Breeding rabbits as a business: profitable or not

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.

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

The topic of rabbit breeding is discussed by a successful Russian entrepreneur who has been professionally involved in various areas of agribusiness for more than 15 years. Participated in the creation and development of both his own and third-party projects. Has extensive knowledge in many areas of agricultural production. The article contains a short but very comprehensive business plan for breeding rabbits (up to 1000 animals per year) with specific figures for income and expenses.

 

Surely you know the saying: “ The surest way to throw money away is to invest it in agriculture" Well, the time has come to completely refute this saying and forget about it once and for all. After all, we will talk about one of the most stable and profitable areas - rabbit breeding as a business. Namely, about creating your own rabbit mini-farm, which will provide you with a constant source of income all year round.

Firstly, rabbit meat has exceptional dietary properties. In addition to the fact that rabbit meat contains all the essential amino acids, it is absorbed by the human body by 90% (pork, beef and lamb by only 60%) and helps regulate metabolism. And you can play well on these properties of rabbit meat. Agree that there are now more than enough people on a diet for one reason or another.

Secondly, the rabbit meat market is practically empty, and it won’t be difficult to break into it. This is primarily due to the fact that no one can compete with rabbit meat: neither poultry farms, nor pig farms, nor livestock complexes, i.e. this niche is actually empty. And ask yourself, how often do you see an abundance of domestically produced rabbit carcasses on supermarket shelves?

Organizational and legal aspects of running a rabbit breeding business

Before opening a mini-farm, let’s consider the two most acceptable forms of doing business: peasant farms and individual entrepreneurs.

Peasant farm (peasant farm).

In fact, the activities of a peasant farm enterprise are the same as an individual entrepreneur, but with only one difference: it may include citizens who jointly own the property of the enterprise and have the right to carry out any economic activity. At the same time, the peasant farm does not have its own statutory documents, constituent agreement and its own name. By registering a peasant farm in your own name, you become its head, or more precisely, an ordinary individual entrepreneur.

But whether it is worth accepting new shareholders or not depends on the situation, but I would answer this - no. Since, if successful, problems will inevitably arise with partners (shareholders), which can lead to the complete liquidation of the enterprise. In addition, according to the law, you have the right to manage a peasant farm as one person. The advantage of a peasant farm is that it can count on government support in the form of all kinds of subsidies and tax breaks.

IP (individual entrepreneur).

To be honest, in my opinion, this is the most acceptable form of business organization for a rabbit mini-farm. The fact is that the legal field of peasant farming does not have clear boundaries, and there have been constant disputes around this for a whole decade. And the so-called advantage of peasant farms in receiving government benefits and subsidies is completely smashed against the bureaucratic wall.

For example, to get a preferential loan for agricultural producers, you need to submit an application to the local district administration. The commission that considers such applications will include good men and women who are vitally interested in receiving these very loans. Now guess who will win the tender for a soft loan?

Tax form for rabbit farming

As a taxation system for this type of activity, it is worth choosing from two forms of taxation: Simplified taxation regime, income minus expenses or the Unified Agricultural Tax.

Economic activity type code

OKVED with coding - A.01.25.2 will suit you. What does it mean: breeding rabbits and fur-bearing animals on a farm. This group has restrictions prohibiting the production of skins and hides of animals obtained as a result of hunting and trapping.

Organization of material and technical base

In order to mechanize as much as possible the entire process of raising and keeping rabbits, it is best to use a shed system. A shed is a shed with a wood or metal frame that houses rabbit cages under one roof.

Place for a mini farm

To build a mini-farm, no special permission is required. All you need is to have a plot of land outside the city, owned or leased. The only catch is the permissible distance of the mini-farm from residential buildings. Such things are regulated by local governments, so find out in advance where you can install a farm and where it is unacceptable.

The place for the farm itself should be on a hill or on a piece of land with a slight slope.

Try to avoid low areas, as rabbits cannot tolerate high humidity. Ideally, the entire site for the farm should be asphalted, concreted or filled with gravel, and a storm drain and water drainage system should be installed.

So, the mini-farm project will allow producing 700-1000 rabbit carcasses per year, and the farm area will be about 800-1000 m² of land.

• Sheds - 3 pcs. Total area - 360 m².
• The feed shop and the car access to it are 200 m².
• Room for equipment and spare building materials - 40-50 m².
• Premises for slaughterhouse and refrigeration equipment - 40-50 m².
• Manure collector - 30 m².
• The rest of the area is passages and passages for a mini-tractor.

Sheds.

Sheds for rabbit breeding

Due to the fact that the cages in the sheds are located in one place, this significantly saves building materials and time for their maintenance. Cages in sheds are installed in two tiers, on both sides of a covered passage. To allow more light and fresh air into the cages with rabbits, windows measuring 20x100 cm are made on their back walls, with removable boards on hinges. The length of the shed can be arbitrary (in our case it is 20 m), the height is 240 cm, the width of the passage is 120-140 cm. The floor in the passage is concreted or asphalted with a slope towards the cages.

