Rabbit breeding has been known to mankind since ancient times. Its relevance is not lost in the modern world: the products obtained from this sector of the national economy are extremely in demand on the market. It will be useful for novice rabbit breeders to learn the basics on which successful rabbit breeding is based, and what to do to make a rabbit farm profitable.

The goal of any livestock farming is to obtain the required products in the maximum possible quantities. Rabbit breeding has proven itself exceptionally well. The following reasons contributed to this:

• unpretentiousness. Rabbit breeding does not require large economic costs;
• productivity. The livestock is increasing at a rapid pace;
• demand. Demand for rabbit meat and fur is stable and reliable.

Rabbit products:

• meat. It is the main type of income. Experienced livestock breeders specialize in producing meat. Sold wholesale or retail. Especially popular in restaurants. The share of meat from the total weight of the animal is approximately 50%;
• fur. Used in light industry as a material for elegant and warm clothing;
• directly rabbits. Purebred individuals are valued as pets;
• Rabbit excrement is considered an excellent fertilizer for many crops.

The profitability of rabbit farming is approximately 70%. This is a large indicator indicating a high probability of success for the enterprise. Many people know about the fertility of rabbits: a sexually mature female can produce up to 30 rabbits in a year, which guarantees a quick return on investment for the business. Animals grow quickly: in 1 month the mass of an individual increases approximately 10 times. After just three months, the average rabbit weighs about 2.5 kilograms.

The choice of breed directly depends on the goals. However, most experienced farmers prefer universal breeds. Example: accelerated rabbits, gaining weight in just a couple of months.

How to start?

Before you start, you should take care of the legal and economic aspects of the enterprise. A business from scratch will require the following resources:

• growing space. You will need a plot of land, the desired size of which is at least 15 acres. It is legally prohibited to grow near residential buildings;
• electricity, water, heat. Like any other living species, rabbits require basic conditions to survive;
• equipment: drinking places, food, cages, tools;
• carnage. Necessary for direct production of products;
• feed.

The listed resources are required for both a large enterprise and a mini-farm. Optionally, staff may be required if the novice rabbit breeder is not going to work alone.

The lion's share of expenses will be taken up by feed. It is recommended to acquire a special warehouse with supplies for several months in advance. It is easier to purchase food in bulk: large quantities at a cheap price. Animals' favorite food is hay and grains. The experience of professionals has shown that rabbits do not like crushed cereals. It is best to make mixtures from different crops.

A small enterprise should start with 2-3 mini-farms, which will include 3 females and 1 male. If we take into account equipment and feed, the final amount of starting capital will be approximately 120,000 rubles. A small business has low risks and requires modest investments.

Advice: 16 females is the ideal number for productive and profitable activities. As the event grows, you should reach this figure.

Thus, a sample business plan would look like this.

Legal side of the issue

A rabbit farm can be opened in two organizational and legal forms: individual entrepreneur and private household plot. The comparison is given in the table below.

Which one to choose? Personal farming is suitable for small farms, since there is no tax burden. On the other hand, market agents and state enterprises are more willing to cooperate with individual entrepreneurs. In addition to individual entrepreneurs and private household plots, you can also create peasant farms. By the nature of its activities, a farm is no different from an individual entrepreneur. Two nuances of peasant farms as an organizational and legal form: legal uncertainty (vague rules of law) and the opportunity to receive support from the state. Bottom line: for participation in the market, the best solution would be an individual entrepreneur, for a modest enterprise “for oneself” - a subsidiary farm.

How to buy?

A start-up business needs to take care of the sex ratio of individuals. In practice, the most common ratio is 1 male per 10 females. The sex is determined simply: put the rabbit on its back and pull the tail up. The presence of a tube-shaped process indicates a male; its absence indicates a female.

Where to buy animals? Private organizations are selling them. There is little point in going to a pet store - there is a high probability that they will not be there. General advice: look for suggestions from professional farmers. The Internet, newspaper advertisements and information from friends will help. There are dozens of rabbit farms in each region.

When purchasing, you should be guided by the following rules:

The correct choice of the initial stock has a decisive influence on future breeding. The next important point is the breed of the animal.

Choosing a breed

It all depends on the goals set by the beginning rabbit breeder. If the goal is meat production, then preference should be given to meat breeds, if fur, then to skin breeds.

Large quantities of meat are guaranteed from the following breeds:

The preferred method is cellular. If you have a large population, you can use shads, which are essentially a type of cage. Advantages of the cellular system:

• feeding regulation;
• planned matings;
• light breeding work;
• isolation of a sick animal.

It is the cellular method that provides maximum productivity. The meat and skins are of high quality and are valued on the market. In the CIS countries, professional rabbit breeders mainly use cages.

Rabbit farm: structure and features

A mini-farm is a system of cells that are combined into one structure. The net takes up little space and can accommodate a large number of animals. The approximate area of ​​the mini-farm is 2 m², which can accommodate up to 40 animals.

Types of mini-farms:

• decorative;
• mini-dachas;
• homestead;
• industrial.

The most acceptable option for breeding is home gardens. Decorative ones are not used throughout the year, but large ones require considerable investment. Homestead mini-farms are economical and spacious. Depending on the number of tiers, single-tier and multi-tier farms are distinguished. The choice is based on the size of the enterprise.

The design of any mini-farm should include:

The construction of a rabbitry needs to be given close attention - the health of the rabbits and even the farmer’s maintenance costs depend on this. What types of rabbit hutches are there? In our article you will find drawings, tools and materials, photos + videos.

