One question several new breeders of the Angora Rabbits ask is how much money can one make breeding them. Well, it is suffice to say, not much. Once one factors in all the work it is involved in breeding and raising the rabbits, one can see that not much money is made.
First, one needs to make the initial investment of acquiring good stock. As in any other livestock, many times, what you might acquire is what you will get. In other words, if one purchases low quality stock, meaning the rabbits are not to the standard of perfection noted by
ARBA, then one will have a longer time time producing great quality rabbits. On the other hand, if one purchases higher quality stock, then the probability of getting higher quality stock is increased.
Now, one will ask, "How do I know if I'm getting higher quality stock?" Well, one will know it by various factors, including visual inspection, touching the rabbits, looking at the pedigree, it's winnings and reputation of the breeder. However, keep in mind that just because one purchases a rabbit from a very well known breeder for a large amount, or vice-versa, that does not mean the rabbit is better than the other.
Overall, acquire the best you can get, after you have done your thorough research on the breed itself and have talked to other breeders, judges, and fully understand what
ARBA standard of Perfection is, then you can begin your breeding, if you choose to do so. However, ensure that you are breeding a "pure line", no mixing, as ARBA recognizes only purebred rabbits.
Be aware that breeding is so simple, yet complicated. What I mean by this is that you put a buck and doe together, they will probably copulate and one month later, you have a litter of rabbits. This is quite simple; however, not the best thing to do. The complicated aspect comes to play when you focus on what you are breeding for. Is one breeding to improve the body, the wool production, color, etc.? One also needs to know when to cull (remove) the rabbits that are not suitable for breeding, such as those with malocclusion, really bad body, either too flat or too large, etc.
If one breeds indiscriminately, then you will have a multitude of rabbits and no proper program to improve the breed. Furthermore, having too many rabbits means more work on your part to ensure all are cared for. It also means that you need to keep immaculate records to justify your pedigrees, if needed, and to answer any questions prospective clients have.
With this being said, you have to factor in the time it takes to fully research the breed, research breeding specifications and understanding what to breed for, purchasing books, magazines, joining clubs, etc. This becomes a bit expensive for the initial investment part.
However, once you invested on that aspect one needs to consider the food. Purchasing pellets and hay is expensive, especially if one has 15+ rabbits. But before one even thinks of purchasing the stock and breed, one needs to purchase cages, floor mats, water bottles, crocks, feeders, medicine, scissors, nail clippers, slicker brushes, blower, grooming table, among other things. This is very expensive, to say the least, but very necessary to keep your herd healthy.
I won't go into the cost of marketing your rabbits. Granted, one can easily get a free website, but that is not sufficient. People fall in love with pictures, but many will really love them more if seeing a rabbit in person. Therefore, if one wants to show, then one needs to spend more money for the shows to enter the rabbit, travel (gas, mileage, meals, lodging), and other items. Not to mention factoring in the time spent in a show, either a whole day or two, or more.
If you are still reading this, lets then figure this out more. Once the rabbit is ready to leave your home, that is if you find a suitable client wanting to purchase your rabbit, you have to set a price for him/her. Be aware that Angoras might be expensive. In the case of the English, they are not a breed that satisfies any particular market. They are a "fancy" breed and not everyone wants to care for them due to their high maintenance. Therefore, you have to set a price and justify it. If you live in an area where the cost of living is high, you cannot market them too high or they will not be bought. On the other hand, you do not want to market them too low, as one will under value the rabbit's worth, and many people might purchase them without fully doing research to understand the extensive care an English Angora needs.
Even if you find a source to sell your fiber from the angoras, one cannot price them too high or too low. If a breeder is also a spinner and can spin wool into yarn, and can knit or crochet, one can sell these items at fiber shows or via Internet, but again, they cannot be overpriced.
In other words, it is difficult for one to make money of selling angoras only. One needs to understand that although it seems like a lucrative business to raise rabbits, sell their fiber, and other items, it is not as easy as it sounds.
In conclusion, when thinking of owning an Angora, one needs to understand that they are expensive to maintain, just like any other rabbit, but require more attention, whereby one might not get the money back from the initial investment. The angoras are not a breed that can easily be taken care of and people will soon find that out. So, if you still want to make lots of money selling Angoras, I'd have to say to you, "good luck!" Probably, one has more chances to winning a local lottery than becoming a millionaire with angora rabbits. The time and effort placed on the care of the rabbits is much more than one will ever get in return.
With this being said, don't quit your day job. Raising and breeding angoras is actually a hobby, than a business venture, though keeping business like records will make one a successful breeder. Overall, notice I used the word "hobby". Yes, selling angoras is not going to give one much money in return, but can give a satisfying feeling in a hobby one can love and learn from.
