Rabbit meat is of high quality,being high in protein and low in fat content.

Rabbit production can be integrated into small farming systems, with the rabbits being fed crop residues, weeds, waste fruits and vegetables, and so on. Their dung can be used as fertiliser for crops and gardens. Rabbits have a number of characteristics, such as small body size, short generation interval, high reproductive potential, rapid growth rate, genetic diversity and the ability to utilise forages and by-products as major diet components, that make them suitable as meat-producing small livestock in Nigeria.

Satisfactory cages, feeders and other equipment for rabbits can be made using readily available materials. The housing unit for rabbits is not as expensive as other animals. Cheap materials like  split bamboo and raffia palm can also be used for their housing. Based on these considerations, a commercial rabbit producer will spend less raising rabbits and earn more compared to other animals within a very short period.

Advantages of rabbit enterprise
•Rabbits are prolific breeders. A female rabbit (doe) can produce 20 young ones within a year. They have short generation time and high reproductive potential.
The reproductive capacity of rabbits is legendary! It is quite feasible to produce three to five litters per year, or about 20 offsprings per doe per year. With only three does and a buck, a breeding programme can be set up so that a slaughtered rabbit is available for consump-tion at least once per week. The potential for year-round production is another advantage of rabbits. The gestation period of a rabbit is between 28- 31 days.
•Additional  income: Excellent enterprise to provide additional income to households.
•Small land requirement:  A commercial rabbitry can be operated on less than one acre of land, for building the housing units and planting of some rabbit food
•Labour: It is less physically demanding than many other agricultural enterprises.
•Production of high quality meat and useful by-products: Rabbit meat is high in protein and low in fat (Holmes et al., 1984), particularly when the animals are raised on a high forage, low energy diet. Holmes reported the fat content of cooked rabbit meat ranges from 4.2 to 4.8per cent. Pote et al. (1980) reported significantly higher carcass fat levels in rabbits fed high energy diets than those fed low energy diets. There are few, if any, cultural biases or religious prohibitions against the consumption of rabbit meat. The skins can be used in the production of toys, craftwork and garments, and can be used in cottage industries.
•Rapid growth. In American and European rabbit production, market weight of fryers (2 kg) is reached in eight to 10 weeks of age. While the growth rate is usually lower in developing countries, rabbits reach market or consumable size much faster than larger livestock.
•Feeding is cheap: feeding rabbits is not expensive. The utilisation of non-competitive feeds. Like ruminants, rabbits can be successfully raised on grain-free diets, based on forages and by-products. Acceptable performance can be obtained using greens such as weeds, tree leaves, tropical legume and grass forage, vegetable tops, waste fruits and vegetables with supplements of table scraps and by-products such as rice bran and corn bran.

The rabbit revolution: The rabbit revolution in Nigeria has started! The campaign for inclusion of rabbit meat in our diet is on. According to Professor Udo Herbert –a professor of animal physiology, “Rabbit meat should be consumed by the Nigerian populace especially the aged and overweight. Rabbits contribute little to green house gases which causes global warming as compared to other ruminants thereby making them environment friendly.”

We have designed a buy back programme for individuals and investors who purchase rabbits from our organisation. With  one male and two female rabbits a farmer within a year will have nothing less than 40 rabbits without spending so much on feeding. Serious and interested investors in commercial rabbit enterprise or home consumption of rabbit meat can be assisted.Happy farming!