Village Rabbit Production in Some Areas in West and Central Java

E Juarini, Sumanto and Y C Raharjo

Research Institute for Animal Production PO Box 221. Bogor. Indonesia

Abstract

Recently the avian influenza virus epidemic has depressed chicken meat and eggs production in Indonesia. In fact, such poultry products are the most affordable animal protein resources for Indonesian.  Therefore, the people have paid attention for obtaining any other resources of animal protein for fulfilling their requirement.  As a result, rabbit meat has been considered to be an available protein option in West and Central Java. This paper discusses the rabbit performance in some villages in Lembang Sub District of West Java and Magelang District of Central Java. In Magelang farmer rears 10 to 11 does, whereas in Lembang 18 does in average. Rabbits are housed in the bamboo-mesh cages and fed simple diet. In 2007, the rabbit population in Magelang was 30,237 head and in Lembang sub District was 62,005 head.. The small rabbit enterprise in the villages has begun for many years.  The number of farmers were 162 farmers/village in Magelang and 140 farmers/ village in Lembang, conducting rabbit rearing.  Commonly rabbits were raised in the small scale under the simple traditional management. The system of marketing was in cast payment in two marketing patterns/scheme. First, the beginners purchase some stock to start small scale rabbit enterprise from their neighbor who was already established his rabbitry, or from the regional animal trade centre.  Second, the broker visits to the rabbit farmers, buy some growing rabbits available in the village, and then sell them in the regional animal trade or to supply meat demand from food raising. In fact, a significant increase, not only in rabbit population but also in numbers of areas and farmers interested in raising rabbits are recorded. A shift from improving healt and nutrition, through rabbit meat consumption to an increase income oriented which able to generate a range of B/C ratio from 1.1 to 2.7.

Keywords: Rabbit, population development, production, village

Introduction

As meat resources, the poultry products are considered to be the most affordable for the majority of Indonesian people, although another livestock products are available.  Unfortunately, there has been epidemic of the avian influenza (AI) virus in Asia including Indonesia. Since the year of 2003, this AI virus has caused noticeable reduction on most poultry raising in Indonesia and has resulted in the depression of the chicken meat and eggs production very badly (Prawirodigdo 2006).  The impact of the AI epidemic is that people are seeking for any other resources of animal protein to fill their requirement . Rabbit meat are an alternative of meat resource that can substitute the chicken product.

In the pass, small scale rabbit raising grew well in Java.  It was involved researchers (Cheeke 1983, Farrell and Raharjo 1984, Prawirodigdo 1992) to campaign for the advantages of raising rabbits to produce inexpensive meat to supply animal protein requirement of the people in Indonesia.  Later on, because there was no market available for selling rabbit product, none of the small scale rabbit industries in the villages was successful (Juarini et al. 2005).  Consequently, most of village rabbit raising declined slowly then disappeared. 

At the moment, however, the condition has changed a lot. It seems that at present the shortage of animal protein will lead more people to consume rabbit meat. Recently, however, Meniek pawarti and Prawirodigdo (2007) stated that at present the shortage of animal protein condition would optimistically lead the people to consume rabbit meat intensively.  Thus, there will be an opportunity to market rabbit production continuously.

The aim of this paper is to over look the figure of the small scale rabbit’s raising production in the village in Lembang and some villages in Magelang.

Village rabbit raising overview

At current time rabbit production is in contrast to the previous situation. Interest in rabbit rearing grows tremendously, a number of new areas in West and Central Java that developing rabbit farming arise, scale of operation, even though still micro or small, is increasing to small or medium size, in which farmer willing to spend more money for external inputs, and most importantly, markets for meat as well as for pets are widely open whereas supply is still short (Raharjo. 2007). To days, Lembang and Magelang are two areas that known to be the centre of rabbit production in West and Central Java. According to DJLS (2004), in 2002 -2003 rabbit population in Lembang area were about 30,000 does plus another 10,000 does in the neighboring areas, but in 2007, Raharjo (2007), stated that there were 3477 households in 32 villages involved with farming of 62,005 breeding does, and another 61,512 does were raised by farmers in 6 surrounding areas of Lembang sub District. The scale of operation range from 4 to 280 does with an average of 18 does per family as mentioned in the following Table.

