INTRODUCTION
Rabbit production
as an industry is small when compared to the amount of meat produced, and the
monetary income derived from poultry and the other livestock industries.
However, the contributions of rabbits to research, the aesthetic value of its
fur, and the pleasure provided to owners as pets and fancy animals make rabbit
raising far more beneficial and significant than its economic value alone.
Most rabbit
production units are small, thus many families and individuals are involved.
The capital investment needed to begin raising rabbits is not large when
compared to that needed by most other livestock industries. The amount of land,
equipment and other items required is relatively small. Since the space
requirement is not much, it is often possible to raise rabbits near the home on
rather small acreages.
Production purposes
1.
Meat
2.
Research
and laboratory
3.
Show
and fancy.
4.
Youth
projects
5.
Miscellaneous
uses – pleasure, pets, etc.
Meat
Most domestic
rabbits are slaughtered for food. Rabbit meat is of high quality, white,
appealing and tasty, and tender. The dressing percentage of good quality rabbit
is about 60%. Rabbit meat may be cooked in a number of ways, and traditionally
it has been prepared in most of the same ways as poultry. The young 8 – week
old rabbits are referred to as fryers while the mature rabbits are called
roasters.
RESEARCH
AND LABORATORY
Rabbits possess
many characteristics similar to other species of mammals. The domestic rabbit
has been and continues to be used in a variety of experiments both biological
and medical, as well as in a variety of physiological, disease, nutritional,
and other types of studies. The unique
characteristic of induced ovulation and the habitual practice of coprophagy
(eating of faeces) are of special importance in certain types of research.
There is therefore a market demand for rabbits as laboratory animals and many
producers raise rabbits only for this purpose. This is of course a specialized
activity.
SHOW
AND FANCY
Some people are
interested in and produce rabbits entirely for the pleasure of breeding and
showing fancy animals; and there are a number of breeds which are considered
fancy breeds and are seldom sed for other purposes. Such shows not only provide
pleasure and a means of exchanging information but also provide an incentive
for genetic improvement and good quality rabbit production.
MISCELLANEOUS
USES
Associated with the
production of rabbits for show and fancy, is the pleasure they provide as pets.
Pelt production is not a primary objective of raising rabbits, but rabbit furs
are used in the manufacture of clothing. Pelts (skin of fur-bearing animals,
used as garments) from some breeds are highly prized for making coats, gloves
and other items, and those from the slaughter of fryer rabbits are generally
used in the manufacture of Pelt (fabric of wool, often mixed with fur or hair,
worked together with pressure, heat, chemical process, etc., without weaving or
knitting).
THE
ATTRACTIVE PROPERTIES OF RABBIT FARMING
1.
Rabbit
production requires relatively low capital to start.
2.
Feed
cost is minimal as rabbits depend extensively on forages; feed materials are
mostly obtained free of charge, or at minimal costs.
3.
Generation
intervals and maturity periods are short and as such, in the face of animal
protein shortages in Nigeria, the potential of rabbits to augument the total
animal protein supply in Nigeria is indeed quite high.
4.
Rabbits
are neat, non-smelly and non-noisy animals, and as such can be kept near human
houses, school buildings or even around offices without causing health hazards,
particularly through environmental pollution.
5.
Because
of the small size of rabbit a family can use a rabbit for “one meal” thereby
not requiring storage facilities.
6.
Rabbit
has a “popular choice” advantage because there are no known taboos restricting
the production and consumption of rabbit.
7.
Rabbit
meat is white meat, a source of high quality protein, low in fat, and therefore
has low tendency to deposit cholesterol. The meat is recommended for people who
have heart problems and those convalescing after sickness.
8.
It
is a good research animal, particularly in medicine since it possesses a
physiology similar to that of man.
9.
Basic
skills of livestock rearing are easily
acquired with rabbit rearing. Rabbit responds to careful handling but can
withstand the occasional rough handling of a beginner.
10. Rabbit is friendly and harmless
and therefore can be handled by the handicapped who enjoy caring for and
managing them.
