RABBIT HUSBANDRY FOR

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

By Dr.gwaltu
E.mail,
[email protected]
Phone:0766236489
 INTRODUCTION TO RABBIT
PRODUCTION
Rabbit production is the one of the means by
which the nutritions and income of most urban
and rural dwellers with limited asses to
agricultural land can be improved.
Rabbit are easy to handle feed and manage.
When properly fed they can be provided a high
protein low fat meat for healthy eating. Both
young and old as well as the physically
challenged can undertake rabbit keeping as part
of full time venture.
HOW TO START RABBIT FARMING
BUSSINESS
Rabbit are small sized animals. So its very easy
to start a commercial rabbit farming business.
You should make a proper business plan before
starting. Here we are describing the most
important steps of starting commercial rabbit
farming business.
 BREEDS OF RABBITS
1)CHINCHILA;
This breed are originated in France, and have
the following characteristic:
 They have very soft and silky fur
 They are docile breed
 They have erect ears
 They are small to medium in size 2 to 3kg
body weight
 They are dark blue and grey in colour
1) NEW ZEALAND WHITE
This breed is originated in American in
California, and have the following
characteristic
 They have bright eyes which are pink in
color
 They have large broad and muscular bodies
 Their ears have short fur
 Female have dewlap which store fat

2) CALIFORNIA WHITE BREED

This breed originated in Southern California and
have the following characteristic:
 They have big ears
 They have white body and colored points
 They are large in size
 Their coat are soft and silky
 Average weight of doe 5.4 kg and buck
4.9 kg

4) DUTCH RABBIT
It is originated in Netherland and England, and
have the following characteristics
  They are docile easy to train and friendly
 They have compact and well rounded body
 They have different colored pattern

REPRODUCTION OF RABBITS
Sexually maturity of doe 5-6 months
Sexually maturity of buck 6-7 months
Preferred age for first mating of doe is 7- 8
months and to the buck is 8-9 months
Mating ratio is 1 buck to 7-10 does .
Gestation period is 31-33 days

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD DOE

 Doe often dig a lot which is nesting instinct
 They become grunting, growling or lunging
at you or other female rabbit if they feel their
nesting space is in danger
 They can produce eight to ten kits
 Doe are always large in size
 They have good mothering ability

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD BUCK

 Male have tendency to spray to make
their turf
 Male rabbits are the most attentive,
affectionate and curious
 Testicles should be well in size and penis
should protrude in round tubular shape
  They should have good health

HOW TO DETERMINE SEX OF RABBIT

Knowing your rabbit's sex is important for
many reasons. It helps you to choose an
appropriate name as well as avoiding
unwanted pregnancy if you keep groups of
rabbits together. It's also important to know
because female rabbits are at risk of
uterine cancer, which can be prevented if
you spay her.
Male rabbit have testicles which are visible on
the outside of their bodies. These are located in
his groin between the backs legs. Rabbit testicles
are long and narrow, rather than round and ball
like as on dogs. They are usually slightly furred
and purple in color
The scrotum can be covered in fur, so you may
need to dampen the fur in this area with water
to make the testicles clearer to see. Testicles can
usually be detected in 10 weeks of age.
If the rabbit is female, you will see a slit
structure, commonly described as a letter I. if
the rabbit is male you will see a round structure,
which can be described as an O.

HOUSING OF RABBITS
1) DEEP LITTER METHOD
This method is suitable if you want to raise a few
numbers of rabbits. The concrete floor is
suitable for deep litter system. Make 4 to 5
inches depth litter husk, hay, straw or wood
shaving. In this method you can raise a
maximum of 30 rabbits in house. Male rabbit
must be keep separate from female rabbit. In
deep litter system, risk of disease is high, and
sometime it may seen very difficult to manage
the rabbit in this system.

2) CAGE METHOD
For commercial rabbit farming business cage
method is the best. In this system the rabbit are
kept in cage which are made with wire or icon
plates. Cage system is very useful for raising a
maximum number of rabbits. Keep sufficient
space and necessary facilities inside every cages.
Keep the female and male rabbit different
rabbits separated from each other, and keep
them together in separated cage during
breeding period

FEEDS AND FEEDING OF THE RABBITS

Rabbits are non ruminants herbivores which can
be fed on wide range of feeds including;
 Grasses such as guinea grass and
elephant grass, succulent herbs like and
euphoba species.
 Legumes such as centrosema and stylo.
 Trees shrub fodder like leucaena and
pigeon species
 Crop residue such as maize husk,
cowpea/ groundnut vines
 Kitchen left over including rice yam and
cassava.
 Concentrates and green leafy vegetables
spinach and carrots
Rabbit should receive 100 -150g of
supplementary feed/day. Rabbits should be
fed twice daily morning and late
afternoon( evening). Also fresh clean water
should be provided all the time.