To increase efficiency, a hopper feeder will also be required. Its presence contributes to compliance with sanitary standards: feed is safely loaded once a week. A characteristic feature of rabbit mini-farms is good functionality and increased autonomy. Such qualities ensure a constant flow of products and minimal costs.

Despite the abundance of structures, the so-called Mikhailov farm has gained the greatest popularity. And not without reason. By now it is considered a classic. It is worth examining it in more detail.

Making a Mikhailov farm

The following components will be required for construction:

• lumber. The wood is pre-treated with antifungal agents. The timber is purchased in regular sizes (20-40 mm);
• plywood;
• iron;
• tools: hacksaw, jigsaw, drill, hammer, scissors, pliers;
• nails;
• net. Previously, metal mesh was used, now soft materials are popular, since rabbits can get hurt;
• roof.

The Mikhailov farm is a structure consisting of 3 interconnected elements: upper and lower tiers and a stand. The upper section has a walking section, the lower section has a feeding trough and water. The upper tier is jigging and mother. In the uterine tier, the queen is crossed with a breeding male. Young animals are raised in the jigging chamber.

The cells have an area of ​​about 1.5 m². Each can accommodate up to 20 individuals. Mikhailov's farm is essentially multi-tiered shads. Most often, two-tier structures are used.

Characteristic features of Mikhailov's design:

• autonomous cleaning. All animal waste goes directly into the garbage compartment without human intervention;
• unlimited water and food. The system uses simple laws of nature: food is supplied as it decreases due to gravity, and water is supplied due to the law of connected vessels;
• heating system providing a constant and favorable temperature environment in winter;
• complete satisfaction of animal instincts. The design resembles natural rabbit holes and holes;
• functionality. Young animals can be moved to another compartment without harm to them.

The lifespan of the Mikhailov farm is approximately 20 years. This is almost twice as much as using traditional models.

Making a Mikhailov farm:

The finished mini-farm can be placed anywhere. It doesn't take up much space. Experienced rabbit breeders advise stirring the structure in the open air - this promotes the healthy development of the offspring. With this placement, you will have to take care of insulation - rabbits do not tolerate drafts well.

What can and cannot be fed to rabbits?

Without understanding the basics of feeding, healthy rabbits cannot be raised. From here you will learn what kinds of food there are for rabbits and how to feed long-eared rabbits correctly, you will find the norms and feeding regimes. And in you will learn what to feed rabbits is strictly prohibited.

Features of Mikhailov's technique

Igor Nikolaevich Mikhailov is a Russian rabbit breeder, whose rabbit breeding technique has become a standard and a textbook example. As a result of long experiments, Mikhailov managed to develop an acceleration technique that ensures maximum productivity. It has been proven in practice that the Mikhailovsky method significantly reduces the cost of caring for pets.

Legend of rabbit breeding - Igor Mikhailov

Characteristic features of the technique:

• the need for a mini-farm. Without it, proper and successful breeding of animals is impossible;
• ensuring communication between the young and the mother. The offspring are fed by the female for the first 3 months (traditionally it was only 3 weeks), after which they switch to regular food. Such long feeding from the mother ensures rapid growth and increased immunity;
• waste products should not get into the feed. This is guaranteed by the design feature of the truss;
• micraxel. The fur obtained as a result of using Mikhailov’s technique is highly valued in light industry.

As a result of using Mikhailov’s method, each rabbit breeder receives about 100 kilograms of meat and approximately 40 skins per year. Stable profits and a constant influx of clients are guaranteed.

Setting up a farm is the most important technological process, as a result of which the rabbit breeding business will pay off in the first year of operation. When choosing between different designs, a novice rabbit breeder should pay special attention to Mikhailov’s technique as a time-tested practice.

Video - Breeding rabbits on a farm

– the idea is not new, but despite this, it is not very popular. Farmers prefer to raise other animals such as pigs or cows, whose meat is in high demand. It is very rare to find a rabbit on store shelves or at the market. Although its meat is considered dietary and is highly valued among consumers.

Rabbit business – underdeveloped niche, and this is its main advantage. The low level of competition and the demand for fresh homemade meat will allow farmers to easily start their own business and achieve good results in it.

People who own large farms have the opportunity to breed several types of animals for themselves. For example, when engaged in pig farming, they keep several cows for their own consumption. Rabbits are usually kept in small numbers in order to enjoy the delicious meat themselves and treat their neighbors. Is it profitable to breed rabbits for sale? Let's consider several aspects.

1. Rabbit meat- a rather rare product that can not always be found in pavilions or supermarkets. Chicken, beef, pork and even turkey are the list of the most common meat products. It can be concluded that rabbit breeding as a business is in its infancy, and this is a great chance to become someone who can take this business to the next level.
2. The rabbit has proven itself well as a precocious animal. On average, one female is capable of producing 55-60 cubs per year. The age at which rabbits can be sold is 3 months. During this time, they turn into individuals weighing up to 4-5 kg. There are also larger relatives, which is not always good. Since selling a carcass weighing more than 5 kg is a little problematic.
3. To start a rabbit business, no large start-up capital required. As they say, “Moscow was not built in a day.” It is enough to first organize a mini-farm, which is quite simple to do. Cages do not take up much space; they can be kept in a barn or other utility room. As for the feed, the main part (grass and hay) can be made independently.