HANDLING
OF RABBITS
To appreciate the
need for proper handling and a good knowledge of the appropriate handling
techniques are veritable instruments for an effective management of rabbits.
Wrong handling method is a source of stress to the rabbit and this can up-set
its temperament and make it cruel. This situation becomes more obvious because
the skeleton of rabbit is not strong and in case of sudden drop of a ro its backbone may break causing paralysis.
There is varying
temperame between and within breeds of rabbits. While some domestic rabbits are
docile and easy to handle, some others are aggressive and resort to biting.
It is wrong to
chase a rabbit round its hunch. The correct approach is for the farmer to use a
board to trap the rabbit in a corner of the hutch.
Farmers should
avoid lifting rabbit by its ears because it is painful, and may cause
stretching of the ears at their bases and they may droop when they should be
erect.
During handling,
rabbits should be talked to in a soothing voice.
METHODS
OF HANDLING/HOLDING RABBITS
i.
Scruff
method
ii.
Pelvis
method
i.
The Scruff Method
In this method, the
handler must trim his finger nails. The rabbit should be lifted by the skin
behind the ears and supported by placing the other hand under the hindquarters.
The farmer should avoid struggling and kicking.
ii.
The
Pelvis Method
This method is
recommended for young rabbits only. in this method, the young rabbit is lifted
by the pelvis or skin and quickly transferred either from hutch to basket or
vice versa.
TRANSPORTING
RABBITS
If rabbit is to be
transferred for short distances, it is easier for the handler and more
comfortable for the rabbit to be held close to the handler’s body. In this
practice it is common to see rabbit tucking its face into a corner of the
handler’s arm. On the other hand, if rabbit is to be transported to long
distances, provision should be made for a “transport box” which should be
fairly dark inside but ventilated. The box should preferably have a cover (lid)
and the box possibly kept inside the hutch to accustom rabbit before transport.
There is need to clear and disinfect the transport box each time it is used.
THE
ENVIRONMENT OF RABBIT
Like every other
animal, rabbit interacts with its habitat. The elements of rabbit environment
include:
-
The
rabbit keeper
-
The
rabbit itself
-
The
hutch micro-climate: temperature, humidity and air movement.
-
The
hutch space
-
Predators
such as snakes, gods, etc.
It is good practice
for a rabbit keeper to modify the rabbit environment with a view to providing
optimum circumstances for production.
The rabbit employs
some behavioural factors in the environment, e.g. when the ambient temperature
is high, the rabbit stretches out itself to lose heat but when too cold, It
curls up. When it breathes faster, it increases blood circulation to the ear.
When the rabbit feels too cold, it curls up to keep itself warm, while it
quickly runs and hides at the corners if it is frightened or disturbed.
HOMEOTHERMY
The domestic rabbit
is a homeotherm because its body temperature swings within specific limits in
order to keep alive. The normal temperature of the rabbit (rectal temperature)
is 37 – 39.50C (99 – 1030F). The body temperature is
maintained by burning or breaking down food in its body or by working to keep
warm e.g. by shivering. The ambient temperature determines the gain or loss of
heat by rabbits. It excess heat is promptly dissipated, the animals gains an
excess heat load which consequently causes “heat stress”.
Methods
of Heat Loss in Rabbits
(a)
Evaporation of moisture from the body surface.
(b)
Conduction: This method involves the loss
of heat through solid material e.g. heat of the rabbit feet is conducted by the
hutch floor.
(c)
Convection: Heat is lost through convection
when the body heats up air and the air moves away heat from the rabbit.
(d)
Radiation: This involves the loss of heat
in direct waves from the body.
HEAT
STRESS
Heat is a critical
constraint to rabbit production because rabbit is not adequately adapted for
rapid heat loss.