MANAGEMENT OF SANITATION
Always lift rabbit with loose skin over
shoulder whilst supporting lower part of the
body
Young rabbit are held with hand over loin area
with head pointing down wards. The welfare
of animal should be considered. Accurate
records are important in rabbit management
Develop table for routine management
activities such as mating, kindling and weaning
to monitor individual performance.
Develop individual identification system such
as tattoo.
Undertake daily stock inspection to identify
sick stock for treatment and isolate it from the
rest of the herds since most of rabbit disease
are contagious.
Undertake daily cleaning of cages and washing
water troughs
 SITE SELECTION FOR RABBIT
PRODUCTION
 Distance to neighboring residence
 Direction of prevailing winds in relation
to neighbours
 An adequate source of water
 Topography ( Avoid step hill)
 Soil type should be well drained soil
 Proximity to surface water bodies,
sinkholes and flood plains

BENEFITS OF RABBIT FARMING

There are many benefits of commercial
rabbit farming business in Tanzania. The
main benefits of rabbit farming business are
listed below;
 Rabbit are very fast growing animal
 One female can produce 11 to 12 times
per year
 One female Rabbit can give birth about 2
to 8 kids each time
  Rabbit can be raised within a short space
 Production cost are less, compared to
other large sized animals
 Rabbit meat is very tasty, nutritious and
easily digestible
 There is no religious taboos consuming
rabbit meat
 Incase of meat production, rabbits are
placed after poultry
 Food of rabbit are easy available in low
cost
 Rabbit farming require less labor
compared to another animal farming
business.

COMMON DISEASE OF RABBIT IN

TANZANIA
1)Pasteurellosis
Pasteurellosis is common in domestic
rabbits. It is highly contagious and
transmitted primarily by direct contact,
although aerosol transmission may also
occur. The etiologic agent is Pasteurella
multocida, a gram-negative, nonmotile
coccobacillus.
CLINICAL SIGN
 Rhinitis
 Abscess
 Pneumonia
 Fever
TREATMENT
Broad spectrum antibiotic such as
gentamycin and penstrep

2)CONJUCTIVITIS
 (weepy eye) is a common problem in
rabbits. Predisposing factors include
mechanical irritation, eyelid diseases, and
dental disease. Conjunctivitis in rabbits may
be associated with other disease processes,
especially dacryocystitis. The most
incriminated cause of conjunctivitis is P
multocida; however, this may be only a
secondary infection. Primary infections are
less common than opportunistic infections.
 Transmission is by direct contact or fomites.
Affected rabbits rub their eyes with their
front feet. Bacterial conjunctivitis can be
treated with
topical chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin,
or gentamicin combined with systemic
broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy if topical
treatment alone is ineffective.

3) Intestinal Diseases
Intestinal disease is a major cause of death in
young rabbits. Although most diarrheal
diseases were once lumped together (as the
enteritis complex) or simply called mucoid
enteritis, specific diseases are being
delineated. Diet, antibiotic treatment, and other
factors create disturbances of the GI microflora
and may predispose rabbits to dysbiosis and
intestinal disease
4)Listeriosis
Listeriosis, a sporadic septicemic disease
characterized by sudden deaths or
abortions, is most common in does in
 advanced pregnancy. Poor husbandry and
stress may be important in initiating the
disease. Clinical signs are variable and
nonspecific and include anorexia,
depression, and weight loss. In contrast to
the disease in cattle and sheep, listeriosis
seldom affects the CNS in rabbits. The
causal agent, Listeria monocytogenes,
spreads via the blood to the liver, spleen,
and gravid uterus

5)COLIBACILLOSIS
Escherichia coli as a cause of rabbit diarrhea
has been confused by the circumstance that E
coli often proliferate when rabbits develop
diarrhea for any reason.
Two types of colibacillosis are seen in
rabbits, depending on age. Rabbits 1–2 wk
old develop a severe yellowish diarrhea
that results in high mortality. It is common
for entire litters to succumb to this disease.
In weaned rabbits 4–6 wk old, a diarrheal
disease very similar to that described for
enterotoxemia is seen. The intestines are
 fluid filled, with petechial hemorrhages on
the serosal surface, similar to the pathology
described for both Tyzzer disease and
Death occurs in 5–14
6) ALOPECIA
Fur loss in rabbits with no other lesions can have
many different causes, including fur-plucking,
barbering, hormonal problems, and previous
localized inflammation. Fur-plucking in the neck or
dewlap, belly, and leg areas occurs in pregnant
females who are close to delivery, to line their nest.
Even pseudopregnant females sometimes pluck in
that area. Fur-plucking may also be seen in cases of
nutritional deficiency such as when they lack
sufficient fiber in the diet. Rabbits who cannot
reach the site of an irritation because of arthritis,
obesity, or intervening skin folds sometimes chew
at their dewlap instead. Simple baldness may result,
but frequently the skin also
Appear irritated.

MARKETING FOR RABBIT

Market for rabbit production is so easy nowdays
most of people use it as meat instead of poultry
meat, others use as meat for increasing CD4 for
those affected by HIV. Scientist use the urine
product to determine the vaccine of different
diseases, hence the market is World wide. Through
proper management you can maximize your profit
from your rabbit farming business.
So don’t fear about the production interms of initial
and running cost or the market because it is so
cheap and market are found in many places.