NPK Fertilizer of Rabbit Urine
Rising cost of chemical fertilizer (inorganic) in developing countries has put the lives of smallholder farmers who rely on farming at risk of food insecurity and low income generating through farming.
The rising cost of capital in crop production owing to inflation-driven rates of interest has made both small-scale and large-scale farming in developing countries uncompetitive. In developing countries lack of local manufacturing of inorganic fertilizer has exacerbated the situation and this has forced a lot farmers to start looking for alternative ways which could lower cost of production by substituting chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer that achieve similar results.
As of today, different studies have shown that Rabbit urine can be used as a fertilizer and pesticide. The studies have shown Rabbit urine contains a high level of nitrates, phosphorus and potassium, which are required by the plant to grow, and it is environmentally friendly and non-toxic in farming system.
The importance of Rabbit urine is that, it has no expiry date as long as it is kept covered after harvesting to preserve ammonia. Rabbit urine is normally alkaline and has a pH between 8 to 9.
Composition of Rabbit Urine
Rabbit urine has a higher nitrogen content compared with the urine coming from other animals. The nutrient content of rabbit urine fertilizer is 2.72% nitrogen, 8.7% phosphorus, 2.3% potassium, 3.6% sulfur, 1.26% calcium and 4.0% magnesium, which are essential for crop production.
Using Rabbit urine as a chemical fertilizer substitute does not only help farmers reduce the high cost of inorganic fertilizer, but also it increases the quantity and quality of the crop produced by improving the soil fertility of the soil and controlling unruly crop pests, simultaneously. Thus, there is no waste in rabbit production.
How do You Collect Urine From a Rabbit
In order to collect as much Rabbit urine as possible, you should raise your Rabbit in cages. The Rabbit cage should be made using a wire mesh floor which the Rabbits rest on. Underneath, a slightly slanted iron sheet should be placed which directs urine to a gutter and, thereafter, to a container for collection as shown above.
Crops That You Can Apply Rabbit Urine as Fertilizer and Pesticide
Rabbit urine is very rich in nitrogen and it is very effective on vegetable crops like cabbage, lettuces, cucumber, watermelon, and other vegetables at any stage of growth. It can also be used at the early stage of other crops like maize (corn).
How to Apply Rabbit Urine as Fertilizer and Pesticide
When used as a fertilizer, farmers are required to mix a litre of concentrated Rabbit urine and with four litres of water and apply it to crops three times every two weeks.
When used as an insecticide, farmers are required to mix two litres of concentrated rabbit urine with three litres of water and spray the mixture on affected crops after every two weeks three times to wipe the insects.
The difference between synthetic pesticides and organic pesticides is just their reaction with the target pests. Synthetic pesticides kill the pests which, at times, may be beneficial to the plants in terms of pollination while organic pesticides repel the pests from the plant and does not kill the pollinating agents. It is an organic pesticide that repels the insect pests through its pungent smell.
Examples of insect pests that are repelled by Rabbit urine are aphids, mites, bugs, leaf miners, bugs.
Other Income Generating Ideas From Rabbit Urine
The Rabbit can be raised for meat, and you can venture into this farming in large scale. In this case, you will be generating revenue by selling Rabbit meat.
As a Rabbit farmer, if you do not have the passion for crop production, you can sell Rabbit urine to organic crop farmers at reasonable prices.