Breeding
- The selection of rabbits for breeding is based on their fertility, growth rate, mothering ability and disease resistance.
- The buck (male rabbit) should have a sound scrotum with two well-developed testicle.
- The doe (female rabbit) should show good mothering ability in being capable of raising a large litter. It must also posses good body shape that conforms to a desired breed.
- Both buck and doe should have no deformities on their reproductive organs.
- The preferred age for first mating of doe (female rabbit) should be between 6-8 months and the buck (male rabbit) 7-9 months.
- One buck is capable of mating (serving) 10 -20 does in a breeding program. To start raising rabbits it is best to keep two pregnant does.
- Under good management practice a kindling box of 40cm X 40cm X 30cm, lined with grass material should be placed in the doe's hutch about one week before the date of kindling.
Beginning Rabbit Production
- Obtain the breeding stock from a reputable rabbitry.
- Construct a hutch using wood, wire mesh, chicken net and roofing sheet.
- Construct or purchase a nest box, feed and water troughs ( an earthenware bowl can be used for feeding and drinking troughs).
- Make sure you construct a hutch which protects rabbits from predators example, dog, cat snake. Etc
- The preferred length for doe hutch should be 100cm, Breadth= 60cm and height=64cm.
Management and Sanitation
· Undertake daily cleaning of cages and washing of water trough.
· Develop individual identification system.
· Accurate records in rabbit management are important therefore, records keeping for routine management activities such as mating, kindling, etc
· Handling of rabbits should be done gently. Never lift the adult by the ears as it causes pain. The correct way of lifting an adult rabbit is to hold the loose skin at the back of the neck and support it underneath with one hand.
· Rabbits should not be handled often and children should not be allowed to handle them frequently.
Feeds and feeding
Rabbits are non-ruminant herbivores whose main feeds are:
· Grasses: guinea grass, elephant grass
· Legumes: centrosema, stylo
· Kitchen leftovers: vegetable trimmings, root and tuber peels.
· Rabbits should receive 100-150g of supplementary feed a day.
Disease and
Rabbits raised in a clean environment may stay without disease and pest. It is therefore necessary to keep the hutch clean. The hutch has to be cleaned daily to avoid accumulation of feces in and under the hutch. Some common diseases which may attack rabbits including:
1. Diarrhea
This is a common disease in rabbit-keeping and may occur as a deviation from the normal pellet forms of feces discharged by rabbits to a watery sticky discharge.
2. Coccidiosis
This is a disease caused by a protozoan called coccidia. It occurs in dirty and overcrowded hutches. The affected rabbit lose weight.
3. Ear Canker
The disease is caused by mites which infest the ears of the rabbit. The mites usually burrow into the skin and cause injury and irritation to the tissues. The skin may develop a crust which is a hardening of the serum (fluid) from the skin as a result of the tissue destruction by the mites.
4.
Pests like lice, fleas, ticks, tapeworms and mites may attack rabbits and recommended pesticides can be used to control these pests. The best form of preventive measure is cleanliness.
5. Conclusion
i have tried to provide you with simple tips that will help you to start a successful breeding program, but if you have any other query you can ask in the comment below. Also, don't forget to subscribe and share with your friends.
