Mr

sKei
ght

RABBI
TPRODUCTI
ON

Terms
Doe:Femal er abbi
t
Buck:Mal erabbit
Li
tter
: Groupofy oungr abbi
ts
Rabbitry:Rabbithouse
Kindl
ing:Givingbirt
h
Gestationperiod:Pregnancy

Br
eedsofrabbi
ts
*NewZealandWhit
e *Angora *Chi
nchi
ll
a
*NewZealandRed *Fl
emishGiant *Ear
lops
*Cal
if
orni
aWhite *Checker
edgiant

Fact
orst
oconsi
derbef
orest
art
ingr
abbi
tpr
oduct
ion

1.Far
mer
’sknowl
edgeandski
l
ls:
Thef
armershoul
dhav
eski
l
lsonhowt
orai
ser
abbi
ts

2.Av
ail
abi
l
ityofmar
ket
:Thef
armershoul
dfi
ndouti
fther
eisdemandf
orr
abbi
tandr
abbi
tpr
oduct
s

3.Av
ail
abi
l
ityofcapi
tal
:Thef
armershoul
dhav
emoneyt
obuyal
lthei
nputneedede.
g.hut
ches,
feedse.
t.
c

4Av
ail
abi
l
ityofwat
er:
Ther
emustbear
eli
abl
esour
ceofwat
er

5.Av
ail
abi
l
ityofl
abour
:Rel
i
abl
eandl
i
ter
atewor
ker
sar
eneededt
ohel
pint
heent
erpr
ise

6.Avai
l
abi
l
ityofbreedingstock:Theremustbear
eli
abl
esour
ceofbr
eedi
ngst
ocki
nor
derf
ort
hef
armert
o
sel
ectt
her
ightbr
eedf orhi
s/herpurpose

7.Cl
imat
iccondi
ti
ons:Thef
armershoul
dfi
ndway
sofr
educi
nghi
ght
emper
atur
essi
ncer
abbi
tscanwi
thst
and
col
dbett
erthanheat
.

Pr
epar
ati
onst
omakebef
oreacqui
ri
ngr
abbi
tsf
orabusi
ness

*Cleananddi sinfectrabbithousesandhut ches

*Cov erthef l
oorwi thfreshbeddi nge.g.sawdust
*Feeder sanddr inkersshouldbecl eaned
*PlaceFeeder sanddr inkersingoodposi ti
on
*Medi cines,drugsandv accinesshoul dbeav ail
ed
*Ensur esuffici
entpr otecti
onf r
om pr edat
or s,
thiev
esandsuddennoi
se
*Hirequal i
fi
edst af
ftot akecareofr abbit
s
*Availcor r
ectf eeds

Rabbi tproducti
onmet hods/syst
ems
a.Int
ensivesystem b.Semii
ntensi
vesyst
em c. Ext
ensive
system
a.Intensivesystem
Rabbi tsarekeptindoorsinsi
dear abbi
thouse
Food,wat erandotherrequir
ement sareprov
idedbythefarmer.I
tiseasi
ert
oobser
veandmanagerabbi
ts.The
met hodr equir
eshighiniti
ali
nvest
ment

Ty
pesofi
ntensi
vesy
stem: i
.Deepl
i
ttersy
stem i
i
.Hut
ches

i
.Deepli
tt
ersyst
em:Rabbit
sar ekepti
nahousewit
hlit
teront
hef l
oorasbeddi
ng.Foodandwat
erar
epr
ovi
ded
i
nsi
detherabbi
tr
y.Thel
i
tterusedcanbesawdust
,str
awordrygrass

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 Mr
sKei
ght

<>Thel
it
teri
simport
antbecausei
t:
 Absorbsmoistur
e
 Provi
descomfort
 Provi
dewarmthwheni t
’scol
d
<>Thedi
sadvant
ageist
hattherei
shighri
skofdi
seasesandpar
asi
tesi
nfest
ati
onundert
hesy
stem

i
i.Hut
ches:Rabbi
tsarekeptincagescal
l
edhutches
Rabbi
tscanbekeptindi
vidual
lyori
nsmallergr
oups.Foodandwat
erar
epr
ovi
dedi
nsi
det
hehut
ches.

b.Semiint
ensiv
e/mor antsystem
Rabbi
tsarekeptingr
azinghutcheswhi
chmustbemov
eddai
l
ytof
reshpast
ures.
Waterandfeedsareprovi
dedforther
abbi
ts.

c.Extensi
vesystem /opengrazingmet hod
Rabbitsarekeptoutdoor
sonf encedpast ur
es.
Rabbitsfendforthemsel
vesandl it
tl
ef oodmaybepr
ovi
ded.Wat
eri
spr
ovi
dedf
ort
her
abbi
ts.Theyar
epr
ovi
ded
withsimpleboxesforshelt
er
<>Iti
sacheapmet hodbutproductivi
tyisveryl
ow

ABUDGETFORARABBI
TENTERPRI
SE

Abudgetisanest
imateofhowmuchmoneyt hebusi
nessisexpectedt
ospendandrecei
veafteraper
iodoft
ime.
<>I
tisprepar
edbefor
estart
ingabusi
nesst
of i
ndouti
fthebusinesswi
llmakepr
ofi
torloss.

