Current evidence shows rabbit farming as one of the top business opportunities in Africa. Rabbit meat carries immense amounts of digestible proteins, most lowering cholesterol and fat of all types of meat.
Like other African countries, rabbit farming in Ghana is lucrative, profitable, and booming.
Rabbits are simple to rear, and clean and require little capital, labor, time as well as space to manage. When adequately fed, they can provide high protein low-fat meat for healthy eating.
Though rabbit meat may not be as popular as chicken, beef, or pork, it is still a very lucrative business. Every year, above one million tons of rabbit meat, is consumed globally.
The world’s four most prominent producers and consumers of rabbit meat are China, Italy, Spain, and France.
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Both adolescents and adults, as well as the physically challenged, can undertake rabbit keeping as a part or full-time venture. This type of animal is straightforward to manage from home.
So, if you have an interest in rabbit farming, you need to pay attention to this post on rabbit farming in Ghana. Read on.
Page Contents
How To Begin Rabbit Farming in Ghana
As I mentioned earlier, you need less capital to start rabbit farming in Ghana. If you have the money and you have made up your mind on it, you are good to go.
However, the first thing to keep in mind is how to begin the process. The following are ways to start rabbit farming in Ghana:
Obtain the breeding stock from a reputable rabbitry
Construct a 3 or 2-tier hutch
Construct feed racks and nest boxes
Buy feed/water troughs
Kinds of Rabbit Breeds in Ghana
Although Ghana has a great rabbit market, industrial farmers have to be cautious about which variety of rabbits to retain for the business to be successful.
While there are many breeds like California, for commercial purposes, however, the best is New Zealand.
A rabbit has better reproductive abilities and produces large litters. They grow at a swift pace and attain the required weight better than other breeds.
It is essential to select the right kind for your business. You have to determine breeds selectively in other to keep up with rabbits for sale in Ghana.
Reproduction
Sexual maturity of the doe is 5-6 months while that of a buck is 6-7 months
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The preferred age for the first mating of the doe is 7-8 months. However, that of buck is 8-9 months
A mating ratio is one buck against 7 to 10 does
Gestation period 31-33days
Materials needed for a hutch, feed rack, and nest box construction
Low-grade sawn timber (hardwood)
Bamboo, raffia palm
Plastic felt, wire mesh, nails
Note: visitors, and domestic pets (e.g. dogs) should avoid the housing area.
Feeds and Feeding
Rabbits are non-ruminant herbivores and feed on a wide range of feeds including:
Grasses: guinea grass, elephant grass
Succulent herbs: tridax, Euphorbia spp.
Legumes: centrosema, stylo
Tree/shrub fodder: leuceanea, pigeon pea.
Crop residue: maize husk, cowpea/groundnut vines.
Kitchen leftovers: vegetable trimmings, root and tuber peel
Cooked food leftovers: rice, yam, cassava
Concentrates
Rabbits should receive 100-150g of supplementary feed/day
Rabbits should feed twice daily morning and late afternoon (evening)
Provide fresh, clean water all the time
Management and Sanitation
Rabbit farming involves proper management and good sanitation. Therefore, below are ways to adequately manage and properly keep good sanitation for your rabbit farm.
Always lift a rabbit with loose skin over the shoulder while supporting a lower part of the body.
Young rabbits are held with a hand over the loin area with the head pointing downwards.
Keeping accurate records is essential in rabbit management.
Develop a table for routine management activities such as mating, kindling, and weaning to monitor individual performance.
Develop an individual identification system, e.g. Ear tattoo.
Undertake daily stock inspection to identify sick stock for treatment.
Undertake daily cleaning of cages and washing water trough.
Site selection
When picking a land to rear rabbits, there are certain things to take into consideration. These things will be of help when used properly. They include:
Distance to a neighboring residence
The direction of prevailing winds to neighbors
An adequate source of water
Topography (avoid steep hills)
Soil type (well-drained soil)
Proximity to surface water bodies, sinkholes, and flood
How to Avoid Frustration in Rabbit Rearing
It is vital to learn the secrets of success for any new business or trade. The following directions will support you in starting a successful rabbit business in Ghana.
Choose the right rabbit breed that suits your target
Construct suitable housing/cages for your rabbit farm
Provide excellent hay and a clean environment
Conduct market research constantly
Benefits of Rabbit Farming
1. Rabbits as a small herbivores comfortably hold a relatively wide range of cellulose-rich foods.
2. It is adaptable to the family diet and food preservation techniques available on small rural and peri-urban farms.
3. Production of highly nutritious, low-fat, low-cholesterol meat.
4. It is easy to transport; the market and the recurrent costs for maintaining animals beyond the optimum marketing age are low.
5. Easy to start, affordable to run and maintain.
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6. Rabbit farming is lucrative because rabbits reproduce very fast.
7. There is a vast market break for rabbits. The increasing percentage of heart disease and related ailments has heightened recognition of the harmful effects of cholesterol in our diets.
More people are now reaching for ‘white’ meat, which contains low amounts of cholesterol. Unlike ‘red meats’ (especially beef and pork), white meats like ostrich, poultry, fish, and rabbit meat contain fewer fats and cholesterols and have higher health benefits.
8. The labor costs are low, and family members can do the work. Women and children, or perhaps aged people, usually the most vulnerable can assist.
9. Rabbits raise within a short space.
10. Production costs are less compared to other large-sized animals.
11. Rabbit meat is delicious, nutritious, and effortlessly digestible. All aged people can eat without any difficulty.
12. There are no religious taboos concerning eating rabbit meat. In the case of meat production, rabbits come after poultry.
13. Kitchen wastes, grass, plant leaves, etc. are the favorite foods of a rabbit. So you can breed some rabbits for your family’s needs, using this type of low-cost and readily available commodities.
14. Rabbit farming requires less labor compared to other animal farming businesses. You can use your family labor for a successful commercial rabbit farming business.
Things to Note about Rabbit Farming Business
The decision to start a small rabbit farming requires quality information like the one here.
Remember that commercial rabbit farming business needs relatively less capital, and you will get back your investment within a brief period.
As it is a profoundly profitable business, commercial production can be a great source of earning as well as employment.
Moreover, you can meet your family’s nutritional demands by raising a few numbers of rabbits. Start now and win big with rabbit farming from the comfort of your home.
Conclusion
Rabbit farming is one of the most lucrative businesses out there now. So, if you are thinking of starting rabbit farming in Ghana, and you fully understand this post, I see no reason why you are still waiting. Now go get your funds ready, and space, and start your rabbit farm today.
I hope you find this post useful, feel free to share it with your friends as well as family. Feel free to leave your questions below.
Hi there, I'm Heaven. I'm an entrepreneur, blogger, and digital marketing enthusiast. When I'm not watching anime or learning something new from TikTok, I post and vlog about my incredible life experiences as a digital entrepreneur.
