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Production of Meat Animals(95412)

Topic 9: Rabbit raising

Dr Jihad AbdallahDepartment of Animal Production

An-najah National University

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Classification of rabbits• Rabbits belong to the order Lagomorpha, which is

divided into two families: - Leporidae, containing rabbits and hares, - Ochotonidae, containing the rock rabbit called

pika. • The three genera of Lagomorpha are Lepus (hares), Sylvilagus (American cottontail), and Oryctolagus (wild European and domestic rabbits).

• The wild European and domestic rabbits belong to the species Oryctolagus cuniculus.

• The various species of rabbits do not interbreed.• A male rabbit is referred to as a “Buck” and a female

rabbit is referred to as a “Doe”.

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• The primary use of rabbits is for meat production. • Rabbits are also raised as pets, for use in research

laboratories, and for wool production.• The annual world consumption of angora wool

produced from rabbits is about 20 million pounds (9 million kg).

• Rabbits produce a white meat that is palatable and nutritious, high in protein, and low in calories, fat, and cholesterol.

Uses of rabbits

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Uses of rabbits• The skins from meat rabbits have some commercial

value; to be commercially successful, however, a large volume is necessary.

• Skins are used for fur garments, slipper and glove linings, in toy making, and as felt.

• Remnants of flesh from dried skins are used in making glue.

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Rabbit raising in Palestine

• About 51 000 rabbits were raised in Palestine in 2010

• Family-type of production (mainly for meat) • Primarily for family consumption • Production above family needs is sold.• Main problems: - Slaughter and marketing - diseases - some consumer perceptions

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Types of rabbits

• Rabbits can be classified according to:

1. Size:

- Small breeds: 3-4 pounds (1.4 to 1.8 kg)

- Medium breeds: 9 to 12 pounds (4 to 5.4 kg)

- Large breeds: 14 to 16 pounds (6.3 to 7.2 kg)

2. Type of use: meat, fur and wool,

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Main Breeds of rabbits

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Flemish giant

• The Flemish Giant is the largest breed of rabbit in the world (7-8kg).

• Flemish Giants are calm and docile rabbits

• Color: reddish brown or light grey to a dark steel grey

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Californian

• Californian was first bred in the USA in the early 1920s by George West, who crossed Himalayans with New Zealand Whites and Standard Chinchillas to produce a breed that would produce both good meat and fur.

• The Californian is a large rabbit (3.5-5kg)• Color: body is white; nose, ears, feet, and tail are

colored.• Calm and good as pet

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Checkered giant• The Checkered Giant originated in the Lorraine

region of France towards the end of the nineteenth century and is known there as the Great Lorrainese.

• Bred from Flemish Giants, large French lop-eared rabbits and spotted rabbits,

• Color: white body with black spots (butterfly markings)

• The Checkered Giant is one of the largest breeds with a minimum weight of 5kg.

• Checkered Giants have a calm temperament

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Beveren

• Medium breed (3-4.5 kg) raised for fur and meat • The Beveren is one of the oldest and largest breeds of

fur rabbits. • It was first bred in Beveren, a small town in Belgium. • Their coats can be blue, white, black, brown and lilac

• The Beveren rabbit is a rare breed • Have good mothering ability

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Chinchilla

• Small to medium breed (2.5 – 3 kg) raised for fur and meat

• Chinchilla rabbits originated in France in the early 1900s, and were named for the similarity of their fur to the South American rodent, the Chinchilla.

• The Chinchilla rabbit breed was developed using Himalayans, Beverens and wild-coloured agouti rabbits, and first shown in France in 1913.

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Himalayan

• The early origins of the Himalayan breed are obscure. • White rabbits with dark colouring on the ears, nose

and feet have been known in many parts of the world for hundreds of years.

• They have been given many names including the Chinese, Russian, Egyptian and Black Nose. It is one of the oldest and most widespread breeds.

• The mutation responsible for the 'Himalayan' colouring may have occured spontaneously in different breeds in different parts of the world.

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Himalayan• The Himalayan breed as known today, originated in

Britain in the mid 19th century. • It is thought that the breed was developed from rabbits

brought back from the Himalayas by English merchant adventurers.

