However, Judy Stuart of Future Farmers, who is also a member of the Natal and Cape rabbit clubs, says having a genuine interest in these animals and knowledge of rabbits can lead to a successful rabbit farming business. 

See PODCAST below

Stuart describes rabbit farming as being similar to other types of farming and encourages those that have an interest in this type of farming to think carefully about it. This, as there is no "get rich quick" systems in farming.

“The sad thing about rabbits is that there is a lot of misinformation out there. It is not always easy to get the right kind of advice and mentorship. But, I think most importantly be careful of where you get your stock from, make sure that you’re setting up something that is going to be functional – it does not need to be expensive, and make sure that the rabbits are treated in a respectful way,” adds Stuart.

Stuart recommends starting small when taking on farming with rabbits. By starting small she advises getting about four females and one male which will not amount to high start-up costs. She explains that starting small will enable the interested farmer to know within a short timeframe whether rabbit farming is something they like and whether there is a market for the produce. Thus, she advises people to learn with a few rabbits and grow their operation as needed.

“I feel very strongly that people should start with a small number of rabbits – if it works well, go from there,” says Stuart.

In terms of profitability, Stuart says that rabbit farming can indeed be profitable. However, this all depends on factors such as the choice of rabbits, if good protocols are in place and whether rabbits are well taken care of.

At the moment there is not an established market system for rabbit farming in South Africa, says Stuart. “At the moment each individual person is building their own markets and the markets can include the rabbit itself, manure and some people are even collecting urine which is also used as a fertilizer.”

Individuals who are interested in rabbit farming or to learn more about rabbits can contact The Rabbit Workshop SA at therabbitworkshop2020@gmail.com. The workshop offers training and helps people find rabbits and cages. Individuals can also contact Stuart at 083-555-0082 for more details on the workshop.

Tune in to the Agri Hour weekdays for part two of the interview where Stuart shares what is needed to start farming with rabbits, as well as the different market opportunities.

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