Low capital Investment, Backyard space can be utilized for an income generation. Conversion of Kitchen waste vegetables to a quality animal protein. Apart from meat production they can also be reared for hide and fur Additional Income for Housewives.
RABBIT FARMING IS FOR WHOM?
For landless farmers, uneducated youth and women, rabbit farming gives an additional income as a part time job.
ADVANTAGES OF RABBIT FARMING:-
By rabbit rearing one can produce a quality nutritious meat for his own family Rabbits can be fed with easily available leaves, waste vegetables, grains available in the home Growth rate in broiler rabbits is very high. They attain 2 kgs at the age of three months Litter size (Number of young ones born/ kindling) in rabbits is high (around 8-12) When compared to the other meats rabbit meat contain high protein (21%) and less fat (8%). So this meat is suitable for all age groups from adults to children.
HEAVY WEIGHT BREEDS (4-6 KG)
White giant ,Grey giant ,Flemish giant
MEDIUM WEIGHT BREEDS (3-4 KG)
New Zealand white, New Zealand red, Californian.
LIGHT WEIGHT BREEDS (2-3 KG)
Soviet chinchilla, Dutch
METHOD OF REARING RABBITS
DEEP LITTER SYSTEM
This method is suitable for rearing small number of rabbits. The Litter materials such as paddy husk, paddy straw or wood shavings can be filled up to 4-6 inches from the floor. To prevent rabbits to dig burrows the floor the floor should be made up of concrete. Deep litter system is not suitable for rearing more than 30 rabbits. Rabbits reared in deep litter system are more susceptible to diseases. Management of bunnies also very difficult in deep litter system.
CAGE SYSTEM
Adult male rabbit – 4 square feet (S.ft) Dam – 5 S.ft Bunnies – 1.5 S.ft Cage Dimensions –Length may varies. But the height and breath should be 1.5 feet Kindling Cage’s bottom and sides should be made up of weld mesh of 1.5 X 1.5 inches. This used to prevent the young bunnies to come out of the cage
FLOOR SPACE REQUIREMENT
Adult male rabbit – 4 square feet (S.ft) Dam – 5 S.ft Bunnies – 1.5 S.ft
ADULT RABBIT CAGE:
Adult rabbit cage should have 1.5 feet length, 1.5 feet breadth and 1.5 feet height. This cage is suitable for one adult rabbit or two growing rabbits.
The above sized cage is suitable for 4-5 rabbits up to 3 months age.
CAGES FOR KINDLING
The cage size for growing rabbits is sufficient for the rabbits going to be kindled. But the bottom and sides of the cage should be made up of weld mesh of 1.5 X 1.5 inches. This used to prevent the young bunnies to come out of the cage.
NEST BOX
To provide safer and calm environment during kindling the nest box is essential. This nest boxes can be made up of galvanized iron or wood. Nest box size should be in such a way to keep inside the kindling cage.
Nest boxes are designed to open in the upper portion. The bottom of the nest box should be made up of weld mesh of 1.5’’X 15’’size. A circle size hole of 15 centimetre diameter should be made in the longitudinal portion of nest box, 10 c.m from the bottom. This hole helps for the movement of dam from the nest box to the cage. Designing of the hole 10 c.m from the bottom of the nest box prevents the young rabbits coming out of the nest box.
CAGES FOR REARING RABBITS IN BACKYARD
Cages for rearing rabbits in backyard should be constructed 3’-4’ from the floor surface. The bottom of the cage should be water proof.
FEED AND WATER TROUGHS
Feed and water troughs for rabbits usually made up of galvanized iron. The feed trough should be designed in the shape of “J” and they are usually fit outside the cages. To reduce the investment cost the feed and water can also be provided in cups.
J- Shaped feed trough
WATERING METHOD
Feeding management
Sorghum, bajra and legumes. Green fodders such as Desmanthus, Lucerne, and Agathi. Kitchen wastes such as carrots and cabbage leaves and other vegetable wastes are also relished by rabbits. Concentrate feed can be given in the form of pellets. If pellet feed is not available the concentrate feed mixed with water and made in to small balls and given to rabbits.
