Rabbit Farming in India: An Overview

Abstract

Domestic rabbit belongs to genus Oryctolagus cuniculus which has 38 important breeds and 77 varieties of European rabbits. The domestic rabbit is known to produce quality meat, fur and very fine quality animal fibre. Rabbit rearing has gained momentum in the recent years among the developing countries including India, owing to their small body size, rapid growth rate, high prolificacy, early maturity, shorter generation interval and ability to utilize forage and fibrous agricultural by-products. In India, there has been a rising awareness in recent years on the virtues of broiler rabbit production as an alternative means of alleviating food shortages. India is also one of the developing countries which are also facing meat shortage of 4.66 g/day against the recommended requirement of 87 g/day. In India, the total rabbit population has increased from 424 thousands in 2007 to 591.6 thousand in 2012 which is 39.55% increase in last 5 years.

Influence of Plant Biological Additive on the Productivity of Young Rabbits

“…In the last 5 years alone, the commercial rabbit population has increased by more than 40%. Rabbit meat is becoming a popular alternative to other dietary types of meat, as it is a source of easily digestible protein, a number of vitamins and minerals (Bashchenko et al, 2020;Bharathy et al, 2022). However, the cultivation of rabbits using intensive technologies can be accompanied by an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal diseases in animals, especially gastroenterocolitis, viral and infectious infestations, resulting in cases of animal deaths due to a decrease in the body's resistance (Trocino et al, 2019).…”

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“…In the last 5 years alone, the commercial rabbit population has increased by more than 40%. Rabbit meat is becoming a popular alternative to other dietary types of meat, as it is a source of easily digestible protein, a number of vitamins and minerals (Bashchenko et al, 2020;Bharathy et al, 2022). However, the cultivation of rabbits using intensive technologies can be accompanied by an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal diseases in animals, especially gastroenterocolitis, viral and infectious infestations, resulting in cases of animal deaths due to a decrease in the body's resistance (Trocino et al, 2019).…”