Calculate Ongoing Feed Costs

Track feed consumption per rabbit and multiply by local feed prices to project monthly and annual costs. A breeding doe consumes 4-6 oz of pellets daily, a buck 4-5 oz, and growing fryers 3-6 oz depending on age. A doe plus her litter of 8 consumes roughly 100-150 lbs of feed from kindling to market weight at 8-12 weeks. At typical pellet prices of $15-25 per 50-lb bag, feeding one doe and her litter through one cycle costs $30-75 in pellets alone. Add timothy or grass hay at $8-15 per bale.

Why It Works

Feed represents 60-75% of total recurring costs in meat rabbit production. Accurately calculating this dominant expense determines whether your operation breaks even or runs at a loss.

Tips

• Buy pellets in bulk (ton or half-ton lots) to save 20-40% per pound
• Supplement with foraged greens like dandelion, plantain, and clover to reduce pellet consumption
• Track feed conversion ratios to identify underperforming breeding lines