The advantages of keeping rabbits over other livestock species include:
· Small body size.
· Rabbits do not compete for grains with humans as strongly as chickens.
· Limited cost of the animals and of the housing structures.
· Efficient reproductive ability. Rabbits are prolific in terms of offspring (kg/year/doe) and will breed all year round if well-managed.
· Does (female rabbits) can kindle (give birth to) up to 13 bunnies (young rabbits) at a time, the average being 8. A doe can easily give 25 or more offspring per year. To estimate the potential of meat production this number (25) is multiplied by 1 or 2 kg.
· Rabbits usually produce 4 to 5 litters in a year. With proper management, rabbits can be kindled intensively.
· Early age of sexual maturity (4-5 months).
· Short fattening period (less than 2 months from weaning). With proper care and feeding they will be 8 weeks old or less at this stage. Young rabbits are ready for market at 1.8 to 2.2 kg.
· Rabbits have an efficient feed conversion ratio (FCR).
· Rapid generation turnover rate. A doe can produce up to 10 times its own weight, or more, in offspring per year.
· Rabbit meat is one of the most nutritious meats available (Table 1).
· Rabbit meat can be prepared in over 300 different ways.
· Unlike wild rabbit, domestic rabbit meat is pearly white, tender, juicy and mild in flavour.
· Rabbits require little space than large livestock. This is important, especially in areas where there is shortage of agricultural land.
· Rabbits are easy to transport and market and the recurrent costs for maintaining animals beyond the optimum are low.