CURRENT SITUATION AND CHALLENGES FOR LIFTING UP RABBIT PRODUCTION IN EGYPT INTO INDUSTRIAL LEVEL

In Egypt, during the last ten years, rabbits play crucial role in animal production sector. But, they facing many obstacles including heat stress, diet quality, management skills and recent techniqulaties. In Egypt, rabbits are reared purposely to achieve family needs of protein and save some family cash income. Unfortunately, this led to a reduction in rabbit’s economic value, because more than 80% of rabbit production are in the hand of small-scale producers and some of them may not well qualified to breed rabbits. The current situation (increasing population census with increasing animal protein demand), is calling for expanding rabbit production efficiency and shifting it to large or industrial scale. This lofty step will require those small breeders to shift and expand their objectives of rabbit farming. So, this review will evaluate the current situation of rabbit production in Egypt, with references to the obstacles facing rabbit production. The role of researchers in guiding and training smallholders on rabbit farming and what are those breeders need to be well qualified in rabbit production. Trying to maximize rabbit production and lifting it up into industrial level.