Do You Know That You can Generate STEADY AND STABLE INCOME REARING RABBITS EITHER AS A FULL TIME OR PART TIME FARMER?

AT TEEWONDER FARMS AND FOODS LIMITED, we teach and guide you as you learn, work and earn stable and steady income through our readily available market hub......

Mini-Livestock Production such rearing animals like rabbit, grasscutter, snail is gaining high recognition in the society this days. But many farmers or intending farmers are still faced with basic guiding rules of the business, some don't see it as a life changing enterprise and many are faced with the challenge of a well defined structured market.
If you are getting into rabbit production, you will first need to know the animal, and be familiar with some common words associated with rabbit. There are over 20 different species of wild rabbit in the world. The domesticated rabbit is called Oryctilaus cuniculus. Rabbit have traditionally been valued for their fur and meat. A female rabbit is called doe and a male rabbit is called buck. Baby rabbit are called kits and rabbit for marketing are called fattener or fryers. The place where rabbit are kept is called hutch. A hutch is a small stand-alone structure with a roof, floor and legs. Feed and water utensils are called feeders and drinkers respectively. Commercial rabbit ration are sometimes called concentrate.

IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN RABBIT PRODUCTION, HAVE A READ AND LEARN HOW YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR NATION FOOD SECURITY.

Why be a rabbit farmer

Nutrition

 Rabbit provides white meat which has less cholesterol than all other white meat.
 Rabbit meat has the highest level of protein and Vitamin B12.
 Rabbit meat provides special diets that require low sodium diets and weight reduction diets.

Faster Multiplication

 Female Rabbits (Doe) give birth (kindles) up to 7 times in a year with 7 to 18 kits(baby rabbits) each time translating to up to 72 kits in 1 year.
 A doe is ready to mate at 1 to 2 days after kindling but never serve it with a male until 4 weeks are over.

Faster maturation

 Kits are weaned (removed from dependence on the mother) 5-6 weeks after birth.
 They are big enough for slaughter at 3 months or 12 weeks.
 Does are ready for mating 5-6 months after birth depending on the breed and feeding discipline.
 Bucks (male rabbits) are ready for mating 5-6 months after birth.

Efficiency in use of Feed and Water
 Rabbit are good converters of feed.

Ease of Feeding
 Rabbits are easy to feed since they do eat a broad variety of feeds, some of which grow as weeds such as tridax, e.t.c

Rabbit Manure
 Rabbit Manure is superior to cow manure as it has 2.3 percent nitrogen (N), 1.4 percent phosphorous (P) and 0.6 percent potassium (K) whereas cow manure has only 0.3 percent of nitrogen (N), 0.2 percent of phosphorous (P) and 0.1 percent of potassium (K).
 Rabbits grow fast especially if fed well reaching maturity at 5 months and slaughterweight at 3 months.
 They require less land (space) with diminishing land size; therefore can be kept at the backyard.
 They can derive their feed requirement entirely on greens only.
 They are prolific each doe capable of reproducing 4 times a year an average of 8 kits per kindling.
 They have one of the highest feed conversion ratios at 4:1.
 Rabbit meat is white meat of high quality, easily digestible with low fat, low cholesterol and high protein compared to most other meats
 The unsaturated fats (good fats) in rabbit meat make 63% of the total fatty acids
 Rabbit meat is lower in percentage fat than chicken, turkey, beef and pork
 Rabbit meat provides the lowest calories per kilogram of meat consumed compared to other sources of meat.
 Rabbit meat is one of the cleanest meat as it is raised off the ground
 Other important products from rabbits include manure, skins and fur.
 They can also be produced as lab animals

Breeds:
 New Zealand White
 Californian white
 Chinchilla
 Dutch
 Flemish Giant
 Angora
 Giant Flemish


STEPS FOR SUCCESS IN RABBIT PRODUCTION
 Educate yourself
 Plan your input carefully
 Learn your market
 Purchase healthy rabbit stock
 Maintain strict record keeping

Production Parameters
 This result should act as a guide. Your rabbit should do better and not worse.
 Mature weight : 3.5- 4.5kg
 Gestation period: 31-33 days
 Kindling per year: 4-5
 Kits born per litter: 5-6
 Pre weanining mortality: this is the percentage that dies before weaning 10-15%
 Average birth weight:45kg
 Live weight at 12 weeks: 1.6kg

N/B: this parameters were obtained using 18% crude protein ration mixed with grass ad lib.(Rastogi R.K.1989)

