An Angora rabbit farming initiative has shown encouraging results in creation of livelihood sources, especially for female folk, in mountainous regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through involvement in profitable wool business.
The project of rearing of special rabbit breed kept domestically for long fibers of its coat known as Angora wool is undertaken in 2016 at Livestock Experimentation Station Jaba District Manshera, informed Dr. Siraj-ud-Din, Senior Veterinary Officer.
The objective of the project was to improve livelihood sources for dwellers of mountainous region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through introduction about potential of wool extracted from rabbit hairs.
The project has been launched with the collaboration of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Siraj shared.
Angora rabbit belong to Turkey and has very importance as high value livelihood source because of its tasty meat and production of world’s finest and warmest wool, Siraj apprised APP.
Under the project rabbits were imported from Turkey as parent flock and a rabbittry was established at Jabba Sheep.
Within few years, the project has catch attraction of people from across the country and applications even from Karachi are received for obtaining pairs of beautiful white colored red eye rabbits.
We have distributed pairs in the whole Kaghan valley, Haripure and even in Swat district where people are obtaining wool for selling in famous Islampur Shawl market at reasonable price.
People, especially in rural settlements are keeping these rabbits in their homes and making earning on quarterly basis by trimming the hairs of animals. Siraj informed that the price of one kg of Angora rabbit wool in raw form starts from Rs. 2000 to 5000, depending on quality and color.
Whereas the price of sheep wool in raw farm starts from Rs. 34 to maximum of Rs. 200 per kg, much less in comparison with rabbit wool. On average a single rabbit produces one kg of wool in one year while a pair gives birth to around 10 to 12 kittens in one litter.
Through fast reproduction quality of Angora rabbit, the owner can get a suitable flock within a couple of years and also gets more wool on annual basis, Siraj observed.
He said Angora rabbit is very domesticated animal which does not make holes in ground and if trained it defecates in its pots rather than everywhere in homes.
The wool of Angora rabbit is so silky that its yarn is prepared through mixing of sheep wool. While woolies prepared by rabbit wool gets the price tag of thousands of rupees.
He said the initiative of Angora Rabbit farming can produce more economical results if industry linkages are developed with farmers.
Through improvement in yarn preparation from rabbit wool and exporting of prepared product can generate more business and earning from producers to purchasers, industrialists and sellers. Presently, Dr. Siraj said the Livestock Experimental Station Jabba has a parent stock of around 55 doe (female) and 16 bucks (male).
The rabbittry has distributed around 700 pairs during the last few years at a subsidized price of Rs. 2000 per one pair. However, now the price of one pair has been increased to Rs. 3200, still much less than open market value of around seven to eight thousand per pair, he added.
About the feed, he said people can give them kitchen waste, grass and a mixes of oath, wheat and maize. Angora rabbit also have the potential of meat selling through export to Gulf and Turkey where it has great liking and demand. Average weight of each rabbit is around 2.5 to 3 kg and can be sold at reasonable price locally and internationally through export processing, he added.