And yet, rabbit breeding as a business: is it profitable or not? If there are doubts, we will present a powerful argument: income is brought in not only by meat, but also by the skin of the animal. Rabbit farming is a fairly promising business, which does not require huge investments and can be developed at home. To start doing this, you need to know the basics of creating a farm.

First of all, you need to decide on the organizational and legal component of your activity. There are two options: an individual entrepreneur or a personal subsidiary plot. Each of them has its pros and cons. In the first case, you will have to pay taxes, but there will be more opportunities for development. So, what do you need to breed rabbits?

Rabbit farming is one of the few types of business that can be started practically from scratch. The fertility of these unique animals, along with the high market value of their meat, are the main components of a permanent income from this type of business activity.

Of course, if you start your own business with minimal expenses, you won’t be able to earn millions right away. However, with a skillful approach and organization, rabbit breeding can become just the business that will provide high and stable income.

Rabbit farming as a business: pros and cons

Any type of business activity has its advantages and disadvantages associated with certain risks. Rabbit farming is no exception. The advantages of such a business include:

• low costs to start your own business;
• fertility of rabbits, thanks to which there is no need to purchase young animals;
• minimum package of documents for organizing your own business;
• low maintenance costs;
• high market price for meat;
• availability of demand and wide sales opportunities;
• relatively low competition;
• availability of additional income from the sale of skins or finished fur.

The only drawback in rabbit breeding that can significantly affect profitability is the high mortality rate of young animals associated with the spread of infectious diseases.

What is better to register: private household plots, individual entrepreneurs or peasant farms and why

Even this type of business as rabbit farming requires mandatory registration and payment of taxes. Of course, we are not talking about a dozen animals raised for their own consumption.

But if the question is about production that produces a profit, you will still have to pay. Sooner or later, you need to think about how to properly register your small business. There are several options, differing in the type of registration and the amount of tax paid to the state:

• Private household plot (personal subsidiary plot);
• IP (individual entrepreneur);
• Peasant farm (peasant farm)

The choice of type of farm management directly depends on the volume of production and the number of workers involved in its maintenance. Each of them also has its own advantages and disadvantages, but they are justified in their own way.

Private household plots

An ideal option for a future businessman starting a business without start-up capital is a personal subsidiary plot. It gives the entrepreneur maximum opportunities to start his own business on his own land.

A special feature of private household plots is the absence of any taxes. It is enough just to provide a certificate of ownership of a certain plot of land with an area allowing the raising of rabbits. You won't have to pay any taxes. However, it will be possible to sell the meat of slaughtered animals, having only the conclusion of the SES on its suitability, only on the market or among your friends.

IP

In order to sell slaughtered rabbits to stores or organize your own distribution network, a more serious approach with certain costs will be required. provides an opportunity for full-fledged trading, including under your own name. But for this you will have to pay tax. The Unified Agricultural Tax (USAT) is 6% of the entrepreneur’s profit.

Before registering an individual entrepreneur, you should contact the regional office of Rosselkhoznadzor to clarify all the nuances, since the legislation in this area is constantly changing.

You will also have to pay for certification of a rabbit breeding farm, obtaining a GOST-R declaration, as well as for a phytosanitary certificate.

Given some of the difficulties with accounting, it would not be a bad idea to learn the basic accounting postulates or hire a specialist for this, which will entail additional costs. This way of managing a business from an economic point of view will only be beneficial with an industrial approach to rabbit breeding.

peasant farm

The form of management is very similar to an individual enterprise, except that it can be owned by not one, but several entities. In other words, it is a mini-collective farm that can carry out any type of agricultural activity, having several managers with equal rights.

A peasant farm does not require charter and constituent documents, and it can be registered in the name of one individual. The main advantage of such an economy is theoretically the provision of a variety of products, which in reality is not always possible to obtain.

Any business has its own nuances. For example, favorable ones are also not so easy to create.

Many note that breeding Californian worms as a business (details) is becoming increasingly popular due to the low initial investment.

Obtaining an alcohol license () is quite an expensive undertaking.

Conditions required for rabbit breeding

Having decided on the form of managing your business, taking into account the opportunities provided by the state for the development of an agricultural business, and having registered properly, you should think about the location for your future farm.

For a small family business that brings in a small but constant income, it is enough to have a dacha or a plot of land. A mini-farm can easily be placed on 50 m2 of area. If you plan to put meat production on stream, you will need at least 800 m 2.

What sanitary requirements must be met?

The rabbit farm must be located at a certain minimum distance from residential buildings, which is regulated by local governments. Before you start arranging your farm, you should consult where and how best to locate the future farm.

The place for the rabbit hutches or complex should be on a flat surface, which is better to be concreted, asphalted, or simply covered with crushed stone in advance. It is also good to equip a storm sewer or drainage system. This will come in handy later when cleaning cages.

In addition, it is worth taking care of the timely removal of animal waste products. Mountains of manure, its smell and clusters of flies are unlikely to please people living nearby.

Technology and methods of breeding rabbits

There are several main ways to breed rabbits:

• pit;
• cellular;
• shad;
• according to the Mikhailov system

Yamochny

The first method of breeding rabbits involves keeping them in a pre-dug hole or several holes, where they independently live, feed, dig holes and reproduce.

The farmer can only feed his charges in a timely manner and clean up after them. Of course, this method will not bring a lot of capital, but it will do for a start. It is also worth considering that pit breeding of rabbits is only applicable for raising meat breeds, since there is no question of any valuable fur in such conditions.