• The Himalayan was developed both for its distinctive colouring and the quality of its fur and became popular as both a commercial and show breed.

• Color: body white; nose, ears, feet, and tail are colored.• Size: about 2 kg

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Dutch

• Is a small to medium sized rabbit, weighing from 1.5 kg up to about 3kg

• one of the oldest breed. Although the name suggests that the Dutch rabbit is from the Netherlands, it was actually developed in England in the mid 19th century.

• Color: Black, Blue, Chocolate, Yellow, Grey, Brown Grey

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New Zealand rabbits

• New Zealand rabbits are a breed of rabbit, which despite the name, are American in origin

• New Zealands are a breed that can be used for meat, pelts, show, and laboratory uses

• Adults can be more aggressive than other breeds although not all are aggressive

• Weight: 5 kg • Color: white, red, and black

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SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rabbit_NZ_BWR.jpg

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Angora

• The Angora is one of the oldest types of domestic rabbit, originating in Ankara (historically known as Angora), Turkey, along with the Angora cat and Angora goat

• Angoras are bred mainly for their wool because it is silky and soft. At only 11microns in diameter it is finer and softer than cashmere

• Weight: 2-3.5 kg (French Angora reaches 5 kg)

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Breeding rabbits• Rabbits purchased for breeding purposes should be

evaluated on the basis of their health, vigor, longevity, reproduction ability, and desirable type and conformation.

• Litter size will vary with breeds and strains of rabbits. More prolific breeds will average about eight youngs per litter. Poor nutrition will lower the litter size.

• The light weight breeds of rabbits become sexually mature at an earlier age than the medium- and heavy-weight breeds.

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• Light weight breeds may be bred when they are 4 to 5 months of age. The medium-weight breeds may be bred when they are 5 to 6 months of age and the heavyweight breeds may be bred at 8 to 10 months of age.

• Does generally reach sexual maturity earlier than bucks.

• Pregnancy may be determined about 12 to 14 days after breeding by palpating,

• Gestation period is 31-33 days and rearing (lactating) period of kits is 30-60 days

Breeding rabbits

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Breeding rabbits

• Prolific does that are in good physical condition can be rebred 6 weeks after kindling (giving birth), even though they are still nursing their young.

• This makes it theoretically possible for a doe to produce five litters per year (assuming that there are no conception failures).

• Does that are rebred after weaning their litters at 8 weeks of age can produce four litters per year.

• Commercial rabbitries often use breeding intervals of 21, 28, or 35 days to increase production.

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Breeding rabbits

• No research is currently available that measures the influence of accelerated breeding schedules on reproductive life, mortality, growth rate, feed conversion, or carcass quality.

• Does that are maintained in good physical condition will generally produce litters in commercial rabbitries for 2.5 to 3 years.

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• One male (buck) can mate with 10 does for small and medium breeds; but for large breeds one buck suffices for 7 does.

• Does remain in heat for long periods of time during the breeding season. They do not show regular estrous cycles.

• Normally, ovulation occurs in the female about 10 hours after she is bred to the male; the sperm fertilize the eggs shortly after ovulation.

Breeding rabbits

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Breeding rabbits

• Does that are full fed a properly balanced ration can be rebred before weaning the current litter.

• Do not rebreed does that are in poor physical condition. Feed a ration that improves their physical condition before attempting to rebreed them.

• If the litter dies at birth or is small and the doe is in good physical condition, she may be rebred about 3 or 4 days after kindling.

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Breeding rabbits

• In commercial rabbitries, a regular breeding schedule should be followed, regardless of whether or not the doe shows signs of being ready for mating.

• These signs include restlessness and nervousness, rubbing the chin on feeding and watering equipment, and attempting to join with rabbits in other cages.

• The doe is taken to the buck for mating. Mating generally occurs within a few minutes of placing the doe with the buck. Return the doe to her cage as soon as mating is completed.

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Breeding rabbits

• Does sometimes exhibit pseudopregnancy (false pregnancy); this may result from an infertile mating or one doe’s riding another during a period of sexual excitement.

