By Bob Aston
Kanja has been feeding the rabbit with pellet feed, hay, dry
grass, green vegetables, maize, banana and cassava peels as well as giving them
clean water. He advises rabbit farmers that evening feeding is very important
since rabbits are nocturnal and usually eat at night. The pellet feed should be
kept in garbage cans to protect it from rats and other varmints.
“There are a lot of diseases that
affect rabbits and not many veterinary officers are conversant with them as rabbits
fall under emerging livestock,” said Kanja.
Kanja Waweru, 60,
a farmer in Muhotetu Division, Laikipia County started rearing rabbits in 2010
and since then he has never looked back. Rabbit farming has improved his
livelihood and he is now set to expand his business through value addition.
Kanja started
with a male and a female rabbit. He has since sold more than 80 rabbits. Rabbits breed very fast. When you
start with two rabbits, you can get up to 80 rabbits by the end of the year.
He has kept California white though
most are cross breed. This he has done in search of weight and faster growth.
The cross breed can mature within five months instead of the normal six months.
An employee feeding the rabbits |
“I researched different business
ventures and decided on rabbit farming as a viable project. “Start-up capital
can be recovered within a short time though it will depend with the breed that
you keep,” said Kanja.
Kanja has constructed a house that
can accommodate 240 rabbits. He currently has eight (8) females, two (2) males,
twenty six (26) young rabbits and two (2) litters.
“One should not start with a large number of rabbits if he is
new to the business. One can start with one male and one female and expand as
they grow,” said Kanja.
Rabbits are kept for their meat, manure and fur. They come in
different breeds and sizes. Kanja has been selling each mature rabbit at Ksh
1,500 while a kilo goes for Ksh 350.
Typically, rabbits live for 8-12 years, but some may live for
a longer time. A female is ready to breed at the age of six months. A doe
that's rebred shortly after her young are weaned will produce four litters a
year.
Kanja said that the advantage with rearing rabbits is that
the gestation period is 30 days, with each rabbit producing six kits. A farmer can
get up to 30 young rabbits per rabbit in one year. Rabbits can give birth up to
ten times in a year. However caution should be taken to allow the rabbits a
period of rest between giving birth.
“The cost of production will depend on the system of
production selected as the major cost will be that of feed,” said Kanja.
An employee feeding the rabbits |
“Kenyans are not accustomed to eating
rabbit meat despite the numerous nutritional benefits. They are cholesterol
free and have high protein content,” said Kanja.
Kanja is now set to travel to Nairobi
to buy packaging materials for the rabbits. He has also decided to buy a cooler
box for carrying rabbit meat.
“People should not fear rabbit
rearing as there is ready market. Most people like rabbit meat but they do not have
a place to buy,” said Kanja.
He says that the nearest rabbit
market is in Thika. Last year he organized with them to come to Muhotetu to
slaughter there. He has now talked with Mugo supermarket in Nyahururu and he
will soon start supplying rabbit meat to the supermarket at Ksh 350 per kilo.
The meat will first have to be approved by the veterinary officer after
slaughtering before it is taken to the supermarket.
Kanja has been using Sokopepe to get market tips and also query market prices. He now plans to also use Sokopepe to sell his rabbits.
Kanja has been using Sokopepe to get market tips and also query market prices. He now plans to also use Sokopepe to sell his rabbits.
“I have been to Ng’arua Maarifa
Centre and I was taken through the process of how I can sell my rabbits through
Sokopepe,” said Kanja.
He believes that the Sokopepe market
will provide him with a good opportunity to not only market his products but
also get a good price.
Kanja also wants to start keeping
proper record of his rabbit business. He has now decided to join Farm Record
Management Information System – Kenya (FARMIS Kenya) which has been introduced
by Sokopepe Ltd to help farmers keep their farm records.
He says prevention of diseases should
be taken seriously. He advises rabbit farmers to develop a habit of
disinfecting before handling rabbits.
Some of the rabbits eating |
During an agribusiness trade fair
held at Nyahururu stadium on 20th and 21st March, he met
the Laikipia Governor who promised him that the County government will meet
them to chat the way forward for rabbit rearing.
Kanja has been a member of Rabbit
Breeders Association of Kenya (RABAK). He has attributed the emergence of
rabbit farming to RABAK which he says has been at the forefront of marketing
rabbit farming.
He advises those venturing into
rabbit rearing to build several cages for them so as to avoid inbreeding. Inbreeding
causes production to go down.
“Rabbits should not be kept in
debilitating conditions. Proper spacing is important. Stacking up the cages can
reduce the space occupied by the rabbits,” said Kanja.
Kanja says that while rabbits can be housed on the ground it
is prudent to keep them in raised cages that use wire mesh. This will make
cleaning the cages to be easier as the waste falls through the wire mesh. It is
also advisable that the cages are positioned in such a way that collection of
urine will be easy as this can later be sold instead of going to waste.
“Youths should start rabbit rearing. I have talked with some
youth leaders in Muhotetu and they have shown interest. This is a good
enterprise that can improve the livelihood of youths,” said Kanja.
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