How To Start A Rabbit Farm In Nigeria: A Template On Rabbit Farming
I know you know what rabbits are. I’m very certain of that. Therefore, I will spare you the bullshit of explaining rabbits. What you might not know however is what it takes to start a rabbit farm in Nigeria.
A lot of questions are always asked on how to rabbit farming. Some of them are; how do I start a rabbit farming business? How do I go about starting a rabbit farm? How do I get a business plan template to start a rabbit farm in Nigeria? We will do our best to answer most of these questions.
The good news is that rabbit business is very lucrative for any entrepreneur who likes animal husbandry and livestock farming. It is relatively unexploited compared to other animal rearing businesses. It is also relatively less expensive to start. It requires more of your knowledge on the subject.
The business can be situated anywhere even at your backyard. Get some male and female rabbits and you are good to go.
Related: Tips on how to start turkey farming in Nigeria
The Advantages of rabbit farming
- Rabbits are very prolific in nature
- Rabbit meat is medical and is therefore recommended over other normal red meat.
- The mortality rate of rabbits is very low.
- Rabbits are less aggressive and require minimal handling
The following are tips to seriously consider if you want to start a rabbit farm Nigeria.
Also Read: How to start modelling business in Nigeria
Tips on how to start rabbit farm in Nigeria
-
Breeding materials has to be available
When you decide to start a rabbit farm in Nigeria, you have to get the required materials at the lowest possible cost. The materials you will need are the rabbits, breeding cages, feeds, concentrates, labour when needed etc. They are the raw materials you will use to start a rabbit farm in Nigeria.
-
Knowledge is power. Get some on rabbits
This is important if you will do well when you start a rabbit farm in Nigeria. You need to avoid unnecessary losses due to diseases and other factors. You should know virtually everything about rabbits; their diseases, gestation period, feeding pattern, etc.
-
Get a rabbit farming business plan
I don’t need to remind you of the importance of having a business plan for your business. You must get a business plan for your rabbit farm ready.
-
The rabbits will be kept somewhere. Decide where
It is rabbit farming you want to start and so, the most important commodity here is the rabbits. You have to know where to get the rabbits otherwise every other preparation will just be in vain. When you have them, you will also decide on where you will house them. They are reared in hutches and cages. Factor in sun light and rain fall when situating your rabbit house.
-
Feeding the rabbits
When you start a rabbit farm in Nigeria, you will need to feed them to keep them alive. Rabbits feed on either compounded feed or grasses like elephant grass, potato, shrubs, leaves and herbs. They must be given food at least twice a day. They have to be given clean drinking water with clean containers. Know their exact daily ration to avoid waste.
Rabbits reproduce at amazing rate. They start breeding from 4-5 months of age. The gestation period is 31 days. The doe gives birth to 6-10 kits at once. They can reproduce seven times a year and can produce up to 50 kits a year. The kit is child rabbit while the doe is the female rabbit.
-
Factor in your overall expenses
As earlier stated, starting a rabbit business is not expensive. You need to however know your overall expenditure when you want to start a rabbit farm in Nigeria. You have to minimize cost in such a way that it will not affect your profit.
-
Marketing your rabbits
The last but not the least is marketing your product. Production will be useless without marketing except it is on the subsistence level. You have to know the people you are producing for. You have to have a plan to advertise your products so as to make sales. There has to be marketing strategy in place otherwise you will just end up producing for yourself and your family.
You must know the market strategies and the level of demand; as this will help you avoid unnecessary loss and regrets.
