new breeds, the meat of which will bring even greater benefits to humans, while reducing the cost of the product to a minimum.

    Several decades ago, Russia was actively developing rabbit breeding; the state supported farms as much as possible. However, already in the nineties, most of these farms went bankrupt and disappeared forever, the consumer lost purchasing power, and many organizations went bankrupt.

    As a rule, the average citizen simply cannot afford the rabbit meat that is on the market, but the business is still starting a new stage, gradually the consumer will understand the value of this meat, and the increase in the number of farms providing similar products will normalize the cost and return interest .

    Profitability today depends on many factors:

    1. Temperature conditions in which animals will be raised.
    2. Low labor productivity associated with their slow growth.
    3. Infectious diseases to which they are exposed if left untreated and untreated.

    The prospects for breeding rabbits are determined by the fact that the animal is capable of reproducing offspring at a high speed, due to which natural growth ensures an increase in production volumes.

    Advantages and disadvantages

    The positive features of entrepreneurship include:

    • Fast payback compared to other types of meat.
    • High profitability of this industrial process.
    • Obvious benefits for humans from the product.
    • Lots of opportunities available to a household owner.

    Negative sides:

    1. Animals require constant care and attention - the cages must be kept perfectly clean; this is the only way to achieve population growth and high-quality meat.
    2. Rabbits are very shy and get used to a particular owner. The same person must handle the animals, otherwise there is a risk of the animal dying from fright.
    3. The rabbit population depends on human attention - if there is no water in the bowl, the mother rabbit can eat her own babies, jeopardizing the entire business.

    Peculiarities

    A thousand individuals will fit on a standard summer cottage, while a separate branch in budget savings is occupied by the independent creation of conditions for the life of animals, including the manufacture of cages, drinking bowls and other necessary paraphernalia.

    But before creating your own farm, it is important to determine the legal norms of entrepreneurial activity - in the future this will help avoid a huge number of problems and allow the business to quickly gain a foothold in the market.

    Note! When setting up their own enterprise, farmers, as a rule, choose from two types of activity - it can be either individual entrepreneurship or personal subsidiary farming. The form directly depends on the capabilities of the farmer and the goals he pursues.

    Personal subsidiary farming involves reducing the cost of documentation and is chosen if the owner plans to sell the products within one region. In this case, control is carried out by local governments, and taxation tends to zero.

    If you want to expand your own capabilities, then an individual entrepreneur becomes the best option. Here you will have to spend additional funds on paying taxes, preparing documentation for sales and storage, while the possibilities for selling the goods become an order of magnitude greater.

    Where to begin?

    Experienced experts say that the first step is to obtain the necessary knowledge to optimize the process, make greater profits and minimize production, advertising and costs.

    The first step will be to study the characteristics of rabbits, the conditions of their keeping and nutrition, and their tolerance to climatic conditions. An important point will be the study of possible animal diseases, since such a risk remains even among entrepreneurs with extensive experience.

    It is important to choose a breed in advance, become familiar with its distinctive features and study the additional needs of animals - this way you will save yourself from many problems in the future.

    For animals, it is necessary to prepare a site and specialized cages that will be equipped with everything necessary.

    Breed selection

    One of the key features that determines the benefit is the breed of the animal. The profitability of this process is directly related to the following points:

    • The quality of meat that the consumer will receive.
    • The rate at which each individual gains weight.
    • Accurate calculation of the amount of feed for each kilogram of animal weight.

    Hybrid breeds of rabbits are very popular today, allowing for the highest possible quality of product, weight gain and increase in the number of rabbits in the family. It is necessary to select the right females that will bear offspring - the growth rate of the farm depends on this.

    In Ukraine and Russia it is almost impossible to find centers that specifically engage in the selection of rabbits, so you will have to turn to a foreign manufacturer. At the same time, you can easily choose a suitable breed, especially since today there is a large choice, and the quality of the product will fully meet any, even the most serious, expectations.

    Equipment

    Today, there are several systems that provide work and profit in rabbit farming. Among them the following can be noted:

    1. Cellular system.
    2. Aviary system.
    3. Semi-aviary system.

    Despite the obvious convenience of each farming system, the main attention should be paid to the cellular system. Most farmers are confident that only in such conditions it is possible to obtain high-quality meat and ensure rapid reproduction of animals.

    The rabbit breeding plan, based on keeping animals in cages, allows you to independently distribute the actions of the animals. This makes it much easier to ensure that animals are fed on time, to simplify the cleaning of cages and to send animals for mating.