Heat stress is
mostly initiated by sudden rise in ambient temperature to which the rabbit
cannot easily acclimatize. Other causes of heat stress include: exposure of
rabbit to direct sunshine which causes the rabbit to admit more heat from the
sun than the rabbit can tolerate. The rabbit finds it difficult to lose heat thus
building up its heat load and subsequently stress results. Also, the
construction of rabbit hutches with metals such as tin could make the hutch
always too hot especially during the dry season or on sunny days. This affects
the temperature of the rabbit, thus subjecting it to stress. Absence of shade
exposes the hutch to much heat of the sun. if, however, there is free air
movement, the temperature moderating effect is guaranteed. The absence of shade
and restricted air movement also contributes substantially to heat stress in
rabbits.
The prevailing
circumstances is that the rabbit may be unable to lose enough heat thereby
causing its rectal temperature to rise above the normal range thus causing heat
stress.
Effects
of Heat Stress
i.
Ambient
temperature above 200C causes reduction in food intake.
ii.
There
is increase in water intake arising from the need to reduce the rabbit’s body
temperature.
iii.
Growth
rate or rate of gain reduces.
iv.
When
the ambient temperature is above 250C, there is impaired reproduction.
PHOTOPERIODISM
In temperate
regions, sexual activity of the wild rabbit is known to be affected by changes
in day length. Photoperiod stimulates the commencement and cessation of
reproduction. Changes in day length are not significant in the tropics and
their effects are not known. However, keeping a rabbit in a dark environment
will cause a cessation of reproduction.
BIOLOGY
Biological
characteristics of the rabbit in terms of gross anatomy and physiology are
similar to those of other domestic animals. In terms of growth, new born
rabbits grow rapidly and more than double the birth weight by one week if the
doe is lactating normally. At 2-4 weeks, when growth is still dependent upon
the mother’s milk, the weight is approximately 12% of the adult weight. By 8
weeks, the weight approaches 40% of the mature weight.
The females are
larger than males in most breeds and weights shown after 8 weeks reflect this.
Milk production of
the doe and the number of young per litter have a major effect on early growth.
At 6 weeks of age, when most of the weight is dependent upon milk consumed, the
weight of individual young in a litter of 8 or 9 will be about 80-85% of the
weight of the young in a litter of 4.
The rabbit has been
referred to as pseudo-ruminant, but the digestive system doe not function like
that of ruminant and is rather characteristic of monogastric animals.
The term
‘pseudo-ruminant’ has been applied to the rabbit because it consumes and
recycles a portion of its fecal matter (coprophagy) during which process
certain nutrients synthesized in the lower intestinal tract including ceca in
colon are made available to the rabbit. Digestion of food nutrients takes place
under the influence of enzymes as is characteristic of other monogastric
animals. Significant synthesis of some of the B-vitamins and possibly some
amino acids takes place in the lower intestinal tract (primarily in the cecum
and large intestine, by microbial action).
Since the rabbit is
herbivorous, consuming the vegetable portion of plants as well as the seeds, it
is assumed that the rabbit can digest and utilize significant amounts of crude
fibre. Actually the rabbits digests relatively small amounts of fibre, probably
less than 20%. The fibre digestion however, does not take place in the cecum,
since when the cecum is removed, there is little or no change in the amount of
crude fibre digested by the rabbit although there is a decrease in vitamin
synthesis.
Coprophagy
Copra refers to the
act of eating faeces and is a normal practice in rabbits. Animals that practice
coprophagy are able to obtain some nutrients, especially water soluble
vitamins, which have been synthesized by micro organisms living in the
intestinal tract. Rabbits excrete two types of fecal matter: the dry, hard
rounded pellets normally observed, and a moist jelly-like material referred to
as the soft or night faeces. It is this soft faeces that the rabbits recycle,
collecting it directly from the anus as it is excreted. It is not common to see
the rabbit consume this soft faeces, it is necessary to collar the rabbit or
restrain it in some way.
Coprophagy in the
rabbit has been referred to as pseudo-rumination. It aids in digestion but does
not correspond to the rumination process characteristic of other ruminants. It
is thought that the soft faeces form in the cecum and rapidly pass out through
the large intestine with a little time for a change in consistency; hence they
appear as clusters, each pellet is surrounded by a membrane. The soft faeces
has a higher vitamin and crude protein level than the hard faeces. Thus the
practice of coprophagy by rabbits is perfectly normal and is an advantage in
digestion and in supplying additional B-vitamins.