• The pseudopregnancy lasts for 17 days and the doe cannot be bred during this period.

• Separating does 18 days before mating will allow them to pass through any pseudopregnancy before breeding.

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Breeding rabbits

• The conception rate for rabbits is higher during the spring.

• Research has shown that the conception rate in March and April may be as high as 85 percent

• There is a high level of individual variation in fertility among does and bucks; this factor should be considered when selecting breeding stock.

• Pregnancy should be confi rmed by palpating the doe 12 to 14 days after mating.

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Kindling • Prepare for kindling by providing a nesting box in the

cage 27 days after the doe is bred. • The nesting box should contain bedding materials.

Suitable materials include clean straw or wood shavings.

• The doe will prepare a nest in the nesting box by pulling fur from her body to line the nest.

• Feed intake is oft en reduced just before kindling. Adding some green feed to the diet may have a beneficial effect on the digestive system.

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Kindling• Kindling usually occurs at night. Does in good

physical condition seldom have problems kindling. • They are often nervous after kindling and should not

be disturbed until they have quieted down.• The litter should be inspected no later than the day

after kindling and any dead, deformed, or undersized young should be removed from the nest box.

• Take care not to disturb the doe when inspecting the litter. This inspection will not cause the doe to disown the litter.

• Nervous does may be quieted by placing feed in the hutch immediately after the inspection.

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Kindling• The litters of breeds used for meat production

should contain seven to nine young. • If the litter has more than nine young, the extra

rabbits may be transferred to a smaller litter in the first 3 or 4 days after kindling.

• Place the young rabbits with a litter of approximately the same age.

• Young rabbits usually open their eyes about 10 or 11 days after birth. If an infection prevents the eyes from opening normally, wash the eyes with warm water. After the tissue softens, the eyes may be opened using a gentle pressure. An antibiotic eye ointment should be used to treat the eyes if pus is present.

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Kindling• Does sometimes kindle on the hutch floor rather than

in the nest box. If this happens, the young will die of exposure unless they are warmed and placed in the nest box.

• Frightened does may kindle prematurely. If a doe is frightened after kindling, she may jump into the nest box and injure or kill the young rabbits by stamping with her back feet.

• Take care to prevent does from becoming frightened just prior to or at kindling time.

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Kindling• If the doe fails to produce milk, the young will die in 2

or 3 days. If the doe is not producing milk, transfer the young rabbits to litters where they can nurse and be properly cared for.

• While it is not common, a doe may eat her young. This may occur if the diet is not adequate to meet her needs.

• Does that are disturbed, nervous, or frightened after kindling may also eat their young. Providing a good diet and using care when handling the doe will usually prevent this problem.

• Does that continue to eat their young despite proper feeding and care should not be kept.

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Weaning

• Young rabbits will start to eat solid feed at about 19 to 20 days of age. They will come out of the nest box at this time for feeding.

• Rabbits may be weaned at 8 weeks of age. Meat rabbits should weigh about 4 pounds (1.8 kg) and be ready for market at that time.

• Leaving the rabbits with the doe for 9 or 10 weeks will produce fryers weighing about 4.5 to 5.5 pounds (2 to 2.5 kg).

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Weaning

• Producers who use an accelerated breeding program, which breeds does at less than 35 days after kindling, should wean the young at 5 to 7 weeks; this allows the doe to be in better physical condition for the next litter.

• It is a good practice to allow the doe to have a few days between weaning a litter and the birth of the next litter.

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Sexing rabbits• Rabbits that are to be kept for breeding stock should

be separated by sex at weaning.• Hold the rabbit on its back, restraining it by holding

the front legs up along the head. • With the other hand, depress the tail back and down.

Use the thumb to gently depress the area in front of the sex organs to expose the reddish mucous membrane.

• The organ protrudes as a rounded tip in the buck; it protrudes as a slit with a depression at the end next to the anus in the doe.

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Identification of Breeding Rabbits

• Tattoo breeding rabbits in the ear to mark them for identification.

• This provides a permanent mark that does not disfigure the ears.