    It is important to think through the plan of a rabbit farm in advance - you should pay close attention to double cages in which the animals will feel comfortable. The animal houses themselves should be at a height of eighty centimeters from the ground.

    The fastest way to set up production is to purchase ready-made cages for keeping animals. This way you will provide all the conditions for rabbits and avoid possible mistakes that beginners often make. If you wish and have the skill and knowledge, you can build the cells yourself.

    Purchase

    You can avoid mistakes at the stage of purchasing animals by adhering to the following simple recommendations:

    • Close attention should be paid to the ears of animals - they should not have wounds or scabs. The presence of such damage indicates an unpleasant and dangerous disease that can harm the entire brood. Ear mites cause females to refuse to feed their young, which requires a lot of effort to raise the animals.
    • Animals for breeding must be selected from different litters - this is the only way you will get healthy offspring capable of full reproduction.
    • Pay attention to the appearance and health of the animal - only a full-fledged rabbit will be able to produce healthy offspring and will not jeopardize your business.
    • The weight of the animal should be normal; overweight individuals lose their ability to reproduce.
    • Choose the right rabbits from the mass of offers - an adult or pregnant animal may turn out to be sick and old, since an experienced farmer is unlikely to sell a healthy, full-fledged individual.

    Implementation

    For successful development of the product, it is necessary to first secure a customer base among those individuals and organizations that will purchase meat on a regular basis.

    Here it is possible to use all available resources - for starters, tell close relatives and friends about your product, who, in turn, will convey this information to their surroundings. At the same time, it is recommended to describe in detail the benefits of rabbit meat, discover its benefits and leave your contact information for further communication.

    If you have all the necessary veterinary documents, you can make deliveries to restaurants. At the same time, the establishment will certainly determine whether such a purchase is profitable, so you should not inflate the price - be sure to pay attention to the pricing policy of competitors.

    Pay attention to the products that remain after slaughter - it is recommended to preserve rabbit skins for subsequent sale, however, the cost of such sales is quite low.

    Calculation of profitability and payback

    If all conditions of care and maintenance are met at the maximum level, one female can give birth about ten times a year.

    At the same time, the number of animals on farms of different sizes will be different, as will the profit:

    It should be understood that approximately half of the profit will be regularly spent on production costs, which include:

    1. Purchasing feed for adequate nutrition of animals.
    2. Transport and meat transportation costs.
    3. Electricity costs.
    4. Salaries for employees (if any).
    5. Cell content.
    6. Veterinary services, vaccinations.

    Costs can be significantly reduced if you have the necessary skills - it is quite possible to independently create cages for keeping animals, care for them and vaccinate them.

    Video: rabbit breeding as a business from A to Z.

    Business plan

    The schedule and plan for such a sale should be thought out in advance, so you will avoid a lot of troubles in the future.

    A separate issue is the peculiarities of a particular region - there may be unique prices, high competition and low purchasing power, and it is recommended to calculate possible losses in advance. The list of initial costs should include the following:

    • Acquisition of land on which the farm will be located. The choice should depend on the number of rabbits purchased; often the area is not large in area.
    • A separate financial cell is occupied by the registration and further maintenance of documentation for the sale of products.
    • Registration of a plot of land for the life of rabbits, creation of amenities.
    • Purchase of specialized inventory and equipment.
    • Materials for creating cells yourself or the cells themselves with additional equipment.
    • Consumables.
    • Buying baby rabbits.

    Costs can either increase or decrease depending on the region in which business activities are planned, the demand for products, and climatic conditions. The experience of the farmer is also important - if there are other animals on the farm, and the plot allows for the introduction of additional business, expenses are significantly reduced.

    Creating a rabbit farm is a process that requires time and effort. With certain efforts and skills, you can make a big profit in a short period of time, while spending only a few hours a day on work. If desired and there are buyers, it is quite easy to expand production due to the fertility of rabbits.

    Gradually, the consumer will understand how many positive qualities there are in rabbit meat. The vitamins in tender meat make the dish not only tasty, but also incredibly healthy, which is why this business is very promising and can take the farmer to a new level in a short time.

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    Looking for a profitable business idea in rural areas? You found her! This is rabbit farming!

    Rabbits are animals that reproduce well and produce tasty dietary meat and fur. No special technology is needed to grow them. Home farming differs from industrial farming only in scale, so if you are a little familiar with keeping these animals, you can easily increase production to farm size.