Cellular

The cell method will already require some costs associated with the purchase of either the cells themselves or the purchase of building materials for them. Typically, such rabbit houses are made of wooden boards and metal mesh. Here, young animals and mother rabbits are kept separately from adult males. This method is the most popular for non-commercial raising of rabbits on your own backyard farm.

Shadow

With the shad breeding method, animals are housed in a special complex called a shad. This is a whole system consisting of several cellular batteries located in several tiers.

A standard shed is 3 m wide. Its length is selected taking into account the livestock, the usable area of ​​the farm and the wishes of the farmer. The cells in the complex are located on both sides, which makes it as compact as possible.

Video - rabbit farm with cages in the form of shads:

The advantage of shad is that on a relatively small plot of land you can organize a full-fledged farm for the industrial production of rabbit meat. One two-tier complex, 10 m long, contains 80 individual cells. It can raise up to 500 heads of young animals per year.

According to the Mikhailov system

Mini-farms, developed by Russian professor I. Mikhailov, are by far the most effective way to breed rabbits. Their design allows you to feed, water and clean up after animals in a semi-automatic mode. One mini-farm has 3-4 spacious cages, equipped with drinking bowls, feeders, a manure collector, and ventilation with natural exhaust.

Mikhailov’s method consists not only of properly equipping housing for rabbits, but also of creating other favorable conditions for their rapid growth. This system allows you to grow a full-fledged individual weighing 4-5 kg ​​in 4 months, which would require at least 6-7 months using the cage or shad method.

Video - rabbit breeding farm using the Mikhailov system:

To implement the idea of ​​industrial rabbit breeding using the Mikhailov method, at least 2000 m2 of area will be required, which should accommodate at least 300 mini-farms with a population of 500-700 animals. This type of rabbit breeding is the most expensive, but due to its high efficiency, it is the fastest and most profitable.

How to organize a rabbit farm, where to start

First you need to decide on the location of the future farm. If you have a house, cottage or plot of land outside the city, the problem is solved. If not, you can rent them. This, of course, is an extra expense, but there’s no getting around it.

The next step towards realizing your dream will be to obtain all the necessary permits from local authorities. The contents of the package of documents will depend on which method of business management is chosen.

Video - what problems you may encounter when organizing a rabbit farm:

When all the documents have been collected, construction of the farm can begin. Building cages with your own hands or purchasing ready-made mini-farms is a matter at the discretion of the future farmer. To avoid risking a large sum of money right away, you can try cell culture. This will show how profitable this type of business can be, and will also help you understand the basics of farming.

It is worth stocking up on food in advance. It’s good if you have friends in the agricultural sector who will help you purchase feed at convenient wholesale prices, since feeding rabbits from the market is certainly not profitable.

Rabbit food

In order for young animals to fully develop, have good immunity and grow quickly, they need to be given properly balanced, nutritious food. A rabbit's standard diet should include:

• green food (cereals or legumes, wild herbs);
• succulent food (vegetables, root crops);
• silage feed;
• roughage (hay, branches, grass meal);
• concentrated feed (grains of cereals and legumes, compound feed, bran).

When calculating the amount of feed when purchasing, it should be taken into account that the average rabbit will need 15 kg of feed and 10 kg of hay to gain weight of about 4 kg. Other types of feed are added to the diet additionally, taking into account the time of year. In spring and summer, green and roughage feeds are preferable; in autumn and winter, juicy and silage feeds are preferred.

Video - design of a bunker feeder for rabbits:

To save on feeding rabbits, you can purchase a small grain mill and granulator. This solution will allow the production of flour, bran and mixed feed, and will also significantly reduce feed costs.

Where and how to buy rabbits

When the future farm is ready to accept its first “guests,” you can begin purchasing rabbits. First of all, you need to decide on the breed. To raise rabbits for meat, it is better to purchase such well-known breeds as:

• Belgian giant or Flanders;
• white giant;
• gray giant;
• German ram;
• Soviet chinchilla.

Usually their representatives reach a weight of 4 kg by 4 months, which is an excellent growth indicator.

You need to purchase rabbits only from farmers engaged in breeding. Under no circumstances should you buy future breeders at the poultry market or through an advertisement in the newspaper.

You must personally make sure that the rabbit you are purchasing is a representative of the declared breed, and not an overgrown one raised on high-calorie feed. In addition, an experienced owner will give his recommendations regarding feeding and keeping animals.

If you plan to buy not young animals, but adult individuals that will soon give birth to their own offspring on your farm, you need to purchase them in such a way that there is one male for every 10 females. However, even the smallest farm should not have less than 2 males.

Possible difficulties when raising rabbits and how to overcome them

The most common problem farmers have when raising rabbits is infectious diseases. If appropriate measures are not taken in time, the entire tribe may die. The most dangerous diseases are:

• myxomatosis;
• eimeriosis;
• VGBK.

The treatment of these ailments is not highly effective. To avoid mass infection of rabbits, they need to be vaccinated in a timely manner.. These, of course, are also costs, but there is no way to do without them.

In addition to infectious diseases, rabbits are very sensitive to various disorders of the digestive system. If they eat grass with dew or spoiled vegetables, problems cannot be avoided. A draft can lead to inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system: rhinitis and pneumonia, so in winter you should worry about insulating the cells.

Sales of rabbit products

For a home mini-farm producing up to 500 rabbits per year, there are no special problems with sales. You can freely sell rabbit meat on the market yourself or hand it over for sale after passing a sanitary and epidemiological inspection. You can also sell meat among your friends.