Rabbit cages

The cage for the main herd has a length of 100-130 cm, a width of 60-70 cm, with a front wall height of 55 cm, a back wall of 35-40 cm. For ease of manure removal, the roof of the lower tier cages is made with a slope back and is a second solid bottom for upper tier cells. There should be a similar tray for the cells of the lower tier.

All cages are best made from galvanized welded mesh(cell size 18X18, 20X20, 16X48 mm).

The cages in the sheds are divided into two compartments - feeding and nesting, and mesh nurseries are placed between them (cell size 35X35 or 25X50 mm), but feeders and drinking bowls are located under the nurseries, which significantly saves space. Thus, one shed can accommodate 60 cages, in which up to 400 young animals can be raised in a year.

Feed shop

A feed shop is a room where an impressive supply of concentrated feed (compound feed, grain) will be stored, which should be enough for 2-3 months. If desired, the feed mill can be equipped with a professional grain crusher (production capacity of at least 500 kg/h) and a granulator to independently produce feed and save on this cost item.

Also on the territory of the mini-farm there should be a room for spare equipment (feeders, drinking bowls, etc.) and building materials (mesh, boards, fasteners, etc.).

Slaughterhouse and refrigeration equipment

In case of mass slaughter of rabbits, it is necessary to build a separate room, or rather an extension to the building where the refrigeration equipment will be located. In the slaughterhouse, a separate place for slaughter is allocated, which is equipped with a blood flow and special equipment. oven for burning offal (heads, paws, entrails, illiquid skins, etc.). This approach allows you to create a continuous process for processing rabbit carcasses. That is, they killed it, cut it up, immediately packaged it and froze it.

Manure collector

A manure pit is an ordinary pit with concrete walls and an open roof (canopy). The depth of the pit is at least 3 meters, the width and length are arbitrary. The manure collector is located in the farthest corner of the farm and as far as possible from the shads, feed shop and refrigeration equipment.

Business process: raising and feeding rabbits.

Let's consider business processes for raising rabbits for meat.

What breed of rabbits is it profitable to breed?

Since the main product of a rabbit mini-farm is meat, the breeds of rabbits must be meat accordingly. There should be no downy, meat-skinned, and especially crossbred rabbits. At first glance, there is no difference in weight between adult rabbits of meat and skin breeds, but the latter already reach a live body weight of up to 3.5 kg by the age of 3 months. There are only three of them: New Zealand red, New Zealand white and Californian.

• New Zealand red. Adult rabbits reach a live weight of 4.5-5 kg. They are characterized by high growth energy, especially at an early age.
• New Zealand white. These rabbits are also distinguished by high growth energy, meatiness and early maturity. The live weight of young animals already at three months of age is 2.7-3.5 kg.
• Californian. The average daily growth of young animals of this breed is 40-45 grams. per day until two months of age, as a result of which these broiler rabbits reach a weight of 4.5 kg by 5 months.

My advice to you: do not buy breeding young animals at poultry markets. The best place to buy is specialized agricultural supplies. Exhibitions. Here you can find good suppliers of purebred rabbits, evaluate their products on the spot and compare the rabbits offered with breed standards.

Organization of feeding

I very often heard the opinion that rabbits are herbivores and you can get tons of rabbit meat from grass alone. Believe it or not, this is not true.

Succulent and herbaceous food (grasses, hay, straw, etc.) in the diet of rabbits in terms of nutritional value is only 15-20%, the rest is grain flour feed. At the same time, there are a huge number of diets for feeding rabbits, as well as the characteristics of the feed given to them. In order not to confuse you in all sorts of comparisons, below I will provide a table of the combined type of feeding. Be aware that succulent and grassy foods in this table are interchangeable.

Table No. 1: Maximum daily yields of basic feed for rabbits in grams.

Stern	Adult rabbits	Young animals aged, months.
		from 1 to 3	from 3 to 6
Grass of natural meadows	1500	200-500	500-900
Legume grass	1200	150-400	400-700
Green branches of deciduous trees	600	50-200	200-400
Beet tops	200	50	50-100
Feed cabbage	600	100-150	250-400
Cabbage leaf	300	100	100-200
Carrot	600	100-250	250-400
Fodder beet	200	100	100-200
Sugar beet	600	100-250	250-400
Turnips, rutabaga, turnips	400	50-100	100-200
Boiled potatoes	400	50-150	150-300
Raw potatoes	150	50	50-250
Silage	300	20-80	80-200
Hay	300	100	100-200
Cereal grain	150	30-60	60-100
Legume grain	50	10-20	20-30
Pancake week grain	20	5-10	10-15
Bran	100	5-20	20-80
Cake and meal	100	5-20	20-80
Meat and bone meal	15	5-10	10
Salt	2.5	0.5-1	1
Chalk	2	0.5-1	1

But the following table will help you understand not only the annual feed requirement for each category of rabbits, but also calculate the feed requirement for each day.

Table No. 2: The annual feed requirement of rabbits with a combined type of feeding.

