Guidelines in Raising Rabbits
For Meat - What to Consider In This Business
Raising rabbits for meat is a
common business but it requires more dedication and attention
compared to normal pet rabbit care. In this kind of business,
the first thing that should be considered is the breed of
rabbit to produce. The types which are commonly used in the
business of raising rabbits for meat are the Californians and
New Zealands because they are the fastest producing breeds.
Most owners have purebred stocks of these types while some
crossbreed them to produce babies that grow more quickly and
are more vigorous. The New Zealand breed is one of the most
popular among rabbit meat because they can already be sold in
the market in just 8 weeks. The Californians, on the other
hand, are highly demanded because of their plump yet
fine-boned body structures.
Rearing rabbits for meat is a business which is highly
dependent on the quality of feeding that the producer does to
his pets. Generally, rabbits are kinds of animals which
consume different kinds of foods. However, if a producer wants
to get quality meat, only commercial pellets or alfalfa hay
should be given to them. Feeding these animals with lettuce or
cabbage is not recommended because these vegetables can cause
diarrhea problems. Giving the proper amount of the food is
also important in raising rabbits for meat because overfeeding
will cause too much accumulation of body fat. Once a doe
becomes too fat, it may have some problems with kindling or
breeding.
Knowing when to breed the parents is also important in
keeping
rabbits for meat. Medium breeds are usually bred between 5-6
months while large breeds are not bred until they are 8
months. In choosing the animals to breed, make sure to choose
those that are healthy and are not closely related. In mating
the doe and the buck, the doe should be the one which should
be placed in the cage of the buck because female rabbits are
often territorial with their own cages.
The gestation period of these animals takes 31 days. The
actual birth of the young also happens in this time frame.
Also make sure that the doe is already placed in a comfortable
nest a few days before her actual giving birth. Feeding the
babies should not be a problem because the does naturally
nurse their young. In cases when the mother has died though,
the babies should be fed with a mixture made of skim milk, egg
yolks, karo syrup, and bone meal.
Raising rabbits for meat is a
common business but it requires more dedication and attention
compared to normal pet rabbit care. In this kind of business,
the first thing that should be considered is the breed of
rabbit to produce. The types which are commonly used in the
business of raising rabbits for meat are the Californians and
New Zealands because they are the fastest producing breeds.
Most owners have purebred stocks of these types while some
crossbreed them to produce babies that grow more quickly and
are more vigorous. The New Zealand breed is one of the most
popular among rabbit meat because they can already be sold in
the market in just 8 weeks. The Californians, on the other
hand, are highly demanded because of their plump yet
fine-boned body structures. 
