RABBIT PRODUCTION
Origin and distribution
The domestic rabbit is a descendant of the European world rabbit.
Rabbits are widely distributed all over the world.
Its uses include:
1. Meat
2. Research
3. Fur/wool
4. Pets
Rabbit breeds
Rabbit breeds are divided into five weight groups which are:
i. Dwarf/Miniature
- Netherland dwarf
- Himalayan
- Holland lop
- Mini rex
ii. Small
- Mini lop
- Dutch – 2.5 – 3.5kg
- Tan
- Havana
- Florida white
iii. Medium
- Standard chinchilla
- Satin Angora
- French Angora
- Rex
iv. Large
- Californian – 3.6 – 6kg
- New Zealand – 4.1 – 5.4kg
- American chinchilla – 4.1 – 5.5kg
- Satin
- English lops
- Palomino
v. Giant
- Giant Angora
- French Lops
- Giant chinchilla
Rabbit Reproduction
The mating ratio is 1 buck (male) to 2 – 5 does (females).
The smaller breeds mature sexually earlier than the heavier ones. The small polish breed can be bred at 4 months, large New Zealand white at 6 – 7 months, and heavy Flemish at 9 – 12 month of age.
Sexual maturity is reached 5 months after birth, but breed should be delayed to 7 months after birth.
Mating Rabbits
Both sexes must be separated and individual rabbits separated into single cages or hutches.
A doe that is desiving mating is restless, will try to leave its cage to join other rabbits
The doe should be taken to the buck. The doe should be returned to its hutch after mating.
Ovulation in rabbits
In rabbits, copulation or mating triggers off ovulation. Ovulation occurs about 10 hours post copulation. The does are said to be induced – ovulators.
Gestation
Gestation length in does is 31 days. On day 28 of gestation, nest box filled half-full of nesting material should be place in the doe’s hutch. A doe normally pulls some of her own fur to line a nest for the kits.
The average litter size is 8 – 10 kits.
Kindling
Kindling is the act of giving both in rabbits. This normally occurs in the early morning and requires approximately 20 minutes.
Within 24 and no longer than 48 hours after kindling, the next box should be examined and any dead kits removed.
Litters can be equalized between does if the kits are approximately the same age
A desirable number is seven to eight kits for each doe.
Excessively large litters should either be fostered or culled to no more than eight kits. This is because does rarely have more than eight nipples for feeding the young.
The next box is removed 15 to 21 days after birth or after all the kits has left it. The kits are weaned at 28 to 30 days of age.
Most profitable commercial operations rebreed the does either 14 or 21 days after kindling. Does who lost its litter at kindling can be rebred the same day, but it is generally recommended to wait 3 days.
Causes of Kit’s Mortality
1. Abandonment by the doe
2. Cats, dogs and ants
3. Fright of the doe
4. Cuts and strangulation between the wire mesh
5. Poor nutrition of doe
Lactation in Rabbit
Lactation is rabbits is optimum at about 3 weeks. Kits develop rapidly if their dam gets good and sufficient feed
During lactation, adequate good quality concentrate, sufficient succulent greens and plenty of clean fresh water should be provided to ensure production of abundant milk for the young.
Nutrition
There are ways to feed rabbits. The first and most convenient method is to feed a commercially prepared and balanced complete diet. These feeds are almost exclusively pelleted rations. They are easy to feed to the animal.
The alternative method is to feed forage usually hay and grains
Since rabbits are herbivores, they may also be fed fresh grass and legume forage. Owners of small numbers of rabbits may find this an attractive and low-cost alternative.
Rabbits can recycle their soft faecal pellets thereby supplementing protein quantity, quality and B-Vitamins
By recycling the soft faeces (Coprophagy) they also improve the digestibility of the feed that undigested the first time.
Adequate Diets for Commercial Rabbit Production
1. For Growth 0.5 to 4kg (%) or (kg)
Legume hay50
Maize34.5
Rice bran 5.0
Soy-bean meal10.0
Salt0.5_______
100% or 100kg
2. For Maintenance of does and bucks
Average weight 4.5kg
(%) or (kg)
Legume hay70.0
Maize29.5
0.5
1000% or kg
3. Pregnant doe (average weight
% 4.5kg)
Legume 50.0
Grains 45.5
Soybean Malt 4.0
Salt 5.0_______
100 kg or %
4. Lactating doe
(%) or (kg)
Legume hay 40.0
Grains 47.5
Soybean Meal 12.0
Salt 0.5_____
100 kg or (%)
Nutrient classes for rabbit
1. Protein – 12 – 17% CP
2. Energy – 2390 – 2500
3. Fats – 20 – 25%
4. Fibre
5. Minerals and Vitamins
6. Water
Feed Materials
1. Industrial by – products of starchy roots and tubers
2. Dry poultry waste
Note:
Cecotrophy: The act of consuming the material from caclum in the form of cecotrophs.
Large, soft pellets of cecally fermented feed, which move through the colon in a distinctly different manner than faeces and are, reconsumed for upper digestive tract digestion.
Rabbit Housing
The basic principle in housing is that the houses should protect rabbits from predators, thieves, extremes of climat, accidental mortality, efficient reproduction, etc.
Rabbit house should be simple, cheap, save labour, be easy to operate and not be injurious to the rabbits.
Rabbits are usually kept in hutches.
The dimensions are:
Length=0.9 – 1.2m
Width =0.6 – 0.9m
Height =0.6m
Door = 0.45 high
0.5 wide and 0.1m from the floor.
Flooring of the hutches
Several types of flooring can be used in building hutches. Wire mesh is used extensively where self-cleaning hutches are desirable.
Equipment
The equipment needed in rabbit hutches include, feeder, westerner, nesting box, (for does), salt lick.
Types of Houses
1. Cage
2. Pens
3. Paddocks
4. Underground housing – burrows
5. Portable hutches
6. Nesting boxes
Rabbits Diseases
Rabbit diseases can be grouped into five. These are:
1. Viral diseases
2. Bacterial diseases
3. Parasitic
4. Fungal diseases
5. Non-infection conditions disuses.
Viral Diseases
1. Infections myxomatosis
2. Rabbit pox
3. Papillomatosis
Bacterial Diseases
1. Pasteurellosis
2. Abscesses
3. Mastitis (blue breast disease)
4. Pneuonomonia
5. Conjunctivitis (weepy eye)
6. Spirochetosis
7. Enteritis
Parasitic Diseases
1. Coccidiosis
2. Mange
3. Pincorm infection
4. Ear mite infection (ear canker)
Non – infections conditions
1. Bloat
2. Sore hocks.
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