Serdang, 1 June – Rabbit farming offers a viable income stream through the sale of live rabbits and the creation of a mini-rabbit zoo where visitors, especially children, can interact with and feed the rabbits.

A group of students from College 14, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), have utilized the land within their college grounds for a rabbit farming project and also manage a vegetable garden.

Muhammad Hasif Muhairi, a Bachelor of Animal Science with Honours student from the Faculty of Agriculture at College 14, UPM, embarked on rabbit farming in December 2023. His goal is to gain experience as both a farmer and an agricultural entrepreneur.

Initially, the students purchased five New Zealand White rabbits, consisting of three females and two males, at RM25 each. The rabbits are now housed in a tent and have bred to a total of 15 rabbits, which are being sold as pets.

“We chose rabbit farming because the initial investment is relatively low compared to other livestock like cattle and goats. It’s an accessible sub-sector for young entrepreneurs like us,” said Muhammad Hasif.

“Rabbits can be kept in cages and do not require extensive space, unlike chickens, cows, and goats, which need larger areas and higher costs for infrastructure such as pens and food storage.”

However, he noted a challenge with the rabbits contracting ringworm. Affected rabbits are isolated until they recover, with treatment provided by veterinary students from the UPM Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

In addition to rabbit farming, the students are also cultivating mustard greens, spinach, and water spinach.

Tamilarasan A/L E Nagarajan, a Bachelor of Plantation Management with Honours student, explained that the selected vegetables are easy to care for and commonly consumed in Malaysia.

The Principal of College 14, UPM, Associate Professor Dr. Mohamad Aris Mohd Moklas, highlighted that these projects align with the university's focus on agriculture, including crop and livestock management.

“At the college level, we support and provide assistance to ensure these activities are implemented effectively. The rabbit farming project provides students with practical experience in both farming and agriculture.”

“This project offers students an opportunity to learn about livestock management and generate income from their produce. It’s an additional knowledge base that helps them develop supplementary income skills.”

“I hope College 14 will become a leading agricultural center in the future,” he concluded.