Physiological state	Annual count kormodny	Feed in kg.
		concentrates	hay	roots	green stern
Female rabbit and male during the non-mating period	33	3.46	1.19	3.23	4.48
Female rabbit and male during breeding period	32	4.16	1.44	3.84	5.6
Female rabbit	120	16,8	6	15,6	23,1
Lactating rabbit	180	62,4	21,1	57.2	83,35
For one head of young animals from 45 to 120 days	75	10,14	3,14	-	11.97
In total for 24 heads of young animals	-	243,36	75,36	-	287,28
Annual requirement of replacement young stock	42	5,25	1,89	5,67	8,19
Male annual requirement	365	47,50	16,40	44	64
Male share per female rabbit	-	5,93	2,05	5,5	8
For one female rabbit with offspring (24 heads up to 4 months of age)	-	341,36	109	91	420

In the morning, rabbits are given succulent feed and greens, and in the afternoon and evening - concentrates (compound feed, grain). At the same time, rabbits must be provided with clean drinking water around the clock.

Rabbit breeding

When breeding rabbits, I use the following scheme. Shed has 60 cells, the upper tier of cells is occupied by females (14 cells) plus one male (1 cell). The remaining 45 cells are used to raise young animals. From each rabbit I get 3 litters: spring, summer and autumn. I keep young rabbits with a female together until they are 2 months old, and sometimes more (in late autumn). One female produces about 25 rabbits per year, which in total amount to 300-350 young animals (14 females multiply 25 rabbits).

It is impossible to determine the exact number of young animals, since mortality among rabbits is inevitable, so we will take a minimum of 300 pieces. This number of young animals is freely placed on the remaining tiers with cages (7-8 pieces per cage). As a result, we have the following data: 3 sheds multiplied by 300 pieces. rabbits and the output is 900 rabbit carcasses per year.

But I would not advise you to keep a separate herd for purebred breeding. If you calculate the maintenance of such a herd in terms of time and money spent on feed, then it will be easier to buy breeding replacement young stock every two years.

How to save on feed

As you understand, the main expense item in rabbit farming as a business is feed. It is very expensive to feed rabbits with purchased feed, it is impossible to grow grain on your own, and it is also impossible to reduce the amount of feed given, as this will lead to a sharp decrease in productivity. Therefore, the only way to reduce this expense item is start your own feed production.

All you need is a powerful grain crusher and a feed granulator, since rabbits are reluctant to eat ground grain. And, of course, raw materials in the form of grain and grain waste. This is precisely the essence of saving, because grain waste costs two times less than compound feed.

Below I will give 3 recipes for concentrated feed for rabbits of all ages.

1) Recipe No. K-92-1 concentrate feed for adult rabbits.

2) Recipe No. K-91-1 concentrate feed for young animals.

3) Recipe for concentrated feed for rabbits of all ages.

Do not try to prepare such succulent food for the winter yourself as silage and root crops. It’s one thing when you keep 20-30 rabbits, and a completely different thing when their number exceeds 1000. Procuring and growing such food will not only take a lot of time, but will also require significant investments in paying hired workers. The only exception is hay, since it is quite difficult to buy well-leafed and vitamin-rich hay.

Try as much as possible mechanize all manual labor. A good option in this case is a mini-tractor, which can be used to transport feed to the shads and remove manure. Also take care of automatic water supply for rabbits.

Ways of implementation

So we come to the main component of our rabbit business - the sale of meat. And here you need to consider all possible ways.

Own customer base

Creating your own customer base can be a good start. That is, acquaintances, relatives, acquaintances of acquaintances, and so on. This category of people should not be underestimated. There were times when I lost almost the entire batch of rabbits right from the yard. Some took live ones, others took ready-made carcasses, but something else is important, how to quickly and efficiently create this database?

With friends and relatives everything is clear, they called, came, bought, but strangers are attracted through advertising. Use any advertising: ads in newspapers, on the street, etc. The main thing is an acceptable pricing policy. Don’t raise the price of meat to the skies, make it affordable for all categories of buyers, and those who want to taste tender, homemade rabbit meat won’t have to wait long.

You can sell meat directly from the farm without any permitting documents. The exception is resellers who need a regular certificate from the veterinarian about the presence of rabbits.

Sales of rabbit carcasses through restaurants

Selling rabbit carcasses through restaurants seems very attractive at first glance. However, be prepared for the fact that almost every restaurant will refuse you. And all because most restaurants do not have rabbit dishes on their menus.

Therefore, you should not directly contact the administration of such establishments with an offer to buy rabbit meat. It’s better to contact the chef, and not with an offer to buy meat, but simply cook it and present him with 2-3 rabbit carcasses. For many, this approach will seem ridiculous, but believe me, it works great. Of course, not all restaurants will become your clients and at first you will lose some profit, but those who agree will become a stable sales channel.

However, here, unlike selling meat from the yard, you you will need a veterinary certificate form No. 2. In addition to the local veterinary department, be sure to contact the local SES, regional center for standardization and metrology. The fact is that all sorts of regulations governing the sale of meat are constantly changing, so you should get advice from the authorities described above.

