How to raise Rex rabbits to achieve greater profits

Large-scale Rex rabbit farming began in the 1990s and has now become a way for people to get rich. But getting rich by raising Rex rabbits is easier said than done. Disease outbreaks, lack of farming technology, market fluctuations, and malicious speculation by some people have all severely restricted the healthy development of the Rex rabbit industry. Below is an introduction to the issues that should be noted from the perspective of pelt circulation.

　　I. Select good breeds

When selecting breeding stock, it is best if you can buy truly good breeds from rabbit breeders. If you are not sure, buy commercial Rex rabbits to use as breeding stock. When selecting, choose those of good quality, and pay special attention to coat quality; the coat should be smooth and dense. When the market is bad, there is not much difference in the price of pelts produced by breeding rabbits bought for several hundred yuan and those bought for several dozen yuan.

　　II. Improve feeding standards

First, keep them alive; second, raise them well. Keeping them alive is easy, raising them well is not. As far as the current distribution of Rex rabbits in China is concerned, the quality of Rex rabbit pelts in the Zhejiang area is generally better than elsewhere. The reasons are, first, good rabbit breed quality, and second, willingness to invest. The cost of raising Rex rabbits in Zhejiang is relatively high, but the pelt prices are also relatively high, so the input-to-output ratio is relatively good. The author has seen a farmer in Zhangjiakou, Hebei, who raised Rex rabbits in a free-range manner, feeding them a mixture of rice bran and grass powder. Although the feeding cost was low, the pelt prices were also low, making it unprofitable. Therefore, when it comes to feed, you still need to invest where investment is due and cannot cut corners.

　　III. Understand the market and sell at the right time

Pelt sales are the key link to obtaining maximum profits. Generally, farmers wait for buyers to come to their door, and the buyers hold the upper hand on price. To get a more reasonable price for pelts, you need to keep timely track of local market conditions and the fur market, so you have a clear picture. In North China, for example, you can pay more attention to the market conditions at the Shangcun fur market in Hebei, keep up with the trends, and sell promptly when the price is right.

　　IV. Properly handle and store pelts

Raw skins sold on the market are divided into fresh skins, salted fresh skins, salted dried skins, and winter dried skins. For pelts of the same quality, the prices of fresh skins, salted fresh skins, and dried skins differ. Fresh skins are from live rabbits that have just been slaughtered and sold, and after processing there are generally no quality problems. With salted fresh skins and salted dried skins, if the salt is not rubbed in promptly or evenly, there may be some quality problems. With salted dried skins and winter dried skins, if the handling method is improper, problems such as fur loss (an industry term, commonly called tuohua) may occur during the tanning process. If buyers of raw skins are not sure about salted fresh skins, salted dried skins, or winter dried skins, they should lower the price slightly to reduce potential risk.