Which other products can I get from rabbit meat?

Which other products can I get from rabbit meat? Where can I sell them?

Just like poultry, hundreds of people are keeping rabbits, and others are considering joining the trade because they have heard that the animals fetch good returns. Rabbits are one of the most productive domestic livestock animals and are one of the best white meats available on the market today. Rabbit meat has a high percentage of easily digestible protein. It also contains the least amount of fat among all the other available meats on the market. Rabbit meat has fewer calories than other meats and it is almost cholesterol free and therefore friendly for heart patients. The sodium content of rabbit meat is comparatively less with more calcium and phosphorus contents as compared to other meats. Apart from fresh meat, you can get things like rabbit sausages, rabbit burgers, among other products. Rabbit meat has market in supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and individuals. The prices of these products depend on where you are, the related costs like transport, packaging among others. At some places a plain piece of muchomo cost Shs8,000, plain burger cost Shs5,000, a pair of rabbit sausages cost Shs3,000 and Shs18,000 for kilogramme of rabbit meat. Answered by Mark W. Ochieng, rabbit farmer and managing director Agrosol Ltd.

Is it possible to cross layer birds, broilers and kuroilers?

It is very possible. But what then would you be looking for? Layer birds have been bred and modified to lay eggs for commercial purposes.
Broiler birds have also been bred and modified to grow faster for meat selling purposes.
The Kuroilers are an example of a dual-purpose bird because they can serve both egg laying and meat production at a faster rate. Kuroilers were developed as a substitute for the slow growing and less productive indigenous chicken that are kept on free range. They certainly give better results faster in comparison to the indigenous ones. Now, what would one be looking for by crossing layers with broilers, if there are already better products provided for in the market? The details in breeding are complex and require expertise beyond an ordinary farmer’s reach. My advice would be to choose a chicken type (breed) that is already available. However, it should suit your desires and the market, then concentrate on making the best out of it. Answered by Samuel Ssewagudde, a veterinary doctor affiliated to Genesis East Africa Ltd.

What else can I feed my layers apart from bran?

Feeding layers on bran alone is not good. I would wish to know which type of bran you are referring to. Is it wheat bran, rice bran or maize bran? Bran is a grain milling bi-product. It usually contains less nutrients than the original grain. Bran is used in animal feed to lessen the cost of the feed as well as provide nutrients to some extent. Most bran is high in fibre and thus has limitation in use for, especially chicken that cannot deal with fibre properly during digestion. To feed layers, you must obtain good feed. Good feed is balanced feed, with proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, mineral salts and water in optimal amounts that would meet the performance of a chicken every day.
Good feed starts with a good feed formulation. It is made better by choosing suitable ingredients and finished off with proper preparation of the ingredients (grinding) to good texture and thorough mixing.
You must seek technical guidance from a veterinarian or an animal production or nutrition specialist when seeking to know more about feeds. Answered by Samuel Ssewagudde, a veterinary doctor affiliated to Genesis East Africa Ltd