SAMPLE CONCENTRATE FEED MIXTURE
Ingredients Amount
Broken maize 30 parts
Broken and ground bajra 30 parts
Groundnut oil cake 13 parts
Wheat bran 25 parts
Mineral mixture 1.5 parts
Salt 0.5 part
BREEDING MANAGEMENT OF RABBITS
Breeding age of rabbits Male – one year Female – 6 months. Selected from the high litter size. Should be health and coat should be clean, soft and shiny. Males should have two well descended testis If female rabbit is in heat, it allows male to come near otherwise it will go to corner of the cage and attack the male. Male female ratio is 1 : 10 Gestation period 28-31 days Pregnancy diagnosis of can be done by palpating the abdomen of the female rabbit 12-14 days after breeding. Palpation should be done in the abdominal area in between the hind legs. If there is a round mass is palpated in between the fingers then the rabbit is pregnant. If a female rabbit is not becoming pregnant after three subsequent mating, that rabbit is eliminated or culled from the farm. The pregnant rabbit should be transferred to the kindling cage on 25 days after mating. Dried coconut fibre or paddy straw is used as bedding material in the nest box. The pregnant rabbit pluck the hair in their abdomen and form a nest for the young ones one or two days before kindling.
KINDLING MANAGEMENT
Nest box should be placed about 28 day of pregnancy. Usually kindling takes place at early morning. Kindling usually completed for a period of 15 to 30 minutes... During this period the rabbit should not be disturbed and persons from outside should not allowed near the kindling cage Immediately after kindling the doe makes nest from her own fur. Average litter size is 8. During birth new born rabbits eyes are closed and they don’t have hair on their body. All new born rabbits are usually lying in the bedding material formed by the dam in the nest box. Usually the dam gives milk to the young ones one time a day in the early morning. If we compulsorily make the rabbit to feed her young ones there won’t be no milk secretion at all. The skin of those new born rabbits received the adequate quantity of milk from their mother is usually shiny.
WEANING OF YOUNG RABBITS
Weaning of young rabbits or bunnies can be done at the age of 6-8 weeks. During weaning period the young ones are fed with solid gradually replacing milk Weight is around 400 -500 gms while weaning.
SIGNS OF HEALTHY RABBIT
Healthy and shiny hair coat , very active , Good and quick feed intake after feeding , The eyes are usually bright and without any discharge , Gradual body weight gain
SIGNS IN DISEASED RABBITS
Dull and depressed , Reduction in the body weight and emaciation, Heavy loss of hair , No active movement of rabbits. But usually they stay in one particular place in the cage , Reduction of feed intake , Watery or mucous discharge from the eye, nose, anus and mouth , Increased body temperature and respiratory rate .
DISEASES OF RABBITS
PASTEURELLOSIS
Poor ventilation, poor hygiene, nutritional deficiencies are the risk factors responsible for occurrence of this disease in rabbits. This disease spreads from dam to young rabbits.
CLINICAL SIGNS:
Because of continuous sneezing and coughing the rabbits rub their nose with the forelimbs. Sound produced during breathing resembles like the rattle sound. Apart from this there is also fever, diarrhoea. The microorganism responsible for this disease also produces pustules under the skin and wry neck in rabbits.
TREATMENT:
Treatment is not effective against pasteurellosis. Even though the rabbits affected with pasteurellosis recover after treatment but the affected rabbits transmit the infectious bacteria to other healthy rabbits. Therefore culling the affected rabbits from the farm is the only control measure of pasteurellosis in the rabbitry.
ENTERITIS
There are various microorganisms responsible for producing enteritis in rabbits. Sudden change in the feed, excess amount of carbohydrate in the feed, immuno depression, unhygienic feed and water are the factors predispose the rabbits for enteritis caused by various microorganisms. The clinical signs of enteritis in rabbits are diarrhoea, enlargement of abdomen, dull hair coat and dehydration. Due to the loss of water due to diarrhoea which leads to dehydration, rabbits become dull.
WRY NECK DISEASE
Rabbits affected with the pasteurellosis are affected with wry neck disease. This disease affects the middle ear and the brain of rabbits. Because of the affection of membrane of the middle ear and pus is discharged from the ear, the rabbit turn its head to one side. Effective treatment of pasteurellosis controls the wry neck disease in rabbits.
MASTITIS
Nursing dams are affected with mastitis. Affected udder is hot, reddish and painful to touch. Giving appropriate antibiotics to rabbits will control the disease.
DISEASES DUE TO FUNGAL INFECTION
Skin infection is produced in rabbits by Dermatopysis fungus. There is loss of hair around the ear and nose of rabbits. Because of irritation rabbits continuously rub the affected areas results in formation of wounds in these areas. Later on secondary bacterial infection in these sites results in pus formation.
TREATMENT:
Griseofulvin or benzyl benzoate cream can be applied on the affected areas. Griseofulvin mixed at the rate of 0.75g/k.g of feed and given for a period of 2 weeks control to this disease.
FARM HYGINIC MEASURES TO CONTROL DISEASES
White washing should done twice a year, Lime solution should be applied below the cages twice a week , In summer seasons water may be sprinkled on the rabbits to avoid death due to heat stroke , Before providing drinking water it should be boiled and then cooled especially to the dam and young ones