The shops

Wholesale centers, shops and supermarkets are not an option within our project. It’s just that everything depends on the volume of meat produced, and our volumes are small - 2 tons of meat per year, which are made up of the following indicators: 1 rabbit carcass - 2 kg, 1000 carcasses - 2000 kg. It's all about certification of the farm itself, the slaughterhouse, the processing shop, etc. The annual registration and confirmation of all these documents will eat up the bulk of the profit. But if you decide to use this option, then I advise you to contact the sales points directly and resolve such issues individually.

When trying to sell rabbit meat through retail chains, you will encounter large wholesale suppliers, and these will mean extremely low prices for your product. And they are low to such an extent that they can completely ruin your enterprise. Such a sales route is appropriate only when the volumes produced exceed 5-6 tons of meat per year and additional sources of income are added to this.

Additional sources of income

Let's look at how to use by-products to generate additional income.

Rabbit skins

For the majority of the population, rabbits are not only tasty and dietary meat, but also fur. However, the situation with the sale of skins is terrible, but not a dead end.

When slaughtering rabbits, be sure to preserve the skins, and it does not matter what they are, summer or winter, since there is a buyer for each product. It’s just that the price for them is quite low, about 30-40 rubles. a piece. They are purchased mainly by large enterprises producing leather and fur products. Therefore, in your free time, be sure to look for those in your region. Of course, on this income item you won’t earn much, but at least you’ll pay back part of the same feed.

Litter

Natural organic fertilizers have always been and will be in price, but you can’t make a lot of money from manure due to the small volumes. Vermicompost is another matter. Biohumus is a liquid, highly concentrated fertilizer obtained as a result of fermentation of manure in special biogas plants. Surely you have heard about this, when natural methane gas is obtained from animal waste, but vermicompost is a by-product of processing. I saw a similar fertilizer, bottled in plastic bottles, in stores for summer residents, and people readily bought it. So no one is stopping you from doing this kind of business, and vermicompost has a long shelf life.

Inventory

Hopper feeders, rabbit watering systems and cage batteries are always in demand. Many owners of country houses prefer to raise small animals for their own needs in the warm season. For example, a 3-cell cell battery made of galvanized mesh and metal. profile, as well as equipped with feeders and drinkers, costs about 5-8 thousand rubles on the market.

Income and expenses of a business raising rabbits

Initial investment.

But here, dear rabbit breeders, I cannot give exact figures for the initial investment, even if I wanted to. And I won’t take them from the ceiling to paint a beautiful picture (as is done everywhere), looking at which one gets the impression of easy and multimillion-dollar earnings. After all, everything depends on the specific situation.

Firstly, prices for building materials are different in each region. Secondly, some already have the necessary equipment, supplies of building materials, the same mini-tractor, etc., while others will have to start from scratch. Therefore, I will simply provide a list of the necessary equipment and building materials, based on which you can easily calculate the initial costs for yourself.

• Building materials - metal profiles, galvanized mesh, roofing and lumber.
• Preparation of documents for a land plot. Owning it is expensive, renting is almost free.
• Improvement of a mini-farm - storm drainage, water drainage, asphalt, concrete or crushed stone.
• The costs of building a farm are payments to hired workers or your own labor costs.
• Equipment - mini-tractor, freezers, grain crusher, feed granulator.
• Breeding rabbits - at least 50 pieces at the age of 3-4 months.
• Possible expenses include purchasing equipment (I don’t recommend it, it’s better to do it yourself).

Income per month and per year

Annual expenses.

• Feed consumption per 1 production unit is 340 kg, multiplied by 5 rubles. per kg, we get 1700 rubles. and add 300 rubles to this amount. for other expenses: paperwork, fuel, etc. As a result, one unit of production costs us 2 thousand rubles. in year.
• In a mini-farm of 3 shads, we have 42 production units (14 females in each shad), multiply 42 units by 2000 rubles, and the annual expense will be 84 thousand rubles. But, as you know, everything is beautiful on paper, but in reality it’s different, so let’s add a couple of force majeure events to this figure and round it up to 100 thousand rubles. in year.

Annual income.

• One production unit is 50 kg of rabbit meat (25 carcasses of 2 kg each). Let's be realistic, since most of your customers will not pay any attention to the dietary and beneficial qualities of rabbit meat. For them, the main thing is the price of the product, so we will set it within 200 rubles. per kg. And we get the following figure - 10 thousand rubles. from one production unit.
• Then everything is simple, from 10 thousand rubles. we take away our expenses - 2000 rubles. and we get net profit - 8 thousand rubles, which we multiply by 42 production units - 336 thousand rubles. in year. This is about 30 thousand rubles per month.

Of course, these are not petrodollars, but also not a meager salary at some municipal enterprise. This income will be fully consistent with your labor costs on the mini-farm, which will be 3-4 hours a day.

Last argument: no one is stopping you from expanding production over time. As soon as the system works and proves itself, and you realize that you are capable of more, then boldly move forward, exploring more and more new markets.

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 certificate 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)

Today I would like to bring to your attention an article: “Raising rabbits – is it profitable or not. Let’s calculate the profitability of rabbit breeding.”

Lately I’ve been getting a lot of questions: “How am I doing with rabbits and their breeding? Are there any disappointments in rabbit farming? Many readers are also interested in: “Is it profitable or not to breed rabbits? What is the profitability of rabbit farming?