For large volumes, you cannot do without the appropriate documents such as a farm certificate, a phytosanitary certificate and GOST-R declarations. But if the documents are in order, shops, supermarkets, cafes and restaurants will accept the meat for sale without any problems.

In parallel with this, some of the products can be sold on the market. If you are lucky and you manage to conclude a long-term agreement with a wholesale buyer, the sales problem will disappear altogether. Over time, you can open your own retail outlet or even a chain specializing specifically in rabbit meat.

Rabbit skins can also be considered as an additional source of income. Of course, their sale will not bring the same income as meat, but it will still cover at least some expenses.

Indicative business plan for a rabbit farm

Let's try to draw up a rough business plan for a mini-farm of two shad with the purchase of 60 heads of young animals (50 female rabbits and 10 males). Considering that the capacity of such production is quite low, additional costs for renting land and purchasing succulent feed will not be taken into account. To start the calculation, you will need basic indicators of production, costs and profits:

• the average number of young animals produced by one queen rabbit per year is 20 heads (1000 in total);
• costs for the construction or purchase of shads - 50 thousand rubles;
• purchase of young stock (60 heads) – maximum 30 thousand rubles;
• feed costs (based on 15 kg of feed and 10 kg of hay per animal) - maximum 100 thousand rubles;
• vaccination and treatment – ​​maximum 30 thousand rubles;
• employee salary – 120 thousand rubles;
• the average weight of one carcass is 2 kg;
• the approximate wholesale price per kilogram of rabbit meat is 250 rubles;
• The average purchase price for one skin is 50 rubles.

Based on these indicators, the total costs for the construction of cages, the purchase of young animals, feed, the prevention and treatment of diseases, and staff salaries will amount to 330 thousand rubles. The amount received from the sale of 1000 heads, taking into account the wholesale price, is 500 thousand rubles. Adding the amount received from the sale of skins, we get 550 thousand rubles.

As a result, net profit will be about 220 thousand rubles.

You can DOWNLOAD an inexpensive ready-made business plan for a rabbit farm from our partners with a quality guarantee!

Profitability of rabbit farming

Of course 220 thousand rubles. - this is not excess profit, however, with an increase in production capacity, costs will decrease and net income will increase. of such home-based businesses is just over 65%, which is not bad for the first year.

The funds spent on the construction and purchase of young animals will be returned next year. If things go well, then with the same livestock, but without the costs of shads and the purchase of rabbits, next year the net profit could be about 300 thousand rubles, and profitability will increase to 80-90%.

Video - planning and systematic approach to rabbit breeding (useful practical experience):

As a business, it is quite a profitable business if you take it seriously. Dietary rabbit meat is in consistently high demand. The profitability of rabbit farming is determined by its waste-free nature. In addition to meat, you can sell the skin and even the insides of these animals. Oddly enough, it is also unique because it is the best fertilizer.

Before you decide to create a business for breeding rabbits, you need to resolve several issues, namely: choose the method of raising them. There are a large number of breeds and technologies, but the decision must be made independently, based on the available financial and labor resources.

Before starting to implement the idea, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the features of keeping, feeding and reproduction of animals. The first step is to decide on the method of raising rabbits. It must be remembered that this is a complex matter that requires long and painstaking work to obtain good results.

Raising rabbits (business from scratch)

There are several methods for raising rabbits.

• Purebred - mating of one breed of rabbit.
• Crossbreeding is the mating of different breeds.

The Mikhailov method and breeding animals in pits are also common.

In order to get an answer to the question “how to start a business with rabbits?”, you need to familiarize yourself with all the proposed technologies, choose the appropriate one and gradually implement it.

Purebred growing method

This method involves mating rabbits of a certain breed. The male is matched with a female that is as close as possible to his productivity and physique.
The purpose of this selection is to: consolidate the desired type of rabbits in the herd, enhance certain valuable qualities of young animals and increase the number of highly productive animals.

Sometimes pairs of rabbits with a certain outstanding trait are selected in order to secure it in future offspring. At the same time, they also look at other indicators, especially the state of health: whether it has worsened. This method is used to obtain meat, fluff and skins of rabbits of a certain breed. Along with the purebred breeding method, crossing is used, that is, mating of different breeds of rabbits.

Crossbreeding

It is used to breed new and improve existing breeds of animals. Any rabbit breeding farm primarily uses crossbreeding.

In comparison with “pure” breeds, animals obtained as a result of this method are distinguished by accelerated growth, lower feed consumption per kilogram of weight, high fertility and vitality.

There are several types of crossing.

• Reproductive - breeding new breeds of rabbits.
• Introductory - change in a certain indicator of animal productivity (single crossing).
• Absorption - a radical change in a low-productive rock due to its absorption by a highly productive one.
• Industrial - production of marketable young animals, meat, fluff, skins and other things. Industrial breeding of rabbits through crossbreeding is widespread on commercial farms.

Breeding in pits

Rabbit breeding as a business was originally practiced in pits. Today this approach is practically not used. The method of breeding in pits is relevant when owning a plot of land or premises of a small area. It was used when there was no necessary time for feeding and caring for rabbits, as well as when finances were limited, when there was not enough money for construction or purchasing equipment.

As the name suggests, rabbits are kept in pits. The depth of such pits is 1 m, the width and length are at the discretion of the owner. Up to 200 heads can be placed in one pit.

