Before You Begin Rabbit Breeding

There are a few things that you need to know before you begin rabbit breeding for your rabbit farm. It is important to be prepared so that you can tackle challenges as they come. Typically, the first litter of a doe does not survive, at least half, but sometimes not at all. Without this knowledge, it's easy to grow discouraged.

Know your reason for breeding, whether you plan on improving a certain breed, meat production, wool production, or improving the overall health of your own herd. Having a reason in mind will help you as you select your initial breeding stock, and as you select which pairs to breed together. Part of this is having a market prepared to sell to. Although it is possible to sell rabbits as pets, the pet rabbit market is saturated, and will not turn a very big profit. The meat and fur markets are much better, but can still be difficult to break into at first.

Know how much space you will need. Because different markets can be difficult to get into, you may need to hold onto more rabbits than you originally planned. And if you are working on improving your herd or the breed as you sell others, you may end up holding onto some rabbits longer to see if they can be added to your breeding stock. You will also need to have space available to isolate sick or injured rabbits, so be sure you are prepared with enough space to house all the rabbits. Keep in mind that too many rabbits in one cage could lead to fighting.

Know rabbits well. If you have never even owned a pet rabbit before, it is important that you have your rabbits for at least a couple of months before breeding so that you are familiar with rabbits. This will help you understand the way they typically are so you can watch for problems or other signs. Although rabbit breeding is not an over-complicated procedure, you need to be well-read to be able to quickly deal with any problems that may arise.

Know that you will have to be flexible. Rabbits can give birth at any time, so you will need to be ready to be there to keep an eye on things during and after the birth. They rarely need assistance, but it's still important to be there to be sure everything goes smoothly. You will also have to keep a careful eye on the kits and mother afterwards to be sure they are staying in the safety of the nest and that she is producing enough milk for all of them. Once you have this knowledge, you are ready to start rabbit breeding.

Alan B. Stables is a freelance writer on alternative agriculture, has organized alternative agriculture events and has also been a guest speaker in Brazil, China, Egypt, Italy, Latvia and Spain, on how to market agricultural produce for maximum returns.
One of his major contributions is assisting people on making a living from rabbit farming by raising and marketing meat rabbits.

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