I would like to immediately answer a number of questions, then go into more detail on the answers. I have not given up breeding rabbits. On the contrary, I am becoming more and more involved in studying the topic of rabbit breeding, and I plan to devote part of my future village life to this area.

Is it profitable to breed rabbits? I believe that raising rabbits is profitable and profitable. You will definitely always have meat. I advise everyone who still has doubts about this issue to take it and try it. You definitely won't regret it.

Now I'll move on to the extended answers.

Why did I hesitate for a long time to breed rabbits?

The main reason why raising rabbits kept getting delayed was because of my constant doubts and inquiries from the local village population about rabbits. Did you keep it or not? For what reason did they refuse? What are the difficulties of rabbit farming? Almost everyone said that rabbits are not profitable, they constantly get sick and die, they need to be constantly vaccinated, and they only cause losses. And if other people’s rabbits die and it’s not profitable to raise them, why do I need this?

The problem of slaughtering rabbits was also very important. I couldn’t even imagine that I would take a cute fluffy animal by its hind legs, hit it on the head with a stick, pull off its skin and then try to eat it. Horrible! It’s unpleasant to think about it, let alone perform it and do it, and even personally, with your own hands. Brrrrr…. From the idea of ​​the upcoming reprisal, goosebumps began to run across the skin in a large crowd, sweat profusely appeared from the emotions.

The following events helped me dispel all doubts.

The first was a local newspaper with an article that told how an ordinary village boy for 12 years raised rabbits himself and everything worked out for him. I mentioned this in the article:

Re-reading the newspaper article several times, I couldn’t understand how it happened that a 12-year-old boy from an ordinary village started breeding rabbits, everything worked out, but the adult villagers did not. Something is wrong here. What is the mystery? How am I an adult worse than a 12 year old boy? How?

The second event happened by chance. A year ago, in winter, I bought nails in the regional center. And the owner of a small shop asked where I was from and why I needed so many different nails. Word for word, and fifteen minutes later he knew what village I was from and was very surprised that I didn’t keep rabbits on my farm. When I expressed my doubts to him and referred to the experience of the local villagers of my village, this man of about 60 years old laughed for a very long time, tears appeared in his eyes, his eyes turned red from laughter. I obviously made him laugh a lot. To his satisfaction, laughing and wiping his eyes, he said: “Listen to everyone else. It is profitable to keep rabbits. You need to be aware of them, have an idea of ​​how and what to feed. It is necessary to understand how these animals live, to know more about them. Study and read books, listen to the advice of others, but do not forget to think with your own head, discard everything unnecessary. The main thing is to try, learn from your mistakes, don’t stop and everything will work out.” He also gave me some advice, which I listened to and realized that my random interlocutor was right. What did the stranger manage to tell me?

Rabbits should not be housed with other domestic animals: chickens, pigs, cows in the same common room. Try to allocate a separate clean shed for them. Rabbits grow better in enclosures than in cages. In the summer, do not place the cages outside in a sunny place. Find them a cool, cold place. Try to avoid contact between rabbits and other animals, especially poultry. Make a rule for yourself: when entering a designated barn with rabbits, always change your shoes and clothes, do not bring dirt to them. Do not take other people's rabbits for mating and do not give them your own. This will significantly reduce the likelihood of transmitting diseases. When purchasing rabbits, check very carefully how and in what conditions they are kept, and at what level the seller is engaged in rabbit breeding. Is he a professional or just someone who likes to earn extra money?

The third event was my constant reflection on which animals in the village were the most profitable to raise. And again all the rivulets of doubt disappeared, and preferences and sympathies were reduced and confined to rabbits.

Thus, having been in thought and hesitation for more than two years, I came to the conclusion that it is necessary to start breeding rabbits on my own private farm; there is no point in delaying it any further. Your personal experience will dot all the i’s correctly. Which I do now with great pleasure.

Profitability of rabbit farming.

Now I will share my thoughts and considerations regarding the benefits and profitability of rabbit breeding.

What do I know for sure? A female rabbit carries her babies for 30 days. At birth, one female rabbit gives birth to offspring from 5 to 9 rabbits. You can breed one female rabbit 5-6 times a year. In this case, the total number of offspring will be at least 25 animals (I took into account the very minimum values, we breed 5 times a year and each time the offspring should be 5 rabbits). If you feed all 25 rabbits born, taking into account that the net weight of meat will be 3 kilograms from each carcass. You will end up with at least 75 kilograms of rabbit meat per year from one female rabbit. Almost like a pig carcass.

Having grown this amount and slaughtered the rabbits, you can decide for yourself where to put the meat. Keep it or sell it. Set any selling price.

The data I provide is minimal. Reality allows you to get a lot more rabbits and meat.

I will immediately answer a number of questions that readers of the article may have.

Why did the net weight of meat from one rabbit carcass turn out to be 3 kilograms?

