Scientific classification

Binomial name

Oryctolagus cuniculus(Linnaeus, 1758

Kingdom:

Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Lagomorpha

Family: Leporidae

Genus: OryctolagusLilljeborg, 1873

Species: O. cuniculus

Classification

Domestic rabbit.

[Taken from wikipedia.com]

Significance

A lab animal. Commercially bred for wool , meat purpose. Reared as pet animal as well. Not so much popular in India. A good source for an alternative table meat.

Rabbit as the lab animal.

Rabbit as the farm animal for meat , wool purpose.

The slaughtered rabbits ready for table use ; an alternative meat source.

Rabbits -- pet animal.

Nutrition & feeding

Roughage – HaySucculent foodstuffs – rootsConc. – cerealsRabbit feeding pellets or compounded feeds

The same principles of feeding s/b followed for feeding rabbit as other small non-ruminants.

Burgess rabbit pelletsSpillers Supa Natural MixRussel Rabbit Mix— Complete foodBales

Designed for use withsupplements such as hay

MEASURES OF FOOD ENERGY

TDN DE ME

Compounded Feeds are

AdditivesGrowth promotersCoccidiostats [ incorporated with rabbit pellets]

Feeding Tips

Changing rationForce feedingRegularityIndividualityCleaning

Some common feedstuffs

Carrots Turnips Oat straw Cabbage Maize silage Decorticated GNC Fish meal

Coprophagy OR Coecotrophy

Perfectly normal physiological process in rabbits.

Discovered by a French veterinarian viz. Charles Morot.

Reproduction & breeding

Induced ovulatorGestation period –31 daysBUT, Parturation takes place on any day between 28th to 34th after successful mating.

Female attains full sexual maturity @ 6 months.Puberty occurs a month or 2 or even more before rabbit attains full sexual maturity. Litter size is 3 to 8 or 5 to 8.The heritability of litter size– between .2 to.3Litter size proportional to size of the breed. It is governed by, 1. An inherited nature 2. The environment 3. Nutrition 4. Age of doe. 5. No. of previous litters

Fertility is directly proportional to fecundity.Fertility– Ability to produce young ones.Fecundity– Measure of no. of young produced.

A.I. have been successfully carried out.

The importer holding the new born.

Reproductive behavior

Few days before pregnancy, doe prepares nest from beddingLines the bed with the fur of its belly Thus a breeder should take into account of this behavior.

For 1st 3 weeks rabbits s/b exclusively fed on the doe’s milk.

Open type of the litter box. This is essential for the housing of rabbit.

Equipments

Pots& troughsAutomatic food hoppersRacksNest boxes---These are essential in Rabbitary.Travelling boxHygiene trays

Cage type Hutch withindividualwatering & feeding.

The cube condo.[ for pet rabbit ]

The exercise pen

Breeds of the Rabbitsidentified so far.

[ARBA]

Breeds of rabbits with their intentional codes.

Housing & Equipments

It is k/a Hutch. Why to provide house?? Main purpose is to reduce labor minimum. Coat fades due to direct sunlight. Winter breeding becomes easier. Less loss of young rabbits in winter. The noticeable thing is that, stock usually have slight denser coats when kept outside.

Some features of Hutch

FloorMade by bricks only to absorb urine.Slightly sloped.

Roof General principles are followed for roofing.In areas where myxomatosis & VHD is common; mosquito proof material is used.

House s/b escape proof.So constructed that ani. can neither itself nor the hutch.So constructed that good visibility of animal at all the times.

The general housing principles are same as that of the other small animals.

The traditional hutch used @ farm level.

Another example of the hutch note the height from ground.

Differentvarieties of cages.

Hutch for the pet rabbit.

Rack typehutch.>Saves space>Completes all other criteria.

Moront hutch.This can be even used for the poultry in some countries.

Well managed hutch with individual feeding & watering.

The hutch in the winter ; see the height of floor from the ground.

The typical hutch in cold countries.

The typical Hutch with slanting roof.

Ready to transport Hutch being constructed @ factory.

Routine ExaminationAny sign of illness s/b quickly noticedIt helps in deciding which ani. s/b selected for matingPoints to be considered--- Wt. It’s relation to size

ABNORMALITIES

EpilepsyFurlessness

References

Rabbits Health, Husbandry& Diseases --Richardson VCGCare & Management of farm animals --Scott WN FOR ALL IMAGES Wikipedia.com Google.com Yahoo .com NewYorkTimes.com

The German Scientists have developed this largest breed recently. [ NewYorkTimes.com]

Sarang S. DesaiV/05/0170

A small pet rabbit.