If the cecum is
removed, coprophagy is not practiced, but both types of faeces are still
excreted.
FEEDING
The efficient
production of rabbits is largely dependent upon adequate and proper feeding.
Feeds make up a large component of the major costs of animal maintenance and of
meat production. The quantity of food provided is important, but the quality or
type of feed is equally or more important. Poor nutrition can result in slow
growth, inefficient reproduction and predisposition to diseases.
In order to provide
adequate feeds, a knowledge of the requirements for each nutrient is necessary.
When the requirement for any nutrient is not met, the animal may not grow or
reproduce normally and may eventually die. On the other hand, supplying in
excess amount of a nutrient is neither necessary nor economical. The need
therefore to supply a balanced diet cannot be over emphasized. Nutrient
requirements vary with age or stage of growth and the reproductive function of
the rabbit; maintenance, pregnancy and lactation. The rabbit is a herbivorous
animal, subsisting on feeds of plant origin, grass or vegetable type plants in
the growing season, and hay or dry forages and seeds in the dry season.
Although rabbits
can live and reproduce on these bulky type roughage feeds, some concentrate
feed is required for efficient growth and reproduction. At the present, a
commercially prepared pelleted diet is available for rabbits.
Housing
The most widely
used type of housing is a shed or other structure fitted with cages. The size
of the building will depend on the number of rabbits kept. In warm climates,
the building may consist primarily of a shed which protects the rabbits from
rain and direct sun. various construction materials are used, including wood, aluminum
and steel.
The building floor
is an important consideration. Most commercial rabbitries have concrete floors,
and the area directly under the cages usually consists of a drainage bed from
which fecal droppings and effluents are removed periodically. Where litter pans
are provided, the floors may be concrete but Sloped For Drainage.
The cages or
hutches may be arranged in a number of different ways inside the building. The
common arrangement consists of rows of cages, with two rows opening onto a
central walk path, which should be wide enough to allow feeding, servicing and
watering. Where multiple tiers of cages is in use to make for more efficient
use of space within the building, litter pans must be used (placed under each
row of cages) to ease manure removal and cage cleaning. A sheet of metal
sloping in such a way that water can be used to remove the manure, may be used
in place of litter pans. Efforts must be made to prevent entry of rats and
other pests into the building, and yet allow for maximum ventilation. Cage
sizes vary depending on the breeds being kept, but cages must be large enough
for rabbits to make normal posturing adjustments and to provide adequate
freedom of movement.
The material most
used for rabbit cages is woven wire. Stainless steel cages are used primarily
in the laboratories. These are much more expensive but are non corrosive and
last for longer periods.
Two measurements
are needed to identity wire used for rabbit cages; the grid or mesh, and the
guage or the diameter of the strand of the wire. Grid or mesh refers to the
size of openings between strands of wire, while guage is the size or diameter
of the strands of wire. One half inch (2 x 2 mesh) means that the openings are
½ inch, or 2 openings per linear inch. With guage, the larger the guage, the
smaller the wire.
Particular
attention should be given to the mesh and guage of wire to be used for the
floor of the cage. Grid openings must be large enough to allow faeces to pass
through readily, but small enough to provide comfort and prevent the faeces
from becoming entangled.
HOUSING REQUIREMENTS
Adequate
space
The rabbit hutch
should be constructed in such a way that the rabbits should have adequate space
for free movement. This measure is intended to avoid stress imminent when the
movement of rabbits is restricted in hutches. Space, both vertical and horizontal
is a critical factor in ensuring adequate ventilation and temperature control
within the hutch as well as keeping the animal comfortable and free from
disease outbreaks.
Protection
or Safety in the Hutch
A good hutch should
be capable of protecting the rabbit from injury, rain, direct rays of sunlight,
wind, sudden noise and predators such as snakes, dogs, cats, rats and human
thieves.