    What is the relevance of the rabbit breeding business?

    Sanctions and the crisis situation in the economy affected the domestic meat market. This, as well as the state support program for small and medium-sized businesses, contributes to an increase in the volume of domestic meat production, cattle breeding, pig breeding and rabbit breeding.

    Rabbit meat is a dietary, easily digestible meat, the taste of which will satisfy the needs of the most sophisticated gourmet. Most rabbit breeding farms are small private farms aimed at small wholesale buyers and retail trade.

    Having opened your own business in this segment, you will quickly find your buyer, provided that you have well-established management and active advertising.

    Advantages of a business idea:

    • quick payback;
    • high profitability;
    • diversification of business (sale of meat, fur, young offspring);
    • stable demand for products.

    Flaws:

    • labor-intensive production;
    • the need for regular cleaning of cages and animal care;
    • exposure of animals to stress and disease.

    Market prospects and level of competition

    In a year, one female rabbit reproduces a mass 50 times greater than her own. Using hybrid meat breeds, farmers increase this figure several times more. Rabbit farming is a promising industry in which production volumes can be quickly increased.

    Its weaknesses are dependence on temperature changes and the incidence of disease in the livestock, but they can be overcome by the correct approach to production and organization of the farm, as well as timely disease prevention.

    The level of competition depends on the region. In some (for example, in the Ural) the majority of rabbit farms are concentrated. In the Central, Volga, and Northwestern regions, breeding of these animals occupies only 5-10% of the market.

    Gestation in females lasts only 1 month. At one time, she produces 5-7 young offspring. After 4-5 months, the rabbit reaches adulthood and can be slaughtered for meat.

    Marketing plan

    The success of any business is well-established sales of products. Look for ways to sell meat and fur even at the stage of building a rabbit farm. Start active advertising a month before you are ready to sell your first batch of meat.

    Most buyers consider rabbit meat to be an expensive dietary product that they can treat themselves to during the holidays. When advertising your products, focus on the beneficial properties of meat.

    Don't forget about the possibilities of advertising on the Internet. Create your own website dedicated to your farm, talk about yourself on social networks, and involve your acquaintances and friends in spreading information about your business. Publish photo and video materials about your pets and their living conditions.

    When selling meat at the market, set up a display window and offer customers not only raw meat, but also rabbit stew, spices and seasonings for meat dishes. Make a bright sign, car stickers.

    Production plan

    To open your own rabbit farm, you need to select a suitable plot of land, purchase cages for animals, hire staff, and buy young livestock.

    Let's look at each stage of the production plan in more detail.

    Selection of land

    For a rabbit farm you need a dry, flat piece of land. For convenience and cleanliness of the area, concrete the space between the cells. To create a mini-farm, a plot of 16-20 acres is enough. In the first couples, use your own personal plot. The shed system for building cells in two or three tiers will allow you to increase the volume over time.

    If you rent an area, make sure that it is not damp or flooded during floods, as these animals do not like dampness. For a large-scale farm, you need a plot outside the populated area.

    The area of ​​the leased territory must contain:

    1. Animal cages.
    2. Utility room for storing feed and equipment.
    3. Equipped pit for storing manure.
    4. Carnage.
    5. Storage room for skins.
    6. Refrigerator for storing fresh meat.
    7. Staff quarters or a lodge where you can spend the night.

    Purchasing animal cages


    Shed cage system - safe and convenient keeping of rabbits

    At the initial stage of production, cells can be made independently. To make them you will need wood, brick, fine mesh netting, and slate. If you order custom-made cages in a carpentry workshop, it will cost more than purchasing ready-made sheds.

    For a large farm, purchase prefabricated stationary tiered cages, as well as carriers for moving animals to the slaughterhouse, live sale, and transplanting animals from one shed (tiered cage system) to another.

    Recruitment

    If you organize a mini-farm in your own backyard, you can easily get by with your own resources and those of your family members.

    For a large scale farm you will need staff. 6 people are enough to perform duties of maintaining cleanliness in the production area, feeding animals, and cleaning cages. We also need one slaughterer and one driver to deliver the carcasses to the point of sale.

    Buying rabbits

    For maximum farm productivity, choose several breeds for breeding.


    Be careful, not all breeds are suitable for raising for meat.

    The optimal ratio of livestock breeds presented in the table will provide you with meat, skins and down:

    When buying young animals from farms, make sure there is a veterinary certificate confirming their health.