Here, in my calculations, I take my own data, which took place during my short experience in breeding rabbits. The rabbits in my yard are outbred, so-called village ones. No one knows their pedigree, where they came from, what kind of blood flows in their rabbit veins. (Why exactly do I have these rabbits on my farm? Details in the following articles on the site). The net weight of meat after slaughter is 2.9 - 3.4 kilograms. The age of rabbits at the time of slaughter is 6 – 7 months.

Why do I count the number of baby rabbits born as 5?

I want the story to be believable, without exaggeration or embellishment; it’s better to take some of the parameters to the bare minimum. Although my rabbits gave birth to 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 rabbits. There was no less than 6. Mostly 7 or 9. Now I’m starting to cull the rabbits into the best ones and the not so good ones. Thanks to this, I hope to increase the offspring from one rabbit and get more rabbit meat.

I think we've sorted out the meat.

Now let's calculate the cost of keeping rabbits.

I will not take into account the costs of cages, enclosures, drinking bowls. At the first stage, these investments are one-time and each one has its own individual investment. It all depends on the conditions of keeping rabbits in cages or enclosures, the erudition of the rabbit breeder himself, his wishes and financial capabilities. You can make it yourself or buy cells at different prices, investing huge amounts of money, or you can modestly make them yourself in a rustic way. Like this? Details in other articles in the Rabbits section. Subscribe to new articles, the subscription form is at the very end.

Let's move on to feeding the rabbits. Rabbits are not known to be rodents. They eat: grass, vegetables, fruits, tree branches, oats, hay, straw. Almost all products for feeding rabbits can be prepared in the forest or grown in your own garden, which is what I did in the spring and summer. I only bought oats. How much is it? Let me give you an example. Now on my farm there is one rabbit, nine adult rabbits, twelve rabbits aged 4 months, fifteen rabbits aged 2.5 months and newborns from three rabbits. The total number of rabbits of different ages eating oats is currently 37 individuals. Feeding them takes up to 2 bags of oats in the winter month, costing 180 rubles per bag and weighing 28 kilograms. It is simply impossible to calculate all other products collected and grown with one’s own labor. My total costs for feeding rabbits in winter are 360 ​​rubles per month. These data are approximate due to the growth of the rabbits themselves, the birth of new ones and the slaughter of adults.

What other costs are there for keeping rabbits? I would like to say that in the summer, gasoline is one of my significant expenses. Traveling by car to pick up grass, branches, and making hay. It is very difficult to calculate how much it was spent due to the combination of trips. Like this? I have always combined business with pleasure and vice versa. When you go for firewood, you make sure to mow the grass and cut branches for the rabbits. I went to pick cherries, apples, currants, sea buckthorn or mushrooms, and again I brought a trailer of grass and branches. I went to the regional center, on the way back there was the same grass and branches. If I specifically chose to harvest hay and branches, I traveled short distances from the village, up to 2 kilometers, to save gasoline. Yes, and there is no point in traveling far when everything is nearby.

So is rabbit farming profitable or not? Of course it's cost-effective. Firstly, I always use dietary meat, without chemicals or additives. Real, useful. In any season. In any quantity. And the most important thing is not purchased, but your own. You know exactly what you are eating! At what cost can this be estimated? What money? I don’t think this is calculated; you definitely can’t save on yourself and your health.

Secondly, the surplus can always be sold. There are no problems with selling rabbit meat in my village. Not many local residents raise rabbits, just a few. The sales market exists. There are resellers who charge rabbit meat for 260 rubles per kilogram. There are also willing villagers. The price for the local rural population is currently 300 rubles per kilogram of pure rabbit meat. There are no big queues. But there is not a lot of rabbit meat on sale, but very little. Those residents who breed rabbits in the village keep them mainly for themselves. Meat is rarely sold. And this makes me, a novice rabbit breeder, happy.

I would like to summarize the article.Raising rabbits is beneficial to me personally at this time and in this place, in my village. I will continue to work on this matter in the future. I definitely won’t quit. I see only advantages and future prospects in this direction of livestock farming. The positive aspects can be expressed in two words: rabbits reproduce themselves quickly, constantly and a lot, you can feed them by preparing food yourself, on your own, spending money within reasonable limits. In the near future, I just need to increase the livestock and start selling meat on a regular basis, monthly. Consider purchasing meat rabbit breeds. At the moment, there are still many mysteries of rabbit breeding that are not clear and have not been tested by me, requiring experiments, trial and error. After all, there is simply no limit to the perfection of proper rabbit breeding.

Are there any problems? Of course, there are many mistakes, there have been and there will be. Read about many that had to be overcome and comprehended, solved and corrected in the near future; new articles are expected to be published.

Good luck to you and your loved ones!

Receive blog articles by email! Read them first!

Enter the required data to know where to send you a treat:

Rabbit farming as a business is one of the most promising types of livestock farming. To open your own business, you will need to resolve a number of organizational issues (individual entrepreneur or peasant farm, selection of land for rent), arrange the site in accordance with the tasks of rabbit breeding, select and purchase the appropriate breed/breeds of rabbits, establish sales channels, slaughter and waste-free production.

A carefully drawn up business plan will eliminate mistakes and unforeseen expenses that arise during the purchase of equipment and landscaping.

