Bunny Poo!
THE RABBIT FERTILIZER (MANURE) INDUSTRY INTRODUCTION It often comes as a surprise to the new grower to learn that rabbit manure can very quickly pile up! Just because the rabbit is a small animal and the droppings are neatly and naturally pelletized, manure removal is an on-going fact of life. Experienced growers have been known to claim "for every ton of feed I buy, I get three tons of manure back!" Although this may be an exaggeration, it really isn't that far from the truth. Rabbits are perfected manure machines. Even the single pet bunny owner will lament the fact that the rabbit cannot take three hops without leaving a trail of droppings. Much to their dismay, the rabbit has very little control of the anal muscles and litter-box training is limited to urine control in the majority of cases. For the grower with the larger herds, the manure can be either a profitable asset, or a problem. The days of "creating a pile behind the barn" may soon be non-existent as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) strengthens restrictions on the storage of manures, and rabbit manure is no exception. In the U.S.A., the EPA concerns are mostly concentrated on potential metal contamination, while in Europe, nitrogen contents are creating problems with manures stored in direct contact with the ground and contaminating ground water. Growers will need to pay attention to proper manure storage for avoiding potential future problems as the rules continue to change.
Methods of manure removal range from shovel-and-wheelbarrow to ingenious mechanized conveyor belts underneath the rabbit cages. Storage ranges from the "pile behind the barn" to special manure pits as used by cattle and hog farmers. Likewise, the uses of the rabbit manure will also vary.
USES FOR RABBIT MANURE Rabbit manure used as a plant fertilizer is superior to other manures due to its unique composition. Often referred to as "super fertilizer" or "Bunny Gold," gardeners revel in the fast and abundant growth of their crops, plants, gardens and produce. When the manure has been aged and air-dried, rabbit manure will not "burn" the plants when applied directly to the plants. "Fresh" manure, however, is extremely high in acid content from the urine and should not be used. Composting with rabbit manure is also popular and rabbit manure ranks among the finest of all manures to use for this purpose.
Worm farming (Vermiculture) has additional benefits as the worms thrive in properly maintained worm beds and rabbit manure is the favorite manure to use for raising worms. Although not recommended to keep worm beds underneath the cages in a fully-enclosed facility due to the need for a higher humidity in keeping the worm beds moist, the raising of worms under cages can be used to eliminate odor in the barns. Open-ventilated barns are ideal for this venture.
Worm farming also provides additional income by selling the worms for bait or composting, and the worm "castings" as potting soil.
Occasional, even the urine can be used, such as "scent" for masking human smells for hunters.
SELLING RABBIT MANURE This is where this industry starts to get a bit tricky. As with just about everything else, each state will vary to some degree in its requirements. Overall, however, most of the states are quite similar and standard when it comes to the selling of animal manures for fertilizer. It will be essential for each grower to check with their state's Department of Agriculture (usually the Pesticide Division) for the current regulations for selling manure as fertilizer. The majority of rabbit growers will sell bags and even truck loads of manure directly to the individual customer. The customer may be a farmer, gardener, worm farmer, or someone wanting fertilizer for a flower garden. Many rabbit breeders with the smaller herds will gladly give away the manure, just to be able to get rid of it. Prices vary according to who loads the manure... the provider, or the customer. It is not uncommon for customers to willingly collect the manure from beneath the cages and saving the grower the effort of cleaning.
So long as the manure is "un-manipulated," the growers can sell it directly to the customer. "Un- manipulated" means nothing done to the manure before selling it. Even shredding it is a form of manipulation! The manure needs to be exactly as it came from the animal.
Problems arise as soon as the grower either attempts to enhance the manure, or wishes to professionally bag it to sell to stores for resale purposes, and this is the reason why rabbit manure fertilizer is not generally found on retail shelves. Some of the requirements for marketing fertilizer for resale purposes entails the requirements of nutrient analysis and a proper metals analysis, obtaining a Unified Business Identification (UBI) Master License as a manufacturer, and registering the fertilizer (a separate annual permit). Likewise, the label must be very specific in the information it contains. Copies of both of the analysis reports must be submitted in order to register, so it's not just a matter of copying general information. Likewise, nutrient analysis may vary from herd to herd depending upon the type of feed and/or supplements used. Fertilizer manufacturers are subjected to an annual inspection of the manufacturing facilities and procedure. Stores carrying fertilizer products are also inspected to ensure proper labeling for that state and includes products brought in from other states.
There are no ways of "getting around" these requirements for wholesaling fertilizer for resale purposes. Manure is manure, regardless if it is called "potting soil" or "a soil enhancement." If it improves the growth of plants, then it is a legitimate fertilizer and subject to all regulations. Few rabbit growers are able to produce the quantities needed to make the expense of professionally manufacturing rabbit fertilizer worthwhile and profitable. It is highly unlikely that a small operation for catering to local stores, only, would cover the overall expense of manufacturing rabbit fertilizer.
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danger2013) wrote,
amused