    You will find additional information on the topic of rabbit breeding in the articles Rabbit breeding as a business And .

    Sales plan - who to sell finished products to

    The main directions of product sales are retail and small wholesale trade.

    Sales routes:

    • sales to small wholesalers;
    • local market;
    • supply to restaurants and other catering establishments, supermarkets;
    • advertisements on the Internet (Avito, other sites), own website.

    For free trade, register your farm with the tax authorities, receive a veterinary report on compliance with animal welfare standards and a certificate from the laboratory confirming the quality and safety of the product.

    The ideal sales option is to search for stable wholesale buyers.

    When offering cooperation to restaurants and supermarkets, demonstrate the quality of the meat, documentation confirming its safety, and leave a small trial batch. You must have a certificate from the SES, a phytosanitary certificate, and a GOST-R declaration in your hands.

    Possible forms of organization

    Breeding rabbits as a business requires mandatory registration with state and tax control authorities.

    There are several forms to choose from: personal subsidiary farming, individual entrepreneurship or peasant farming. Let's look at each of the legal forms in more detail.

    Individual entrepreneur

    Registration of an individual entrepreneur will provide you with more opportunities in trading rabbit meat, finding customers and wholesale buyers. To register, you need a passport, an individual identification number, payment of a state fee, and a notarized application for registration.

    By registering as an individual entrepreneur, you agree to pay taxes. Choose a simplified system or a single agricultural tax, as a representative of a small business in the agricultural industry.

    OKVED code 01.25.2 is the same for all forms of management: “Raising rabbits and fur-bearing animals on a farm.”

    Peasant farming

    This is a simplified form of individual entrepreneur without statutory documents, name, or contracts. By registering a peasant farm, you can apply for government support in the form of a grant, subsidy, or lending on preferential terms. You also have the right to unite with other peasant farms to obtain mutual benefits. Preferential taxation applies to your farm.

    Personal subsidiary plot

    Personal subsidiary farming is the optimal form of farming if you get by with the help of your family members without hiring hired labor, and also if you intend to raise rabbits on the territory of your personal plot. Private household plots apply for government support. When selling products grown in your own backyard, you have the right not to pay taxes.

    For a novice entrepreneur, it is preferable to use private household plots or peasant farms. You can register an individual entrepreneur when production and sales volumes become consistently large.

    How much money is needed to start a project - financial plan

    The costs of opening a rabbit farm need to be calculated at the project launch stage. To do this, find out the cost of cages, breeds of rabbits, feed, and rental of a plot of area of ​​interest to you.

    An approximate list of costs for opening a farm is presented in the table. It displays the mandatory costs that you will encounter regardless of the scale of your production and the chosen business and legal form:

    Nature of costs Amount in rubles
    1. Rent a plot 30,000 (average)
    2. Purchasing cells 50 000
    3. Purchase of 100 heads of young animals 30 000
    4. Primary purchase of feed 70 000
    5. Veterinarian services + utilities 20 000
    6. Purchase of equipment (drinkers, feeders, small equipment) 20 000
    Total: 220 000

    For regions with harsh climates, add to the list the costs of building a facility for keeping animals.

    Risk factors

    Difficulties await the beginning rabbit breeder. However, with a good business plan and sufficient theoretical training, he will easily overcome them.

    Risk factors include:

    • difficulties in caring for livestock;
    • sensitivity of rabbits to living conditions, diet;
    • infectious diseases that kill many individuals;
    • weak demand for products;
    • high competition in the region.

    To overcome the difficulties associated with raising animals, regularly contact veterinarians for preventive measures against infectious diseases. Keep the livestock indoors without drafts or dampness.

    Carefully inspect breeding individuals so as not to introduce new diseases with them. Monitor the quality of the feed so that it does not contain mold or rot.

    Download business plan

    Developing a detailed business plan with a project summary and calculations of income and expenses is your insurance against unnecessary expenses and failures. The more detailed you develop it and prepare a presentation of your project, the greater your chances of receiving government support for peasant farms.

    Download a free sample business plan. Use one or more examples as a basis for creating your own document.

    Any ready-made sample from the Internet is just a typical project that does not reflect the specifics of your idea. Do not use a project identical to yours without modifications. Develop your own. During its preparation, you will understand many aspects and gain the necessary knowledge about raising animals and marketing.