• Worth reading:

State and characteristic problems of rabbit breeding in Russia

Rabbit breeding is a promising part of livestock farming in the Russian Federation. In accordance with the draft target program “Development and increase in rabbit production in the Russian Federation for 2014-2020,” it is necessary to increase meat production to 50 thousand tons per year, as well as increase the livestock to 750 thousand heads. According to experts, the unmet demand for rabbit meat is over 300 thousand tons per year.

According to information from the State Statistics Committee for 2010, the total consumption of all types of meat per year per capita is 71 kg, with rabbit meat accounting for 6-8%, which corresponds to approximately 2-3 kg per person. However, the current production (10-15 thousand tons) allows us to provide only 70 grams per capita per year.

The main suppliers of rabbit meat are private small farmsteads, which are not able to adequately meet the needs of the Russian market. As a result, the share of imports into the Russian Federation is almost 85%. The main importers of Russia are China, as well as Hungary (27%) and the Czech Republic (3%).

Mechanized rabbit farm: features of production technology

When using modular complexes for raising rabbits, it allows you to place up to 1-2 thousand queen rabbits in each building. Production is year-round continuous due to the maintenance of a given temperature (16-25 degrees) and humidity (60-70%) in modular complexes. Feeding is carried out with granulated feed based on grass meal.

When drawing up a business plan, there are 2 reproduction schemes:

• 6 week cycle;
• 7 week cycle.

With a 6-week cycle, slaughter is performed on days 75-77. According to the business plan, the live weight of rabbits is 2.5-2.6 kg, and the carcass weight is up to 1.45 kg. With such a system, the exploitation of queen rabbits does not exceed 1 year.

With a 7-week cycle, rabbits are slaughtered at 89-91 days. By this period, live weight is 2.7-2.8 kg, and carcass weight is up to 1.7 kg. This scheme assumes the operation of queen rabbits for 1 year and 3 months.

The fertility of female rabbits is approximately 80-85%. If we take into account the number of rabbits born (9.5 units), the number of those surviving on the third day (about 8.1), then we get 7.7 heads per female, which is 20% of natural mortality.

Since rabbits quickly get used to a certain feeding regimen, they should choose and stick to a specific regimen. There are 2 types of feeding used on a rabbit farm:

• combined;
• granulated.

The business plan takes into account not only the prices of feed and hay, but also their possible fluctuations for the specified billing period.

An example of organizing a mechanized rabbit farm

You can start a rabbit farming business with a small financial investment. With an investment of up to 5 million rubles, you can count on 121 mother rabbits. This quantity is typical for small rabbit farms with no automation. For a mechanized farm, you can use a standard business plan designed for 1000 rabbits with an investment of 35 million rubles and a payback of 4-5 years. In this case, a hybrid French breed of rabbits is bred.

What can you expect from such production?

With a population of 1,000 rabbits, the production of finished products per year is about 80 tons. At the same time, the cost of production is 170 rubles, and the retail price is at least 320 rubles. It should be taken into account that the production of rabbits is practically waste-free - rabbits can be raised to sell not only meat, but also skins and offal. This is all spelled out in the business plan.

Special equipment on a mechanized farm is cage equipment with automation of feeding, drinking water supply, manure removal and climate control. Only 2 people will be required to service one modular complex for 1000 rabbits. As a result, the business of breeding rabbits is not so complicated and labor-intensive.

• Read also:

Mini-farms: features of rabbit breeding according to Mikhailov’s method

Rabbit breeding as a business does not necessarily have to be on an industrial scale (from 1000 queen rabbits). Mikhailov’s technique in special mini-farms, feeding without growth-stimulating additives.

On average, one mini-farm can accommodate up to 30 rabbits (on average 12-13 heads). At the same time, the mini-farm itself occupies an area of ​​1.4 square meters. m. As a result, a small rabbit breeding farm, consisting of 16 mini-farms, occupies an area of ​​​​about 1 hundred square meters.

Heating will be required in the cold season - at air temperatures less than +10 degrees (constant heating - at temperatures below +8 degrees). When developing a business plan, heating costs are taken into account, as well as water supply to mini-farms for breeding rabbits.

Selecting and equipping a farm site

The plot for rabbit breeding should be located at a distance from residential buildings. A plot of land can be either purchased or rented.

Initially, it is necessary to calculate the number of cells on the site, determine their location, and also provide for the construction of a room (sheds) in which mini-farms will be located. Naturally, it is necessary to maintain a certain temperature and humidity conditions in the premises all year round. And this will require the installation of ventilation and heating systems, as well as climate control systems.

The next thing that needs to be included in the business plan is the maintenance of the cells themselves. When organizing a small-scale rabbit breeding business, 1 person can handle shed maintenance. At the same time, farm automation systems should be considered, including systems for supplying water, feed, and manure removal.

To store food you will need to equip a special room. However, for storing equipment and building materials, it is also worth considering the construction of a small hangar on the site. To slaughter rabbits, you need to set up a slaughterhouse with a meat compartment and a refrigerator.

Rabbit farming as a business is practically waste-free production. Rabbit manure can also bring profit (good fertilizer), so it is necessary to equip a pit on the site for its storage.

