Best exotic animals to raise for sale as pets, or for exotic meat industry? Suggestions?

Question

My friend has 88+ acres in Arkansas.

Wants to try his hand at this.

Any recommendations?

Answer 1

Exotic pets - none.

for the meat industry.  Raise Yak.  The meat is supposed to taste much like common beef cattle but it is much healthier.  Even more so than Bison, deer or any other animal.   Google Yak, and get the address of ranches in Colorado and elsewhere that sell young yak for breeding.

Answer 2

You might try caribou (or yak or some other big critter if you have a lot of land) caribou are yummy, and good for you.

If you don't have a lot of investment capital, I'd suggest chickens or rabbits. Both make good meat, and they're not capital intensive. (if you find out that you're not a good meat rancher, you won't be out a lot of money if it doesn't work.) You can always work up in size. Enclosing 88 acres with good strong fence could be expensive.