Parameters to look out when choosing a rabbit for meat production
Proper record keeping allows you to make these decisions.
I. Choose animal that produces large litters and maintain them to weaning(4weeks) i.e. good mothering ability
II. Animals should be adaptable to the local environment and have good disease tolerance
Choose animals that shows rapid growth rate

Rabbit Housing and Routine practices
Rabbit Housing Requirements
 The house must protect the rabbits from predators
 The house must protect the rabbits and keep them from escaping
 The house must protect the rabbits from adverse weather
 The house should allow easy, comfortable access for the manager
 The house must be self-cleaning or easy to clean
 The house should be of reasonable cost, easy to maintain and be durable.
 Ideally, rabbits should be kept in cages either outdoor with extended roofs or indoor
 Where the cages are kept inside buildings on platforms.
 A rabbit unit should be well ventilated, rain-proof and allows some sunlight
 Quarantine area
 Storage area


Equipment’s in rabbitary hutch
Feeding and watering system
When choosing and placing feeders, the following should be considered
I. They should be made of sturdy materials and secured to the base of the cages
II. They should be easily accessible by the rabbit from 1mnth old
III. The feeder edge should be bent inward and blunt to prevent the animal from scratching the feed away and protecting the animal from injury.
IV. Feeders should be placed away from water so that feed does not get wet and mouldy.

Waterer
These are materials for water.Containers to be used to provide water to the animal must be easy to clean, durable and heavy enough not to be tossed around by the animal.

Nest box
These are boxes in which pregnant does kindle (have their babies). Have a nest box for each breeding doe and it should be sanitized always.



Handling Rabbits
 The ears alone should never be used as the sole means of holding the rabbit. The bestmethod is to grasp the ears and the skin close to the head with one hand while the otherhand takes the full weight of the rabbit at the hips.
 For young rabbits up to about 3-4 months old, a suitable method is to grasp the animalacross the loins.






Sexing
 A part from the sex organs, physically the buck is usually smaller than the doe and oftenhas a broader head. In the buck, a protruding sex organ appears as a rounded tip.
 While in the doe the organ is slit-like or v-shaped, and will slope slightly downwardstowards the anus.
 When the bucks are mature the penis and testicles are easily observed.


Identification
 It is important to properly identify your rabbits in order to help you keep records aboutthem.
 The most common ways of identification for rabbits include tattooing and ear notching.
 Tattooing is the most relevant in rabbits due to their high turnover.

Records
Keep proper records of all your rabbit unit activities:
 Breeding records
 Growth
 Sales and expenses

Feeding
Poor quality feeds and underfeeding are the downfall of many well planned rabbit farms. The quality and quantity of the feed determine the overall performers of your rabbit. Appropriate feeding ensure good health, increase in size and procreation.
Sources of food for rabbit which provide essential nutrient needed and don’t cost very much include:
1. Fruits- mangoes, bananas (occasionally), oranges(without peels), pineapple cores, plantain…
2. Vegetables: carrots, carrot leaves, cabbage, lettuce, water leave etc
3. Corn grains
4. Boiled potatoes, cassava, sweat potato, yam, and their peels.
5. Grasses such as tridax, elephant grass
6. Others include boiled rice, bread
7. Clean water should be availed on a daily basis.

N/B: you can feed rabbit with pelleted ration. It provides the rabbit with fibre, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals.
Tips on feeding rabbits

I. feed rabbit when weather is cooler early in the morning and late evening
II. Avoid bright light at night on your rabbit. This would reduce the quantity your rabbit will eat at night.
III. Poorly dried grasses can cause digestive problems. Feed rabbit with wilted grasses this reduces the risk of diarrhea.
IV. Provide rabbit with fresh pellet every day. Do notleave pellet overnight, they attract rats. Instead provide wilted grass at night for rabbit to eat.
V. Ensure rabbit have enough salt in there diet
VI. Ensure pellet are free from mould, rodent waste, and chemical contaminants
VII. Do no change feed suddenly, gradually change feed over the period of two weeks period.
VIII. Rabbits fed on grass only must be fed young healthy grass.

How to breed rabbits
Factors to consider before mating rabbits include
I. Animals should have desirable traits
II. Both animals must be healthy
III. Does should be at breeding age before mating
IV. Buck should be at breeding age, have both testes and good hind legs
V. Both animals should have good libido
VI. Choose does with good maternal instinct

Signs of heat (estrus)
I. A doe ready for mate will jump on the other does and stay close to the buck
II. Moist pink vulva


Buck to doe ratio
You can useone buck to ten does. A buck in his prime can be used 1-2 times per day, followed by a day rest.