A metal mesh is placed on the floor of the pit and a mound of sand is made. The walls of the pit should be lined and a small area should be left near one of them, where a hole is dug 10-15 cm above the floor level.

The size of the hole should be large enough so that 3 rabbits can go into it at the same time. Placing the hole above the floor is done to prevent urine from flowing inside, as rabbits urinate at the entrance.

To protect from precipitation, the pit must have a roof. Life without light has a bad effect on the development and growth of rabbits, so you should make a glass window in it or illuminate the pit with an electric light bulb. A 40-watt light bulb, for example, is suitable for a 10 square meter hole. meters.

Feeders and drinkers from various containers are placed along the walls of the pit, which should be wide enough and not very deep. This will avoid crowding and allow the rabbits to reach food or water without effort.

Rabbits as a business are quite a profitable business, but the method of raising them in pits is far from the most profitable. The advantages of this technology: low financial costs, the ability to keep a large number of rabbits in a small area, absence of drafts, quick payback. Disadvantages: light weight of rabbits due to frequent illnesses, difficulty with breeding distribution.

Mikhailov method

This method is aimed at developing natural immunity. Mikhailov's method of raising rabbits leads to an increase in the quality of animals.

The author of this method is not a supporter of classical breeding, since it does not make it possible to achieve the real genetic potential of these mammals. In addition, the rabbit breeding business involves keeping animals in cages, which leads to frequent stress and high mortality of young animals. The Mikhailov method allows you to avoid such undesirable moments.

The essence of the Mikhailov method

In the generally accepted version of raising rabbits, they are fed no more than 3 times a day, and according to the Mikhailov method - up to 80 times a day.

As a rule, young animals are fed with rabbit milk for about a month, and according to Mikhailov’s technology, this should continue to be done for up to 3 months. This innovative method allows you to minimize the investment required to create a rabbit farm.

The result of Mikhailov's approach is accelerated rabbits. On average, they bring 10 rabbits every 3 months. These breeding features make it possible to significantly increase the profitability of the business, that is, increase its effectiveness. It should be noted that the skins and meat of accelerated rabbits are much better than those of classically raised animals.

Cages for industrial breeding of rabbits differ significantly from those proposed by Mikhailov. The latter are presented in three tiers. On the north side, such cells are equipped with a thick insulated wall, and on the south side, on the contrary, with an open wall that allows sunlight and fresh air to pass through. This has a beneficial effect on the growth and development of rabbits.

The cell area is 1.4 square meters. meters. It provides automatic mode for a long time. Within the tiers there are lattice floors, under which there are shafts shaped like pyramids. The operation of the cage is based on the principle of a stove: gases from the room with droppings exit upward through the exhaust pipe, and at the same time fresh air from outside enters. One such cage can accommodate up to 30 rabbits. On average, in practice, 13-15 animals are placed in cages.

Any profitable enterprise has a clear development plan. A well-thought-out business plan for breeding rabbits is the key to successful and profitable work.

Production part

Breeding rabbits according to Mikhailov’s method involves keeping them on special mini-farms. One mini-farm requires up to 500 kg of feed and about 250 kg of hay per year.

One accelerated rabbit eats about 14 kg of feed and up to 7 kg of hay per year. Product output - 1 animal (5 kg) in 10 days. The turnover period of cash capital is 100 days.

There are various models of farms for raising rabbits, including two-tier ones. The number of mini-farms on a farm depends only on the owner of the business, but it should be noted that they do not require large plots. For example, a rabbit farm of 16 mini-farms will occupy only one hundred square meters of land. Such production can be serviced only once a week with a productivity of 10 rabbits weekly.

Mini-farms require a certain heating at temperatures below +10 C with an energy consumption of 30 Watts.

Rabbit breeding as a business is not limited to breeding animals. To achieve maximum production efficiency, you should organize a personal workshop for processing products, a workshop for sewing clothes, as well as a site for the production of vermicompost.

Expenses and income

The cost of manufacturing a mini-farm, without additional equipment, can vary in the range of 5-20 thousand rubles. If you decide to do it yourself, it will be cheaper; if you decide to use the services of professionals, it will be more expensive.

For production to be effective, at least 300 mini-farms should be organized. The costs in this case will be about 350 thousand rubles (excluding taxes and the farms themselves). Revenues will be about 1.5 million rubles.

Market analysis

This section of the business plan should contain characteristics of similar farms in your region, indicate wholesale and retail buyers and their purchase volumes.

Production plan

The first step in organizing a farm is finding the right plot of land. The best option would be the site with the lowest rent. At the same time, we should not forget that the minimum area of ​​the site for full-fledged work is 5 acres of land - it will be possible to place the cages themselves and ancillary buildings on it.

The next step will be to purchase or build cells, depending on your decision - to save money or give up the functionality of ready-made cells. Next is the purchase of livestock.

This business plan assumes an initial herd size of 60 animals, including 20 males and 40 females.

Sales plan

In order not to be left with a surplus, the sales plan needs to be thought out and calculated before organizing the business. The main buyers of rabbit meat are markets, supermarkets, and private traders. The skins are often bought by fur studios and private fashion designers. An important factor in sales success is the proximity of megacities.

Financial plan

Breeding rabbits as a business requires careful development. This indicates the costs that production will incur and the income from it.

Expenses

Rent of a plot - 20-80 thousand rubles.

Purchase (construction) of cells - 10-40 thousand.

Purchase of rabbits (60 heads) - 18-30 thousand.

Compound feed - 50-100 thousand.