    To help beginning farmers, a video from the famous rabbit breeder E. Maklyakov:

    Conclusion

    Interest in healthy, dietary food is growing, which means the demand for rabbit meat will be consistently high. Rabbit farming is a legal and predictable type of business. By gradually increasing the scale of production, you will come to the point where production costs will become lower and your net profit will be higher.

    According to experts, the profitability of rabbit farming at the initial stage ranges from 60-65%. The next year of running a rabbit farm, you will increase profitability to 80-87%.

    The most expensive and difficult part of your journey is the start. Overcome difficulties and you will have an asset that gives stable growth and good profits.

    We wish you good luck in starting your own business! 2 ratings, average: 5,00 out of 5)

    Livestock farming is considered one of the most complex, resource-intensive and at the same time profitable areas of agriculture. However, this type of business is not necessarily characterized by multimillion-dollar investments in the purchase or construction of huge farms. For example, you can start rabbit breeding almost from scratch - just build a few cages and purchase young animals of a suitable breed.

    Breeding rabbits as a business - profitable or not? If the entrepreneur has a free plot of land, a personal subsidiary plot and access to a feed supply, the answer will definitely be positive - even taking into account the fact that in this case the products can only be sold to private clients, acquaintances and buyers at the agricultural market. If we are talking about creating a large rabbit farm and maintaining a herd of several thousand animals, then such a project requires careful calculations, analysis of market capacity and the development of a full-fledged business plan.

    Business Features

    in general, and rabbit breeding in particular, is a fairly promising area for entrepreneurs for the following reasons:
    • The rabbit meat sales market is only half full;
    • The product is superior in dietary and taste qualities to beef and pork;
    • The owner of a farm can count on tax holidays and various government subsidies;
    • Due to low costs, the cost per kilogram of products is significantly lower than that of other types of meat, and the selling price is high due to limited supply.

    Rabbit meat is used not only for preparing dishes in restaurants or at home, but also in the production of canned food, sausages, semi-finished products, as well as for providing meals to convalescent patients. Therefore, clients of a rabbit farm can be:

    1. Meat processing plants;
    2. Individuals with any level of income;
    3. Catering establishments;
    4. Medical institutions, hospitals, dispensaries;
    5. Enterprises and educational institutions with canteens.

    Rabbits reproduce and grow very quickly. After giving birth, the female is immediately ready for a new mating and, thanks to the possibility of combining the periods of pregnancy and lactation, can bear offspring up to six times a year. By the age of four months, representatives of meat breeds reach a marketable weight of 4–5 kg sufficient for slaughter, as a result of which meat production becomes almost continuous.

    Choosing a breed for breeding

    When considering where to start raising rabbits, you should first determine the priority area of ​​livestock farming:

    • Meat production;
    • Breeding of combined breeds (production of meat and skins);
    • Maintenance of fur and fur breeds;
    • Breeding decorative breeds.

    As a business, raising rabbits for meat, due to its high profitability, is most popular among entrepreneurs. The most common meat breeds include:

    • New Zealand white;
    • French ram;
    • Californian.
    Raising rabbits for meat and skins involves purchasing young animals of combined breeds with thick, beautiful fur and good meat yield:
    • Gray and White giants;
    • Riesen (German Giant);
    • Soviet chinchilla;
    • European and Poltava (Soviet) silver;
    • Vienna blue.

    To obtain rabbit fur or fluff, select breeds with beautiful thick wool of original colors. Despite the fact that fur-bearing rabbits have a smaller body weight, their meat is in no way inferior in taste to other varieties. Suitable for industrial breeding:

    • Russian ermine;
    • Rex white, blue, Russian, fiery, black;
    • Angora English or French rabbit.

    In a business plan for breeding rabbits, calculations must take into account the costs of forming a breeding herd. You should buy young animals only in nurseries or at special exhibitions after a mandatory examination by a veterinarian: the likelihood of purchasing sick animals of unknown pedigree at the poultry market is quite high. The cost of each specimen is determined by its age: meat and meat-skinned breeds are estimated at 420–450 rubles for each month of keeping on the farm.

    Drawing up a business plan

    Despite the apparent simplicity of the technology, the rabbit farming business has many subtleties that are sometimes unknown even to an experienced farmer. To assess the prospects for this type of activity, any entrepreneur can download a rabbit breeding business plan template for free and make their own calculation of the main economic indicators: a project presented in numbers is more visual than an abstract concept.

    The business plan of a rabbit farm consists of standard sections (overview, production and economic), however, such initial data as the cost of feed, breeding stock, land, market prices for products are purely individual and depend on specific regional conditions.

