Rabbit culture a good biz proposition

The bunnies multiply fast, so does your money

Vankarakunta(Anantapur): Successful rabbit farming by a woman Radha of Vankarakunta village in Kadiri mandal in the district has kindled interest in 'Rabbit culture' among several agro-farmers who are evincing interest in the farming due to its profitable proposition. Radha's rabbit farm located in the lap of the Mother Nature in the remote village is being visited by farmers to study the dynamics of rabbit culture.

Radha raised a large asbestos sheet shed for accommodating 1000 rabbits in the farm investing her own funds. She took interest in the rabbit culture after coming across one at Thimmamma Marrimanu village and decided to try one in her village. She studied Intermediate and decided to earn extra income for her family to supplement her husband's income.

She visited rabbit farms located in Visakahapatnam, Guntur and Vijayawada and after studying the intricacies of the business set up her farm with 200 breeder rabbits including 140 females and 60 males. Initially, Radha says, had faced several hi-cups in establishing the farm at the last quarter of 2015 and experience gave her confidence in attending to its necessities including raising Hezluzon, the animal feed in her five acre farm apart from procuring maize, groundnut shell and mineral mix supplied by an animal feed factory in Puducherry in Tamil Nadu.

Inside the large asbestos shed, three rows with 40 netted chambers in each row had been built with each of these chambers tied to bamboo poles at an elevated position to send the animal droppings and urine to a special chamber. Every day the chamber is cleaned to maintain hygienic conditions in the shed. Chambers are divided into male, female and chambers for pregnant ones apart from a separate chamber for male and female for mating. The male ones are released into the female chambers only for mating and later separated.

Speaking to 'The Hans India' Radha said that each female rabbit gives birth to a minimum of 4 bunnies to 12 depending upon its character and physical features. A minimum of 100 rabbits would yield a minimum of 500 bunnies in just one month. Rabbits rapidly multiply. Rabbit meat is sold at Rs 480 per kg in the open market. Hyderabad, Benguluru and Vijayawada have considerable market and is viewed equal to mutton in quality and acceptability. With no religious tag, all communities consume the meat.

She opines that NABARD and the state government should extend subsidy on rabbit farming to woo several enthusiastic farmers into its culture. The woman farmer says that she earns an income of Rs 1.60 lakh amonth. The expenditure incurred on feed, maintenance and on transportation of either live or dressed meat is Rs 60,000, leaving a considerable profit of Rs 1 lakh on sales of 400 kg of meat per month at the rate of 100 kg of meat per week.

She says that rabbits are feeble and should be well taken care of by personal attention on a daily basis. Two women workers monitor the health, pregnancy, feed and movements of the rabbits. She adds that it is one of the best white meats available on the market today. The meat has a high percentage of easily digestible protein. It contains the least amount of fat and less calorie value than other meats. It is almost cholesterol free and therefore heart patient friendly.

Rabbits are one of the most productive domestic livestock animal and produces six pounds of meat on the same feed and water. On the feed, Radha says that fresh vegetables keep the animal’s intestines well hydrated, which helps with overall digestion. Vegetables like celery, collard greens, green peppers, radish tops, carrots, and mustard greens can serve as good feed for the friendly species.

By Ravi P Benjamin