Before mating a rabbit,
 Schedule mating for the cooler part of the day
 Breed rabbit for the first time by 6-7 month of age
 Examine both rabbit of any sign of disease
 Observe the genitals, ensure both male and female are clean and have no sores, swellings or unusual discharges



Steps

i. Take the doe to the buck and observe mating
ii. Allow up to 5minutes or two mating to occur before separating animals
iii. Mating is successful when the buck makes a grunt, kick out is legs and rolls over on its side.
iv. Return the doe to her cage and enter necessary information on her card.
v. If mating is unsuccessful, re-mate the doe in 3-4 hours, or the next day
vi. Forced mating should be tried only in exceptional circumstances
Hold the doe from above, face her head towards the corner of the cage and leave her genital accessible to the male
If the doe still refuses to mate, try another buck.


At 14 day after mating, it is wise to check for pregnancy. This can be carried ONLY by an expert. Use your thumb forefinger, gently run your hand on the underside of the animal from the back to the front. Apply little pressure. If the animal is pregnant, you will feel soft marble sized sac. These are foetus that indicate pregnancy.



Kindling
Once the doe is pregnant, you must prepare for kindling process. Here are some tips for kindling process
i. Thoroughly clean the hutch about 2 weeks of pregnancy
ii. Doe begins to pluck fur from belly. This is normal due hormonal action. she uses the fur to line the nest box
iii. Provide doe with nest box at 27th day after mating
iv. Provide her with shredded banana leaves or grasses
v. Allow her to prepare the nest box herself
vi. Birth should take place couple of hours with babies born at 5 minute intervals.


Care for your rabbits
i. Baby rabbits are born naked and blind
ii. Keep them warm and dry, keep nest box away from direct breeze
iii. Remove dead babies, excess feed and waste from nest box
iv. During the first two weeks, lactating does will nurse their young for only 3-5 minute each day
v. Regularly check to ensure babies are in the nest box and fed
vi. At age 10, eyes begin to open
vii. At 1-2month, once animal can come in and out of the nest box, you may remove the nest box,sanitize it and put it away for future use
viii. If babies should show good growth, they can be weaned.
ix. If kits are too small and underweight,keep them with the doe a little longer
x. Allow doe to rest for at least 2weeks after weaning before another mating.
Diseases:
Diseases of Rabbits
Recognition of health and disease
•Coat should be smooth and shiny
•Eyes should be bright without discharge
•Movement should be easy and free, relaxed breathing evenly and silently
•Appetite should be normal
•Droppings should be normal in amount and appearance
•Body should be well fleshed. If bony or potbellied it may be an indication of disease
•Weight and growth of adults should be fairly constant.
•Discharge from the eyes, nostrils, mouth, vent, teat and anus are signs of disease.
•Sores and swellings are not normal

Simple ways to prevent disease daily
• Observe rabbits, check for cuts and wounds
• Clean food containers and rinse water containers properly
• Remove stale food and old grasses from hutches
• Ensure animal have access to clean water and adequate food
• Remove waste from inside cages
Weekly
• Clean under hutches
• Disinfect equipment, dust and clean hutches
• Check feed supplies for mouldly feed and rotting grass
Monthly
• Remove excess fur from hutches
• Remove rabbits, dust and disinfect cages
• Do any necessary repairs and maintenance.

Common Diseases
The commonest diseases in the rabbitry are:

(a) Coccidiosis
•Most affects the young rabbits.
Symptoms include
•diarrhea which sometimes may be white in colour or blood stained
•loss of appetite
•dehydration and death if the animals are not treated.
•When pregnant does are affected, there is a risk of passing this disease to the unborn kids,and this usually leads to liver coccidiosis in which there are white sports on the liver.
•It is controlled by use of coccidiostats in feed and drinking water and by isolating all
affected stock




(b) Ear Canker (mange)
This condition is caused by mites, and it affects the inner side the rabbit ears. The disease ismild but disturbs the animals. The earliest signs are:
•Constant head shaking
•scratching of the ears due to irritation
•There is a scab or crust formation on the inner side of the ear.
•Due to heavy infestation, the affected ears may drop downwards.
•Control by avoiding rats in the rabbitry since they are the vectors for these mites.

(c) Other Diseases
•Pneumonia - common during cold weather and in poorly ventilated hutches.
•Gastro-intestinal complication mainly arising from feeding.
•Internal parasites like ascaris especially when fed on greens. Therefore regular deworming at least 3 months is advisable.


To know more about us and our services reply or comment yes.

We are committed to helping people start their own rabbit ventures by providing quality and latest research findings, supply of quality and viable foundation stocks for new and existing farmers, maximum utilization of all available resources and many more

Well this is how we kill Cow in Nigeria


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC5hc-GoZsE&t=355s