The salary of the hired employee is 120 thousand/year.

Total costs - 218-370 thousand in the first year.

Income

Sales of meat - 1.5 tons/year at 200-250 rubles/kg (300-375 thousand rubles). These figures were taken due to the fact that 40 female rabbits on average produce 20 rabbits per year, weighing 1.8-1.9 kg. Total - 800 rabbits weighing 1500 kg.

Sales of skins - 160 thousand (200 rubles per skin, 800 skins).

Total income - 460-535 thousand rubles/year.

In general, the payback on such a business will take no more than a year if you take the business seriously.

Running a farm or small private enterprise has recently gained popularity as a source of main or additional income. The main thing in this activity is to choose the right livestock industry and provide living conditions for the pets. Rabbit farming will bring you profit or provide your family with food. But first you need to draw up a business plan for breeding rabbits, which includes calculations of the initial capital, items of expenses and income, and additional profit. It is also useful to familiarize yourself with the features of caring for animals.

Rabbits can bring good profit

The meat of these animals is characterized as dietary, has a delicate taste, is absorbed by the body and does not cause an allergic reaction. Included in the menu for patients suffering from metabolic disorders.

Income will come from both meat and skin areas in rabbit breeding.

Advantages

Rabbits are characterized by a number of advantages that will become a source of profit:

• fertility;
• short period of pregnancy;
• productivity: both meat and skin.

Breeding rabbits is beneficial even for a novice businessman:

• pays for itself quickly;
• brings profit with little investment of time and effort;
• does not require large start-up capital;
• not subject to high taxes;
• does not require large expenses for keeping animals.

The downside is losses among young animals.

Rabbit farming costs quickly pay for themselves

Varieties

Choose meat breeds, since the main source of income from a rabbit farm is meat. Among these varieties are popular:

• New Zealand red - weight up to 5 kilograms, early maturity;
• New Zealand white - quickly gain weight, already at three months they weigh up to three and a half kilograms;
• Californian is a broiler breed, by the age of five months the specimen weighs four and a half kilograms, with an increase of up to 45 g daily.

Breeders purchase representatives of these breeds at special fairs and agricultural exhibitions. Avoid purchasing livestock from poultry markets.

The New Zealand red rabbit is a representative of the meat industry.

Where to begin?

Opening a rabbit farm does not require a large down payment. Thus, maintaining a herd of up to 1 thousand heads will require a plot of no more than the standard six acres. Homemade cages and devices for eating food and water will help reduce costs.

Before starting rabbit farming, choose a method of registering your activity. For a mini-enterprise, a personal type of subsidiary plot is better suited. Another option is to obtain documents of an individual entrepreneur. The decision is related to the methods of selling products.

If you have thought about the sales market (meat sold to friends or exhibited at agricultural fairs), then a personal subsidiary plot (LPH) is suitable for you.

You will save on taxes. Choosing the activity of an individual entrepreneur (IP) will completely promote the business, but with some disadvantages:

• increasing costs for organizing business activities;
• permits are required.

Rabbit cages take up quite a lot of space

To open a rabbit breeding farm you will need a place where you will build it. This can be done on your own or rented garden plot. Calculate losses from company registration. A separate expense item is the arrangement of the entrance and water drainage system. You will also need materials for the construction of shed structures:

• fine-mesh galvanized mesh;
• wooden bars;
• metal sheets and profiles;
• materials for the roof.

Homemade feeders and drinkers will reduce payments, but refrigeration units and equipment for preparing combined feed are store purchases. If you plan to hire workers for your rabbit farm, then their wages are an additional cost.

LPH or individual entrepreneur?

When choosing a private household plot, you will need the following documents to start a business:

• confirmation of rights to a land plot;
• your health record;
• health certificate of the vehicle in which the rabbit meat is delivered (if it is your personal vehicle);
• a certificate from a veterinarian about the condition of the rabbit population;
• safety assessment of meat products obtained from a veterinary laboratory.

Documents that will be required to register an individual entrepreneur and engage in rabbit breeding:

• certificates: rabbit farms, phytosanitary control;
• Declaration of compliance with state quality standards.

Individual entrepreneur status implies payment of taxes

Private household plots are not subject to taxes; individual entrepreneurs pay a single tax on agriculture.

The activities of private household plots are controlled by rural or city administration bodies, and Rosselkhoznadzor is responsible for individual entrepreneurs. The code of your economic activity is A.01.25.2, that is, “breeding rabbits and fur-bearing animals on a farm,” and a ban is imposed on leather production from animals hunted by hunters.

Construction conditions

• Find out from your local administration the requirements for the distance between agricultural buildings and residential buildings;
• choose a flat area on a hill to avoid flooding during rainy periods or when snow melts;
• choose a quiet place, away from noisy roads;
• avoid wetlands with high humidity (rabbits get sick from this);
• lay asphalt on the territory of the rabbit farm and arrange for moisture drainage.

Humidity is contraindicated for rabbits

Fixed expense items

If a kilogram of such food costs on average no more than 9 rubles, then the cost of feeding a rabbit family will be 3,000 rubles. Three shad devices per year consume feed worth approximately 126,000 rubles.

Making feed from grains and grass flour at home with vitamin and mineral supplements will reduce food costs. You can prepare succulent feed and hay with your own hands, but it is not recommended to spend money on this if you have a farm of more than a thousand heads.

Set aside 300 rubles or more per head for veterinary care. For three sheds, each containing 14 queens, you will need more than 12 thousand rubles. Add to this payments for electricity (1500 rubles) and hay (2000).