    In general, the project needs to consider the following issues:

    1. Description of the product, its advantages and benefits, justification of demand;
    2. Description of the enterprise, size of the breeding herd and expected increase in livestock;
    3. Analysis of the capacity of the regional market, the presence of large customers and competitors on it, proposed mechanisms for the sale of meat, skins and other products;
    4. Production plan - number and design of cages, desired location of the site, mechanisms for supplying young animals and preparing feed;
    5. Financial plan taking into account expenses and expected income;
    6. Strategy for searching new markets and enterprise development.

    It should be noted that downloading a business plan for breeding rabbits and adapting it for your own purposes is much easier and cheaper than ordering the development of a project from third-party organizations for 50–60 thousand rubles. An additional advantage in this case will be that the entrepreneur will gain some experience in carrying out economic calculations, without which even the most profitable business becomes risky and unpredictable.

    Options for registering activities

    Methods for legalizing the operation of a farm also require consideration in a ready-made business plan for breeding rabbits. The simplest organizational form is a personal subsidiary plot - in this case, the entrepreneur may not pay taxes, but has the right to sell products only to acquaintances or private buyers at collective farm markets.

    For private household plots it is necessary to register:

    • Farmer's health record;
    • Veterinary certificate about the health status of the animals and their vaccinations;
    • Certificate of laboratory analysis of meat and permission to sell;
    • Sanitary certificate for a vehicle used to transport products.

    In addition, in some regions the size of the breeding herd is regulated for private household plots. To get rid of such restrictions and be able to supply meat to retail stores, a business plan for breeding rabbits at home must include registration with the tax authorities as an individual entrepreneur or a peasant farm. In this case, it is necessary to choose a suitable taxation system: for a rabbit farm, the best option is the Unified Agricultural Tax at a rate of 6%.

    In general, individual entrepreneurs and peasant farms are identical from the point of view of taxation and accounting - the main differences are that a peasant farm may have several owners, and the entrepreneur who created it has the right to receive a state grant under the agricultural industry development program.

    Organizational matters

    A significant drawback when raising rabbits at home is the limitation of the total number of adults in the farm depending on the distance to residential premises. Thus, no more than 20 animals are allowed to be kept within 20 meters from the house. Therefore, in accordance with sanitary standards, for the construction of a large rabbit farm, use a site protected from the wind, located at a distance of more than 300 m from the nearest houses, other farms, wetlands and landfills.

    The area required to implement a business idea for breeding rabbits depends on the scale of the enterprise: all the structures necessary to maintain a herd of 1000 heads will be located on a plot of 10–12 acres. However, if you purchase or rent several hectares, the remaining territory can be used for growing feed crops - alfalfa, corn, beets or barley, which will ultimately lead to significant savings on the purchase of feed.

    Raising rabbits at home from scratch involves using one of four common technologies:

    • Breeding animals in closed premises with a controlled microclimate. In this case, the farm consists of one or more hangars equipped with artificial lighting, heating and ventilation systems. For small-scale production, a barn, garage or other outbuilding is used as such a room;
    • Using Mikhailov mini-farms. This design allows you to fully automate the process of keeping animals - it is enough to fill the feeders once a week, pour water into the drinking bowls and clean the receiving bin with waste. Mikhailov cages are also equipped with heating, which is especially convenient for beginners - raising rabbits at home is practically independent of seasonal fluctuations in the breeding cycle;
    • Keeping rabbits in multi-tier cages using the Zolotukhin method. The cages are placed along the walls in special long buildings (sheds) and covered with a common roof, which greatly simplifies the processes of feeding and cleaning using motorized equipment. The shed system is especially popular among summer residents and beginning farmers due to the possibility of arranging enclosures from scrap materials.

    Technology for raising rabbits in a pit. At the same time, there is no need to build a farm - just choose a dry, elevated place and arrange a brick-lined hole 1.6–2 m deep with several holes there. In addition to the advantages in the form of simplicity of rabbitry equipment and minimal requirements for start-up capital, breeding rabbits in pits as a business also has significant disadvantages: in such conditions it is impossible to keep animals of fur-bearing and meat-skin breeds, and close contacts of individuals provoke the instant spread of diseases among them. In addition, when raised in a pit, rabbits become smaller and run wild due to the impossibility of carrying out breeding work with them.