• Do not use ear tags or clips for marking rabbits; these often tear out of the ear.

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Care of rabbits during hot and cold weather

• In hot weather, rabbits need to be kept cool. Good ventilation without drafts is necessary in the rabbitry.

• Pregnant does and newborn litters are especially susceptible to hot weather. Young rabbits become restless when the temperature is too high.

• Heat stress in older rabbits is indicated by rapid respiration, excessive moisture around the mouth, and sometimes slight bleeding around the nostrils.

• Rabbits that show symptoms of heat stress should be moved to a cooler area.

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Care of rabbits during hot and cold weather

• Automatic sprinkling equipment may be used in hot, dry areas to help cool rabbitries. Evaporative coolers also may be used to help keep the rabbitry cool.

• In areas where the humidity is high, use cooling fans in the rabbitry.

• Rabbits should be protected from direct exposure to rain, sleet, snow, and wind.

• Respiratory diseases are more common in rabbits exposed to draft s, high humidity, and cold.

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Maintaining health and preventing diseases

• Good sanitation, proper management, adequate diet, and plenty of clean, fresh water will help the grower maintain healthy rabbits.

• Observe the herd closely for signs of disease outbreak. Isolate any animals that appear to be sick. Keep them isolated for at least 2 weeks.

• The most common health problems of rabbits are pasteurellosis, ear mange, and coccidiosis

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Common diseases

• Pasteurellosis: is the most serious health problem of rabbits.

• It appears in a number of forms, including snuffles (cold), pneumonia, pyometra (pus in the uterus), orchitis (infection of the testicles of the buck), otitis media (an infection of the middle ear), conjunctivitis, subcutaneous abscesses soft swellings under the skin, and septicemia (infection of the blood stream)

• All of these diseases are associated with the bacteria Pasteurella multocida.

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• Enteritis is a disease complex associated with bloating and diarrhea. This disease complex can be a serious health problem in rabbits. Death loss is oft en high. Enteritis takes several forms:

• Mucoid enteritis is most commonly found in meat rabbits. Symptoms include loss of appetite, bloated appearance, grinding of teeth, and high death rate. feeding an adequate amount of fiber in the diet helps prevent the condition.

• Tyzzer’s disease is caused by the organism Bacillus piliformis. Symptoms include diarrhea, listlessness, loss of appetite, and dehydration. Aff ected animals usually die within 72 hours.

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• Enterotoxemia: • is characterized by an acute diarrhea coupled with

dehydration and death within 24 hours.• The disease appears to be associated with a diet that

is high in energy and low in fiber. Feeding a diet lower in energy and higher in fiber (18 percent) may help prevent this disease.

• Treating the drinking water with antibiotics may also help.

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Feeding

• Rabbits are simple-stomached herbivorous animals• Rabbits have an enlarged cecum and therefore can

use more forage in their diet than can other simple-stomached animals such as swine and poultry

• Rabbits fed well-balanced rations are relatively efficient converters of feed into meat, having a conversion ratio of about 3:1

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Coprophagy

• Coprophagy refers to the ingestion of fecal matter. Rabbits produce two kinds of feces, one hard and one soft; the soft feces is ingested directly from the anus as it is excreted, usually when the rabbit is unobserved.

• The practice of coprophagy is similar to rumination practiced by ruminants, in the sense that it provides a method of passing feedstuffs through the digestive tract a second time. It is sometimes referred to as pseudorumination.

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Coprophagy

• It is believed that coprophagy permits rabbits to synthesize the necessary B vitamins, contributes to better utilization of plant proteins, and provides some additional digestion of other nutrients.

• Rabbits begin the practice of coprophagy when they begin eating solid feed at about 3 to 4 weeks of age.

• The practice is normal in rabbits and does not indicate any nutritional deficiencies.

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Hay• Dry forages such as hay usually make up between 40

and 80 percent of a rabbit’s diet. • Legume hays, especially alfalfa, make good roughage

feeds for rabbits. Grass hays are not as palatable for rabbits as legume hays, but may be used.

• The protein level of grass hays is lower than that of legume hays; therefore, protein supplementation of the ration is needed if they are used.