Table 1 showed that the population of rabbit in the Lembang Sub District in 2007 almost doubled compare to that of in 2006, those figure is in fact very impressive from the economic point of view. It seems that the tremendous improvement is because of the improvement  of the rabbit raising scale as well as the farmers interest. In fact Lembang held the largest number of rabbits among the district and Municipals in West Java.

In Central Java, the highest population density of rabbit in the year 2005 was in Semarang District.  Actually, Semarang District is mostly located at up land area that provides comfortable climate for growing rabbits.  There are also some agricultural and food raising by products available for rabbit feedstuffs.  In addition, Semarang District has several resorts in which the domestic tourists use to spend their weekend or holiday with the family or friends.  Usually, in these resorts (Kopeng, Badungan, Sumowono, and Gedong Sanga Temple Ungaran volcanic hills), rabbits are marketed as child’s pet and  also served in cooked food (e.g. rabbit satay).  Thus, the domestic tourists have spent their money to buy rabbits products

Although the population of rabbit in Magelang area was not as high as in Semarang District, (9,893 vs 27,152 head in 2003), but as a new rising star in rabbit production, from a hardly known to a most talked area for rabbit farming (Raharjo. 2008). In 2003, the population of rabbit in Magelang increased 20,773 head in 2005 involving1840 families living in 18 of 21 counties (Widodo.,2006). In 2007, all 21 counties in Magelang raise rabbits, involving 3394 families (almost doubled from 2006 figure with 30,237 head of total rabbit population as shown in Table 2a and 2b. This figures mean that within 1 year progress, the people involved in rabbit raising is almost doubled. Average ownership is about 10 to11 head/family.

According to the Central Java Animal Husbandry Service (2006) during the five years period rabbit population density in Central Java has changed variously.  While rabbit population density in some districts improved steadily, such population density in the other districts were fluctuated and even declining..  Furthermore, Menik Parwati and Prawirodigdo., (2007) reported that in Magelang areas, the ownership of rabbit varies among villages, this is because of the different altitude of the areas that situated in the lowland, medium and upland areas  range from 100 m above sea level to about 1500 m above sea level. The altitudes have to some extend influence the rabbit productivity. In the up land areas rabbit usually grows better than that of in low land areas, .and this is of course  very much different from Lembang that most areas situated in the same altitude in the up land areas. Correspondingly to the similar evident, Cheeke (1983) ensured that the most successful village rabbit raisings were located in upland areas.  In addition, Wibowo et al. (2005) indicated that the small scale rabbit raising grew well only in the tourist resorts area that situated in the up land areas..

Both in Lembang and Magelang, rabbits are raised in the backyard, housed in the bamboo-split cages or other cheap local material and fed simple diet from forages or agriculture waste. Commonly the diet for rabbit contains of waste of vegetable, native shrubs, and weeds of coffee or other agricultural plantation. Most type of rabbit farming in Lembang and Magelang are considered as micro (involving less than 50 does) and small scale (involving 50 to 100 does), only some farmer raising more than 100 does that so called medium size. Most breeds of rabbit raised are crossing of meat type rabbit and pet rabbit (Raharjo 2007). Furthermore .Menik Purwati and Prawirodigdo.,(2007) reported that base on the appearance, it could be judged that the majority of rabbits raised by the farmers in the villages are the crossbred of the New Zealand and Flemish Giants rabbits.  However, the English Spot, Californian, Rex, and Angora rabbits also appeared in the village rabbit raising.

 Financial analysis of village rabbit raising and its marketing

 Rusmadji and Prawirodigdo (2007) found out that for 40 day old Lion rabbit the farmers asked IDR.25,000/head.  Whereas, for a 6 month old Lion rabbit the farmers offered IDR.150,000.  Interestingly, the farmers asked a lot cheaper price for the New Zealand x Flemish Giant rabbits (IDR.12,500, and IDR.75,000) for 40 d and 6 month old rabbit, respectively; (Rusmadji and Menik Purwati 2007). Nevertheless, the most serious problem that the major farmers worry about is the present of the dry season.  In dry season it would be very difficult for the farmers to provide green feeds for rabbits.  Consequently, some farmers slow down the production of their rabbit industries or even close it down.  Actually, this problem could be overcome by the use of pellet feed which contains the waste of vegetable and fruit.  Finally, the present investigation suggested that to conduct sustainable village rabbit raising it is necessary to provide available feed and as well the market for the rabbit product.

