Developing a Sustainable Rabbit Enterprise Through Pet-Food Market Integration and On-Farm Feed Production

Commodities

Practices

Our earlier SARE-funded
project (FNC12-850) demonstrated that small-scale meat rabbit
production could not support full-time income levels. The two key
barriers were (1) limited consumer demand for rabbit meat, and (2)
high and volatile feed costs-the single largest overhead expense in
rabbitry operations.

Today, pet-food processors
such as My Pet Carnivore
and The Butcher's Hound
have created new, steady demand for rabbit as a raw ingredient in
natural dog and cat diets. However, few farms are equipped to
supply rabbit to this market at scale or with consistent cost
control.

Meanwhile, feed costs continue
to rise. Bagged commercial pellets have doubled in price since 2012
and depend on imported ingredients. A more regenerative
approach-growing and processing on-farm feedstocks using locally
grown grains and forage crops-could stabilize costs and improve
farm independence.

This project seeks to test
whether integrating (1) pet-food market access and (2) on-farm feed
production can together make rabbit production a viable full-time
agricultural enterprise for family farms in the North Central
Region.

Solution (500 words)

We will conduct an applied,
on-farm research and demonstration project at Mud Creek Farm in
Indiana to test two linked innovations that could improve the
economic sustainability of rabbit production:

1. Market Integration with Pet-Food
   Buyers
   We will partner with My Pet
   Carnivore and The
   Butcher's Hound-two regional raw pet-food companies
   headquartered in Indiana-to establish a steady-volume outlet for
   rabbit carcasses and offal. These buyers already process rabbit
   products into pet diets but lack sufficient local supply. We will
   supply dressed rabbits, track pricing, yields, and logistical
   costs, and document the market viability for small-farm
   participation in this value chain.

2. On-Farm Feed Production and
   Pelleting
   We will plant 2 acres of mixed annual feed crops (oats, peas,
   sunflower, sorghum, and field peas) to replace purchased pelleted
   feed. The crops will be ground and pelleted using small-scale
   equipment to produce a complete rabbit ration.
   Data collected will include:

   • Crop input costs (seed,
     fertilizer, labor, fuel)

   • Processing time and energy use
     (grinding, pelleting)

   • Feed nutritional analysis (lab
     testing for protein, fiber, fat, calcium, phosphorus)

   • Feed conversion ratios (FCR),
     growth rate, and cost per pound of rabbit produced

   • Comparison of purchased
     commercial pellets vs. self-produced feed

3. Economic Analysis &
   Outreach
   We will calculate per-pound production costs, labor inputs, and
   profit margins under both feeding systems. Our outreach will share
   these findings through field days, short videos, and a downloadable
   "Rabbit Feed Independence Guide" summarizing results for other
   small-scale producers.

Objectives (100 words)

1. Demonstrate a replicable
   system for supplying rabbits to regional pet-food buyers.

2. Develop and test a
   cost-effective on-farm rabbit feed using locally grown annual
   crops.

3. Compare feed performance,
   growth, and cost metrics between self-produced and commercial
   feeds.

4. Conduct lab analysis of feed
   nutrition and carcass quality.

5. Share results through on-farm
   field day, online publications, and collaboration with Indiana's
   Small Farm Conference.