Rabbits may need a veterinarian

Fixed income items

The sale of meat products is the main income in rabbit farming. Clean slaughter yield per head – 2 kg. Three shad complexes produce annually up to 1000 young animals, a total of 2000 kilograms, 250-300 rubles each.

At these prices, the profit per year from the sale of meat will be 500 thousand rubles. If you subtract expense items from this amount, you are left with 360 thousand rubles (30 thousand monthly).

Separately, calculate the yield of by-products - liver and kidneys (plus two thousand per year). Rabbit farming will pay for itself within six months.

Additional profit

Money is also made for rabbit skins, which are best preserved during slaughter in the summer. In studios or factories they are accepted for 30-40 rubles; processed ones cost more (up to 150). Selling a thousand skins annually, the breeder receives up to 150,000 rubles.

It is advisable to use rabbit droppings to produce vermicompost, which is obtained after fermentation of excrement in biogas plants.

Vermicompost from rabbit droppings will bring additional income

Sales markets

Build your own customer base. At the initial stages, it will include relatives, acquaintances, etc. Advertise in newspapers, post notices on the streets. They sell meat products directly from the rabbit farm. If resellers contact you, show them a certificate from a veterinarian.

To cooperate with restaurants, you will need a certificate from a veterinarian, Form No. 2.

In addition to the veterinary department, visit the SES, the local center for standardization and metrology, to find out about the standards for marketing meat products.

It is unlikely that a chain of large supermarkets will become a promising market for you. Such suppliers offer too low wholesale prices for meat.

Restaurants willingly buy rabbit meat

Organization of livestock care

For breeding, they buy 45-50 heads of pedigree young animals (expenses up to 13,500 rubles). The most convenient system, which offers the possibility of automating the keeping of animals and saving space, is cage batteries (shed system).

The two batteries are connected via the roof. The body of the shed is made of wooden or metal raw materials, the passage between the batteries and the floor are sheathed with boards or filled with concrete.

With the shad system, the cages themselves and additional utility rooms are located on one hundred square meters, where up to a thousand specimens are grown annually (in square meters):

• three sets of shads (20*2.4*2.8 meters) – 360;
• room for mixed feed, grains, with an entrance – 200;
• storage room for equipment – ​​up to 50;
• place for slaughter and refrigeration units for meat (with ventilation and compliance with sanitary standards) - up to 50;
• concreted manure pit up to three meters deep, under a canopy - 30;
• the rest is passages for a small tractor.

In the shed, 60 cells with parameters of 1.3 * 0.7 * 0.55 meters are placed using the two-tier method. To make cages, use galvanized mesh with small cells (in mm) 18 by 18, 20 by 20, 16 by 48. To install the floor at an angle, install the back wall of the room 20 centimeters lower than the front. This will make cleaning easier. Arrange a double floor covering so that the roof of the lower segment serves as a collector for the droppings of the inhabitants of the upper floor (a double floor is also required in the lower tier).

The slaughterhouse is equipped with a blood drain and an oven in which post-slaughter waste is burned. If you install refrigeration units nearby, this will make meat processing easier and save time.

Cage batteries are the most convenient option for keeping rabbits

Feeding and breeding

Separate rooms are allocated for the mother rabbits and the breeding male in the upper segment of the shad (14 cells plus one). The remaining 45 cells are inhabited by young animals, 7-8 specimens per group. Maintain cleanliness, change the flooring on time, remove litter, and disinfect.

Queen rabbits are ready to breed immediately after giving birth, but farmers at home allow them to see the male 3-4 times annually (in spring, summer and autumn).

6-8 rabbits are born, which the female feeds for at least two months. In total, keeping fourteen female rabbits in a shed brings in from 250 to 350 heads annually, and an enterprise with three sheds will produce up to a thousand rabbit carcasses.

Between the eating places and the nests in the cages there are mangers made of a 35 (25) by 35 millimeter mesh filled with hay. Feeders and drinking bowls are installed under them.

Concentrated food (cereals, mixed feed) is stored in a special dry room. Compound feed made by yourself will cost less. It is healthier than store-bought, which contains synthetic vitamins and substances undesirable for animals. In the summer, they are given dried fresh grass, and hay is prepared for the winter. The menu of lactating and gestating females is more varied and nutritious, including succulent varieties of food and supplements of mineral and vitamin elements.

You can buy rabbit feed or prepare it yourself

To make your own feed, purchase a grain crusher and an extruder for granulation. One of the homemade food recipes contains (in percentage):

• ground grains of oats and wheat – 30;
• ground barley and corn grains – 45;
• wheat bran – 12;
• cake – 12;
• chalk – 0.5;
• salt – 0.5.

An adult rabbit consumes per day (in grams):

• forbs – up to 1500;
• bean hay – 1200;
• branch food – 600;
• carrots – 600;
• cabbage for feed – 600;
• fodder beet – 200;
• bran - 100.

Additives to the main menu - animal flour (15 g), table salt - 2.5 g, crushed chalk - 2 g. In the morning the herd is fed with succulent and green feed, at lunchtime and in the evening - with compound feed and grain crops. Pour fresh, clean water, slightly warmed, into the drinking bowls.

The market niche for rabbit meat is currently little occupied, unlike chicken or pork.

Even as a new breeder, if you have a sound business plan, you can make money with little expense. Rabbit farming, which previously received little attention, is gradually becoming a profitable business venture.