• Grass hays harvested before they are in bloom are more desirable than those cut after bloom.

• Hay provides bulk and fiber in the diet and its use reduces the incidence of fur chewing in rabbits.

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Source: James Gillspie and Lawrence Flander, 2010

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Green Feeds/Root Crops

• Fresh green feeds such as grasses, palatable weeds, cereal grains, and leafy vegetable crops may be fed.

• These feeds are high in vitamins, minerals, and proteins.

• They are of special value when feeding breeding animals (Figure 47-16).

• Root crops such as carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips, etc, may be fed to rabbits.

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Grains: • Oats, barley, wheat, buckwheat, grain sorghum, rye,

and soft varieties of corn may be fed, either whole or milled.

• To reduce waste, corn should be processed (ground or cracked) before feeding.

Protein Supplements: • Soybean, linseed, sesame, and cottonseed oil meals

are good protein supplements for use in mash or pelleted feeds.

• They should not be mixed with grains because they will settle out and be wasted. When feeding whole grains, feed the protein supplement in cake, flake, or pelleted form.

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• Soybean oil meal is the most widely used protein supplement for rabbit rations.

• Cottonseed meal must be treated to remove gossypol, which is toxic to rabbits.

• Cottonseed meal should be limited to no more than 5 to 7 percent of the total diet.

• Animal protein supplements are generally not used in rabbit production because of their higher cost. Rabbits can meet their protein needs from plant protein sources.

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Pelletting feed• Rabbits prefer a pelleted ration to one in mash form.

• Both rate of gain and feed efficiency are improved when pelleted rations are used.

• Commercial producers of meat rabbits usually use complete pelleted rations.

• In some areas, the only commercial rabbit feeds available are in pelleted form.

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Source: James Gillspie and Lawrence Flander, 2010

62Source: James Gillspie and Lawrence Flander, 2010

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FEEDING GROWING JUNIOR DOES AND BUCKS

• A daily allowance of 2 to 4 ounces (60 to 120 grams) of all-grain or grain-protein pellets and free access to good-quality hay will provide the proper nutritional level for rabbits of the medium-weight breeds.

• A daily ration of 4 to 6 ounces (120 to 180 grams) of a complete pelleted feed is sufficient for proper growth of medium-weight breeds.

• Decrease the amount fed to light-weight breeds and increase the amount fed to heavier-weight breeds.

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FEEDING PREGNANT AND NURSING DOES

• After they are bred, continue feeding does the maintenance ration until it has been determined that they are pregnant.

• Good-quality hay or hay pellets may be fed. Limit the amount of feed when feeding an all-pellet ration to keep the does from becoming too fat.

• After pregnancy is confirmed, does may be full fed a complete pelleted feed. A ration of good-quality hay with a full feed of concentrates may also be fed.

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• Grain plus protein pellets or all-grain pellets may be fed as the concentrate in the diet.

• Commercial rabbitries usually feed a complete pelleted ration.

• Pregnant females will normally eat 6 to 8 ounces (180 to 240 grams) of feed per day.

• Do not make sudden changes in the diet or the doe may go off feed; any change in the diet must be made gradually. Feed 1/4 of the new ration and 3/4 of the old ration for 3 or 4 days; then feed 50 percent of each for 3 or 4 days; complete the change by feeding 3/4 of the new ration and 1/4 of the old ration for another 3 or 4 days.

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• On the day of kindling, the does should be fed about one-half the normal daily ration. After kindling, gradually increase the amount of daily feed until the does are back on full feed at the end of 1 week.

• Nursing does may be fed the same ration as pregnant does. Full feed the does until the litter is weaned at about 2 months of age.

• Nursing does will eat 6 to 8 ounces of feed per day until the litter is 3 weeks old.

• During the nursing period of 3 to 8 weeks, does will eat from 1 to 2 pounds of feed per day.

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Sources • Modern livestock and Poultry Production. 8th edition (2010)

Authors: James Gillspie and Lawrence Flander. Publisher: Delmar, Cengage Learning, NY, USA

• Various internet sources