The choice of cells is the main task that will need to be solved before or immediately after renting/purchasing a plot . If you are drawing up a business plan for a small farm for breeding rabbits, you can make your own cages according to freely available drawings, or purchase ready-made solutions.

Among the most popular mini-farms, Rabbitax should be highlighted. This is a system for rabbit breeding with automation of excrement collection, elimination of fumes and odors, protection from insects, predators, rodents, drafts, and dampness. There is heated water in drinking bowls and nesting boxes. The Rabbitax-4 module for 4 compartments (248 kg) in the standard version of queen cells will cost 21-22 thousand rubles.

Choosing a rabbit breed for breeding

In total, over 200 breeds of rabbits are known, of which no more than 15 are suitable for breeding for the purpose of selling meat and skins. There are 3 types of breeds that can be bred:

• meat-skin;
• downy;
• meat.

You should start a rabbit breeding business with meat-skin breeds.

Large meat-skinned breed. Live weight is 5-6 kg, fertility is about 8 heads in one litter. Slaughter yield up to 54%.

Large breed. The live weight of adults is 5-5.5 kg, and the fertility is 7-8 young rabbits. Slaughter yield - up to 58%.

Chinchilla rabbit

A breed of rabbits of heterogeneous color, the average weight of which is 5 kg. Fertility - 7-8 rabbits. Slaughter yield up to 63%.

Black-brown

Also refers to large meat-hide breeds with an average weight of 5 kg. Fertility is 8 or more rabbits per litter. Slaughter yield is 58% (for 4-month-old young animals - 69.3%).

Californian and White New Zealand

They belong to fur breeds. Mainly used for the production of broiler rabbits. Live weight - 4 kg, in a litter of up to 4 rabbits. Slaughter yield - up to 60%.

Naturally, these are not all breeds suitable for breeding. A profitable rabbit business can also be organized with the cultivation of other breeds (for example, White Downy, Butterfly, Vienna Blue, etc.).

Financial plan: expenses and income when organizing rabbit breeding

The cost items of the business plan, without taking into account the arrangement of a plot for breeding rabbits, include:

• plot rental;
• purchase of cells (mini-farms);
• purchasing rabbits;
• feed costs;
• maintenance costs;
• employee salaries.

Initial conditions and costs

A business plan for breeding meat rabbits will look like this:

1. Mini-farm "Rabbitax-4" - 22 thousand rubles, rabbits of the Gray Giant breed (1 individual) - 650-1000 rubles (~825 rubles).
2. Production conditions: 96 rabbits (4 female rabbits) per year with 3 litters.
3. Feed costs. For 4 rabbits, the weight of the feed is 180 kg, taking into account 96 young rabbits - 1440 kg. Total: 1440 kg x 7.5-9 rubles = 10.8-12.9 thousand rubles. (~11.85 thousand rubles).
4. Costs for hay. For breeding rabbits - 90 kg, including young animals - 810 kg. Expenses - 810 kg x 3.5 rubles = 2835 rubles.
5. Water costs. On average, water consumption will be 7.5 thousand liters.
6. Electricity costs (heating at air temperatures less than +8 degrees) - 0.5 kW/h.
7. Labor costs. It will take 10 minutes to maintain 1 mini-farm. In the morning and in the evening. Total - 20 min. per day.

Total expenses excluding labor costs, electricity consumption and water consumption according to the business plan average: 11.85 thousand rubles + 2.84 thousand rubles = 14.69 thousand rubles.

Estimated income from rabbit farming

The rabbit breeding business with the specified initial data generates income from the proceeds:

• Meat. 90 pcs x 2.5 kg = 225 kg. The minimum wholesale price is 210 rubles (average retail price ~360-370 rubles/kg). Total: 47.25 thousand rubles.
• Liver. 96 pcs x 80 g = 7.7 kg. The average price of rabbit liver is 350-400 rubles/kg. Total - 7.7 x 360 = 2.77 thousand rubles.
• Fur. On average, a rabbit skin costs 100 rubles/piece. Total = 96 pcs x 100 rubles = 9.6 thousand rubles.
• Fat. Rabbit fat is used in perfumery and medicine. The cost is about 150 rubles/kg. Total: 96 pcs x 0.07 kg x 150 rubles = 1 thousand rubles.
• Fertilizers. Rabbit manure is a good fertilizer that can be sold to farms. Income - 2500 kg x 0.4 rubles = 1000 rubles.

Total income for the year will be (thousand rubles): 47,25 + 2,77 + 9,6 + 1 + 1 = 61.62 thousand rubles.

Total costs(thousand rubles): 22 (mini-farm) + 3.3 (4 breeding individuals) + 14.69 (maintenance) = 39.99 thousand rubles.

Net profit(excluding costs for maintaining mini-farms, electricity and water): 61.62-39.99 = 21.63 thousand rubles. This is income from 1 mini-farm “Rabbitax-4”, taking into account the cost of equipment and breeding rabbits.

By increasing the mini-farm for breeding rabbits, the business will generate significantly more income. It all depends on the selected breeds, the number of mini-farms and the reproduction cycle.