Convenience
and ease of Management
For effective
management of the rabbits, a hutch should be designed to assist the farmer in
observation, feeding, breeding the rabbits a hutch should be designed to assist
the farmer in observation, feeding, breeding the rabbit, cleaning and
disinfection. At the age of 3 months, the males should be separated from the
females while arrangements should be perfected to create one rabbit per hutch.
Materials
for building a rabbit hutch
The floor must
permit easy drainage of both urine and faeces of the rabbits. Wooden materials
could be used for building the floor, frame and roof while the sides could be
covered with wire mesh for easy ventilation and screening out predators.
However, hay could be placed on the floor as bedding material.
PHYSIOLOGY
OF RABBIT REPRODUCTION
Heat
(Estrus)
Unlike most farm
animals, rabbits do not have a regular estrus cycle. The heat continues for a
long period until doe is bred. This situation is caused by the fact that the
follicles on the ovary remain active for at least 12 days before regressing. At
regressing, others become active to take their place – within 1 to 2 days.
The doe is usually
receptive when placed with the buck. This receptivity is signaled by some signs
of estrus.
Signs of Estrus
i.
The
vulva appears red and swollen.
ii.
Restlessness.
iii.
The
doe tries to join other rabbits in adjacent hutches
iv.
The
doe rubs her chin on the floor
v.
An
estrus doe raises her hindquarters when placed with the male.
When
the buck mounts the doe, he grasps the doe with his forelegs. The buck achieves
intromission after 8-12 rapid copulatory movements while ejaculation is made
following the first intromission. In many cases, after ejaculation, the buck
falls off to one side and could make a crying noise while a vigorous buck will
make an attempt to mount again. The fluid portion of the ejaculate ranges
between 0.5 and 1.5ml and the sperm density ranges between 0.5 x 106
and 3.5 x 106ml. extreme temperatures or those above the tolerance
level reduce sperm count and this situation can be remedied by adding thyroxine
to rabbit diet. About 10-13 hours after mating, the doe drops her eggs. Thus
breeding the doe can take place morning and evening of the same day. This practice increases the litter size. After
breeding, some does will stop to ovulate, particularly those associated with a
deficiency in Luteinising hormone (LH). The regulation of the doe’s weight
through feeding is vital because fat does are not good breeders.
Ovulation
This
is the process of egg release. Ovulation is the process of large overian
follicles breaking away to become an egg, usually after about ten hours
following mating.
Within
this period, the spermatozoa have moved through the female reproductive tract
to the oviduct where fertilization takes place.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE FOETUS
After
fertilization, the fertilized egg (zygote) grows into a foetus. As many as 10
eggs can be shed at the same time in doe of high reproductive efficiency, while
as low as 4 eggs may be shed in low productive does. The gestation period of
rabbits is within the range of 28 to 35 days.
Breeding
methods
Breeding
Age
Smaller
breeds develop faster and attain sexual maturity earlier. The bucks for
breeding should be at least one month older than the doe at first breeding.
Does weighing 4-6kg should be bred at 5-6 months of age, while larger breeds of
8 -10kg should be bred at 8-10 months.
The
doe should be taken to the buck’s hutch or cage by good handling methods and observed
for up to 20 minutes. If mating does not take place, another should be tried,
or the same buck tried the next day.
Parturition
in rabbits takes place usually in the early morning hours. Parturition in
rabbits is called kindling. As preparation for kindling, the doe makes nest
with available hay or straw. She further plucks her hair and lines the nest. At
parturition, the doe eats the placenta and foetal membranes.
SOME ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR OF THE DOE
SOME ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR OF THE DOE
i.
Failure
of the doe to build a nest
ii.
Birth
of the young outside the nest
iii. Cannibalism
iv.
Scattering
the young
v.
False
pregnancy
The average litter
size of rabbits is 8 kits which should reach the weight of 10-12kg at three
months of age at which age they are mostly slaughtered for.For questions call 08036721009, 08076075205, 07088788710 or E-mail us : bizideas@vestersms.com. We are here to serve you better
Click here for our physical contact address.
Click here for trusted and reliable bulksms portal/website.
Click here for other entrepreneurship packages.
Click here for Youth Empowerment
No comments:
Post a Comment