    Farm equipment

    The territory of the future farm needs to be landscaped: clear the site for construction, ensure connection to electrical networks and uninterrupted supply of water from a well, well or water supply system. In addition, according to sanitary requirements, the area with cages must be fenced with a solid or mesh fence 1.5 m high. In general, rabbit breeding as a business requires the construction of several structures, including:

    • Rabbit farms. In accordance with the selected conditions for raising rabbits, sheds with cages made of wood, OSB sheets and galvanized mesh are erected on the site, or rows of ready-made Mikhailov mini-farms are installed: each such block is designed to contain 20–25 rabbits and occupies 1.4–1.5 m² area;
    • Feed shop. For storing feed, a barn of suitable size is used, and in its absence, a hangar capable of accommodating a supply of hay, feed and root crops. When the cost of grain is low, it is advisable to purchase and install a granulator and crusher in the workshop in order to be able to prepare the feed yourself. An area of ​​10–15 m² is also being developed here for storing tools and motor vehicles;
    • Domestic premises. A small insulated house is needed for an overnight stay for a watchman and a veterinarian who monitors newborn rabbits around the clock. You can equip a room in the house for staff meals and rest, and allocate space for storing skins. If there is no suitable building on the site, a panel structure is erected or a 3x6 m block container is installed;
    • Carnage. As a business, raising rabbits for meat involves setting up a separate building for slaughtering animals: finishing such a room with tiles and metal should allow for regular cleaning and disinfection.

    The list of equipment for the slaughterhouse includes:

    1. Devices with hooks for hanging carcasses;
    2. Stainless steel tables and sinks;
    3. Knives and cutting boards;
    4. Refrigerated chambers for meat;
    5. Recycler of offal and waste (diesel or gas cremator).

    Manure collector. A manure pit equipped with an open canopy, at least 3 m deep, with concrete walls, is located at the maximum distance from the slaughterhouse and rabbit hutches (according to sanitary standards, at a distance of at least 100 m).

    Farm construction costs

    Name Amount, rub.
    Land plot 5 hectares with registration 110000
    Drilling and well construction 130000
    Electrical connection 5000
    Installation of mesh fencing for a farm 50x50 m 62000
    Purchase of 40 Mikhailov cells 480000
    Feed shop hangar 12x12 m 160000
    Arrangement of a manure collector 25000
    Household premises 3x6 m 80000
    Slaughterhouse premises 125000
    Cutting shop equipment 50000
    Low temperature meat cabinet 48000
    Gas waste cremator 50 kg 115000
    Mini tractor Belarus 287000
    Hand tools (shovels, forks, rakes, wheelbarrows) 25000
    Cell repair tool 15000
    Buckets, shovels for feed, drinking bowls 10000
    Total: 1727000

    Feeding the animals

    In a home business, raising rabbits involves including food waste, cabbage, various cereals and self-harvested hay in the animal's diet. However, with industrial maintenance, the entrepreneur will not be able to afford such a variety of feed, and therefore will be forced to purchase or procure:

    • Green food - meadow grasses, potato and beet tops, corn, alfalfa;
    • Dry food - silage, grass hay and branches of fruit trees, on which animals love to sharpen their teeth;
    • Juicy food - carrots, potatoes, beets;
    • Grain feed - compound feed, wheat, barley, oats, beans, corn grain;
    • Mineral supplements - chalk, salt, bone meal.

    The cost of a ton of hay is 5,000 rubles, root crops - 12,000 rubles, grain - 6,000 rubles, complete feed - from 8,000 to 12,000 rubles. Taking into account the daily feeding rate given below, in a business plan for breeding rabbits for a farm of 1000 animals, you need to allocate at least 500 thousand rubles a year for the purchase of feed.

    Daily feeding rate, g

    You can feed rabbits with regular water from a borehole or well, provided that it is odorless and free of foreign impurities. The water in the drinking bowls is changed every day.

    Meat and meat-skinned breeds usually comfortably withstand changes in air temperature over a wide range, so they can be kept outdoors throughout the year. However, there are some factors to consider when breeding and raising rabbits:

    1. Animals do not tolerate high humidity and drafts;
    2. The temperature in the cells should not rise above 30°C and fall below –20°C;
    3. The cage of the female with the rabbits needs to be additionally insulated and heated;
    4. Cages should be dry, ventilated and well lit;
    5. In cold climates, raising rabbits as a business involves building a separate room for wintering.

    In a breeding herd, there are four to eight females per male, who reach reproductive age at five to six months. The rabbit is kept separately and during mating is alternately placed with the female rabbits. After 28–30 days, offspring of 6–8 rabbits can be expected from each.