Commonly the system of marketing  occur in Magelang and Lembang was in cash payment of two patterns of marketing.  First, to start small scale of rabbit raising, the beginners of rabbit raisers purchase some stock from their neighbour who was already established a rabbitry, or from the regional animal trade. Second, the broker (sell-retailer) visits the rabbit farmers, to buy some growing rabbits (about 2 months old or older) available in the village, and take them to the regional animal trade centre or to supply the rabbit meat or rabbit product processor.

Wibowo et al.(2005) reported a financial analysis on the rabbit raising in the villages in Lembang and Magelang as mentioned in the following table (Table.3). Data in Table 3 show that with inclusion of labour give a Revenue Cost Ratio of 1.21, this figure is much lower compare to R/C Ratio of selling rabbit as pet. It is obvious that financially, selling meat is not as profitable as that of selling growing rabbit of 3 to 4 weeks old or selling rabbit as a pet.

In Magelang District, there is a lady from Sumowono Sub-District of Semarang District (about 5 km away from Ambarawa) who always visits Ambarawa animal trade centre for marketing her rabbit merchandise. Furthermore, it was informed that there is a significant amount of rabbit meat demand from Yogyakarta City.  According to Widodo (2006) there are some new restaurants serving cooked rabbit meat in South Yogyakarta.  Approximately, the new restaurants request 150 kg rabbit meat/d to serve the consumers.  However, the farmers are not interested in such opportunity.(Rusmadji and Meniek Purwati,2007). 

It seems that the farmers are more attracted by the bright prospect of marketing rabbits as child’s pet and so far there has been an interesting business in child’s pet trading. There is an interesting change in marketing village products paradigm.  Previously, the marketing paradigm was “How to sell your product”.  In the contrary, at present the paradigm is “Produce what you able to sell” In fact, it is noticed that the price of different breed of rabbit is varied remarkably as shown in Table 4.

Table 4 shows that the Angora rabbits are more attractive to the buyers to look after than the New Zealand x Flemish Giant crossed.  It is true that the farmers could earn much more money by trading rabbits as child’s pet instead of offering this animal as meat source. This situation occur both in Lembang and in Magelang.

In the future, it will be possible that such market system may change to better system  Thus, to keep the village rabbit raising on going, it is urgent to find out the other choices of marketing system. 

Nevertheless, since there has been a limitation in providing meat as protein source for human consumption, offering rabbit meat to produce meat ball or as a chicken meat replacement for fulfilling noodle restaurant requirement may help to solve the marketing problem. It is suggested that an organization for organizing fairly collaboration marketing chain among the village rabbit industries is needed to be established.

The above data show that supply is short, while demand is high. Supply ranges because it depends on the weather. At rainy season high mortality occurs, hence production is low and consequently supply also decreases. There is no standard for pet price; it depends very much on the breed, appearance and preference of the consumers.

An economic analysis of mikro to small scale raising rabbit at rabbit farmers in Magelang showed a Benefit-Cost (B/C) ratio of 2.0 and 2.7 with or without the inclusion of labour cost, respectively (Herawati and Juarini 2007). At different scales of production in a semi-intensive farming, Sastrodiharjo and Raharjo (1992) reported the B/C ratio of 1.1 – 1.7, with the internal rate of return was more than 50%.  Raharjo (2007) calculated a B/C value of 1.31. It is therefore not surprising that many rabbit farmers shift, their interest from self-sufficient meat consumption into a business-oriented farming. Besides, this situation also attract interest of dairy and beef cattle farmers, chicken farmers whom suffer from the widespread case of Avian Influenza, jobless people, and social group or NGOs that work to support increase welfare of rural or jobless people.

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