Influence of weaning age on profitability of rabbits rearing on smallholder farms in Kenya

摘要

CommercialrabbitproductioninKenyaischaracterizedbyalongintervalof8to12weeksbetweenkindlingandnextmating,whichyieldsfewerrabbitsforsaleandthereforelikelytohaveinfluenceonreturnstoproducers.Thisstudyassessedprofitattainablewith4or8weeksofageatweaningfromfarmrecorddataof100rabbitfarmersrandomlyselectedamongmembersoftheRabbitBreedersAssociationofKenya(RABAK).Profitmarginswere13.8%higherwhenweaningat4weekscomparedtoweaningat8weeksandwhenfeedingpelletscomparedtofeedingmixeddiets.Sensitivityofprofitwasassessedtovaryingweaningage(4to12weeks),effectoflevying16%VATonfeedsandthemarketpriceofslaughterrabbit.Earlyweaningat4weekscouldproduce7littersperdoeperyearandonmixeddietweaningat4weeksofagehad125.04%moreprofitthan8weeksweaningage(KES53639vs23835)whileonpelletdiet,theprofitwas131.71%morefor4weeksweaningagecomparedto8weeksweaningage(KES106776vs46082).Profitimprovedby9.5%whenfeedingmixeddietsandby13.8%whenfeedingcommercialpelletswhileinclusionof16%VAToncommercialpelletswouldreduceannualprofitby6%forrabbitsweanedat4weeksandby8%for8weeksweaningage.AchangeinpricefromKES518to700willincreasetheannualprofitforfarmersby35%forrabbitsweanedat4or8weeksonpelletdietswhileadropinpricefromKES518to350decreasestheannualprofitby32%for4or8weeksweaningregime.