    The female is ready for a new mating immediately after giving birth, however, given the fact that she must feed the offspring with milk for 5–7 weeks, mating is recommended once every three to four months. When kept outdoors, the first mating is carried out in early April, and when breeding rabbits in heated cages, throughout the year. Thus, after 12 months, the offspring of one rabbit will number 40–70 heads.

    Financial investments and expenses

    Any involves the maximum use of all resources available to the entrepreneur. When considering, you should study the available material base and think through options for its use: for example, in a private farm, a slaughterhouse is set up in the summer kitchen, a feed shop is set up in the barn, sheds are built from scrap materials, and hay is prepared in the pasture independently. In general, the costs of setting up a farm are determined by the location of the existing land plot, the presence of buildings, water and power lines on it, and the size and cost of the breeding herd.

    Initial Investment

    A business such as raising rabbits at home is accompanied by current costs, which can be determined in terms of the year of operation of the farm, taking into account constant fluctuations in the size of the livestock:

    Current annual expenses

    Profit and profitability

    Income from rabbit breeding can only be calculated approximately, within the boundaries of the indicators, since neither the number of rabbits in litters, nor the survival rate of young animals, nor the final cost of meat on the market can be predicted in advance. The following minimum values ​​can be used as initial data:

    • The size of the breeding herd is 100 heads, of which 80 are females;
    • The average number of rabbits in litters is 6;
    • The number of births in the first year of work is 2, in the second and subsequent years - 3;
    • The maximum number of animals on the farm is 1060;
    • The market weight of a meat rabbit is 5 kg;
    • Meat yield from carcass - 60%;
    • The cost of a kilogram of rabbit meat is 425 rubles.

    Thus, in the first year it is quite possible to sell 960 carcasses weighing 3 kg each. The total income from their sale will be 1,224,000 rubles. When considering, we must also not forget about the sale of rabbit skins for 350 rubles per piece and manure for 1000 rubles per ton.

    Consequently, the total annual income of the farm can be estimated at 1,580,000 rubles, which, minus taxes and current expenses, is equivalent to 495,640 rubles of net profit. The profitability of a rabbit farming business in this case will be 45% with a payback period of 3.5 years.

    Advantages and disadvantages of business

    Building your own rabbit farm is a fairly important step that requires a balanced approach. Most of the pros and cons of the rabbit breeding business are well known to farmers and owners of farmsteads, but a novice entrepreneur should definitely familiarize himself with them in order to clearly imagine the specifics of agricultural activity. Among the main advantages of rabbit breeding are the following factors:

    1. Animals are characterized by high fertility and growth rate;
    2. There is a demand in the market not only for meat, but also for rabbit livers, skins, manure and even baby rabbits;
    3. Rabbit farming is one of the least expensive livestock industries;
    4. You can start a business with a small investment at home - just buy a herd of 20–30 heads and build several cages;
    5. The level of competition in the market is low, and demand is 50% higher than supply;
    6. You can work at a preferential tax rate of the Unified Agricultural Tax, or completely avoid taxation when organizing private household plots;
    7. If there are insulated wintering rooms or heated cages, rabbit breeding is not subject to seasonal fluctuations.

    The disadvantages of the rabbit farming business are as follows:

    • Rabbits are demanding in terms of living conditions; they do not tolerate cramped conditions, high humidity and drafts;
    • Animals need vaccinations and regular examinations by a veterinarian;
    • The mortality rate among young animals can be quite high;
    • Raising rabbits requires cleanliness, dryness, and hygiene;
    • Obtaining sanitary documentation is accompanied by a loss of time and money.

    Conclusion

    The attractiveness of the rabbit breeding business is fully explained by low competition, availability of technology and the possibility of rapid scaling. At the same time, working with animals requires certain training - without practical experience it is difficult to create optimal conditions for animals, choose the most effective mode of operation of the enterprise, and even simply cut up a rabbit carcass. In the following video, raising rabbits from the point of view of keeping and breeding technology is shown more clearly:

    We must not forget that the efficiency and profitability of an enterprise is determined primarily by the availability of distribution channels. As such, you can use not only agricultural markets, but also wholesale companies, supermarkets, and butchers. Of course, by concluding cooperation agreements with them, the entrepreneur assumes some obligations regarding the volumes and timing of deliveries, however, there are simply no other ways to create a successful business.
    11 voted. Rating: 4.91 out of 5)

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