Organic Veggie Planting with Rabbit Farming for Sustainability

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Monikah Kaaria

Blog Writer & Farm Consultant
Image credit : Freepik.com

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My first blog was on planting vegetables organically by using rabbit rearing. My last blog was on “Nutritive Basket of Vegetative Heals Many Healthy Issues.” Now I want us to plant these vegetables organically using rabbit urine.

Rabbit Farming

So, let’s start with, what is rabbit farming. It’s an environmentally sustainable agriculture practice. It’s the rearing of domestic rabbits for meat, fur, and wool (cuniculture). It’s a low-cost and highly profitable enterprise compared to other livestock rearing. It requires a very small area, 50×70×40 cm per rabbit with well-ventilated cages. It should be raised 2 meters above the ground for various reasons:

  • Avoid predators like mongoose.
  • Drainage purpose to avoid wetness.
  • Good air circulation to avoid the odor of ammonia and urea in urine.
  • Easy assessment and feeding.

Importance of Rabbit Farming

Rabbit farming is important for humans, soil, and the environment.

Meat Production

Their meat is highly recommended for the following reasons:

  • It’s white meat.
  • High in proteins.
  • Low in calories.
  • Cholesterol-free.
  • Minimal fat content.
  • Healthy alternative to red meat, reducing lifestyle diseases.

Their meat can be served in various forms according to taste and preference, e.g., as a stew, soup, sausages, roasted meat, or barbeque.

Laboratory Use

Researchers use rabbits for medical breakthroughs and improved treatments of diseases, e.g., in toxicology, cardiovascular, reproductive, and ophthalmology studies. In Kenya, this is approved by government laboratory bodies like the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE).

Rabbit Waste as Organic Fertilizer

This is my main area of discussion as we move on with this blog. GSGF must plant vegetables using this fertilizer. It’s an eco-friendly organic fertilizer rich in nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K).

Rabbit Pet Keeping (Hobbyist)

For those who love pets, rabbits are social animals, playing and interacting with humans. They are harmless to handle compared to other pets and love being held and petted.

Rabbit Droppings as Manure

Rabbit droppings are used as manure for planting vegetables and other plants, helping to maintain soil fertility.

Source of Income

Small-scale farmers sell rabbits when fully grown for meat, fur, and wool.

Recommendation

Therefore, I highly recommend GSGF foundation to support the rearing of rabbits and benefit from its biopesticides and biofertilizer. This will enable GSGF to continue caring for our green planet. We need ZERO pesticides and chemical use. We need our environment to remain friendly from pollutants.

Those living in apartments and small compounds, grab this opportunity and keep some rabbits in cages (50×70×40 cm per cage).

I am taking the time to write with GSGF because I am so passionate about our planet. I need to equip students with skills and knowledge on rabbit management, rearing practices, and their benefits to humans, soil, and the environment.

Types of Rabbit Breeds

There are various breeds in the world kept for fur, meat, wool, or pets:

  • New Zealand (Rapid growth rate, kept for meat)
  • California (Fast growth rate, kept for meat)
  • Flemish Giant (Largest breed, weighing 9 kg, kept for meat)
  • Netherlands (Smallest breed, weighing 1 kg, kept as a pet)
  • Angora (For fur purposes)
  • Rex (Kept for fur and as a pet)
  • Lionhead (Playful, kept as a pet)
  • Chinchilla (Kept for fur purposes)
  • Mini Lop (Attractive and playful, kept as a pet)

Rabbit Urine

Rabbit urine contains ammonia and urea. It’s an integrated pest management (IPM) package and is very friendly to the environment by preventing the use of chemicals (pesticides). It has two uses:

  • Pesticide (repellent to insects)
  • Foliar fertilizer (N, P, K)

Urine Collection

Place an iron sheet below (slanting) the rabbit hutches with gutters leading to plastic buckets. A metallic wire mesh prevents contamination of mixing urine and fecal matter. This mesh helps to keep the hutch clean, dry, and free from wetness.

Note: No expiry date for rabbit urine. The more it ferments, the better for use. Fermented rabbit urine (pesticide) helps manage insects and pests, e.g., black and green aphids, leaf miners, and whiteflies. Use a hand pump or knapsack sprayer to spray stems and leaves (foliar fertilizer). It’s good to apply before active blooming seasons because it will only repel insects that aid in pollination and do not kill them. This saves more than five times the cost of conventional pesticides.

The more rabbits you keep under good management, the more urine and droppings you collect. One rabbit collects 150 ml of urine per 24 hours.

Role of Rabbit Farming in Kenya

In Kenya, cuniculture is a low-input activity recognized as a tool to promote food security and alleviate poverty among smallholder farmers. It’s a sustainable food system. Agriculture diversification and intensification of livestock integration become critical.

How to Feed Rabbits

Rabbits can be fed using both exotic and indigenous vegetables, sweet potato vines, kitchen waste peelings, and some other weeds. Vegetables can be chopped or given directly. Note: Always sun-dry vegetables and peelings for some hours before feeding the rabbits. This reduces bloating and other digestive problems. Secondly, you can buy rabbit pellets from authorized dealers.

Rabbit Diseases and Management

This is a wide topic, but I may summarize by saying: Register your livestock with animal welfare and veterinary doctors for advice and directives, especially on vaccination programs, breeding, treatment, record keeping, etc.

Conclusion

Some people WANT it to happen. Some WISH it would happen. Others MAKE it happen.

Let’s make it happen for Green Schools Green Future! Let’s take ACTION, all of us. Your donation is and will always be appreciated at www.gsgf.foundation.

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