Expect
edincome Expectedcosts
I
tem Amount(P) It
em Amount(
P)
Saleof100rabbi
ts@P50each 5000.
00 3does@ P60each 180.
00
Saleof10bagsofrabbi
tmanur
e@P25bag 250.
00 1buck@ P70each 70.
00
4hutchesfor@ P170each 1050.
00
8troughs@ P50each 400.
00
10bagsofpel l
ets@P60perbag 600.
00
Labourcosts@ P300 300.
00
Medicines@ P250 250.
00
TOTAL 5250.
00 TOTAL 2850.
00

 Showwhet
hert
hebusi
nesswi
l
lbepr
ofi
tabl
eornot
.Showy
ourwor
king

Pr
ofi
t/l
oss=Tot
alexpectedincome–Totalexpect
edcost
s
P5250.00–P2850.
00
=P2400.00

 Thebusi
nesswi
l
lmakepr
ofi
t

2|
Page
 Mr
sKei
ght

MANAGEMENTOFRABBI
TS
*Housi
ng *Feedi
ng *Br
eedi
ng
*Handl
i
ng *Sexi
ng

a.Housi
ng

Si
gnifi
canceofhousi ngrabbits
*Protectionfrom harshweat hercondit
ionssuchasexcessi
veheat,col
dandrai
n.
*Protectionfrom predat
ors
*Protectionfrom thi
eves
*Facil
itateseasymanagementofr abbi
tsi.e.f
eedi
ngandprovi
sionofwater
*Helpsi ncontroll
i
ngandpr event
ingspreadofdiseasesandpar
asit
es
*Helpst ocont r
olbreedi
ng
*Preventsr abbi
tsfrom goingastray(getti
nglost
)

b.Feedi
ng

Ty
pesofrabbi
tfeeds
<>Rabbi
tsareherbi
vor
ouswhi
chmeanst
heyf
eedonpl
antmat
eri
als

i
.Roughagese.g.gr
ass,spi
nachleav
es,cabbage,
let
tuce,
carr
ots,hay
i
i
.Concentrat
ese.g.r
abbitpel
l
ets,gr
oundnuts,
soyabeancake,sunfl
owerseeds
i
i
i.Suppl
ementse.g.Rocksalt
s

Other
sfeed:bread,bi
scuit
s,cr
ushedoat
s
Youngrabbi
ts:suckl
emilkupto4-6weeks

Donotfeedrabbitswit
h:
*TomatoandI r
ishpotatol
eavesast
heyar
epoi
sonoust
orabbi
ts
*Spi
nachseedlingsbecauset
heymaycausedi
arr
hea
*Bul
bsv eget
ablese.g.oni
ons

I
mportanceoff eedingrabbit
s
*Promotesgrowt h
*I
mpr ovesmilkpr oduct
ioninlact
ati
ngdoes
*Reducesmor tal
ityamongy oungones
*I
ncreasesresistancetodiseases
*I
mpr ovesf
ertil
ity.

I
mpor t
anceofpr ovidi
ngrabbit
swithwater
*Formationofblood
*Formationofmi lk
*Helpsindigesti
on
*Coolsandr egul
atesbodyt emperat
ure
*Transportsubstancesaroundthebody
*I
tisamedi um f
orchemical r
eact
ions
*Helpsinexcreti
onofbodywast e
*Maintai
nst heshapeofbodycel l
s

c.Handl
i
ng

Rabbi
tsmaybehandl
edf
orsexi
ng,
clawt
ri
mmi
ng,
inspect
ionormov
ingt
hem f
rom onecaget
oanot
her
.

I
mportanceofhandl
i
ngrabbit
scareful
l
yandgent
ly:
*Thei
rbonesarenotst
rong
*Thei
rbackbonecaneasi
lybreakwhendr
oppeddown

3|
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 Mr
sKei
ght

*Thei
rear
sareeasil
ystret
chedatthebase
*Theyar
eeasi
lyfr
ightenedbysuddenmovement
sandnoi
se

 NB:
Nev
erl
i
ftr
abbi
tsbyt
hei
rear
sast
hisi
spai
nful
andmayi
njur
ethem.

Met
hodsofhandl
i
ngr
abbi
ts
i
.Pel
vi
cmet
hod i
i
.Scr
uffmet
hod

i
.Pelv
icmethod
I
tisusedinyoungrabbi
ts.
Holdther
abbitbet
weenhipsandr
ibs,
wit
htheheadf
aci
ngdownwar
ds

i
i.Scruf
fmethod
I
tisusedinadultr
abbit
s.
Holdtherabbi
tbytheski
noftheneckj
ustabov
etheshoul
der
,theot
herhandpl
acedundert
het
ail
tosuppor
tit
s
weight,
headfaci
ngupwards.

Transpor
ti
ngrabbi
ts
<>Holdtherabbi
tcl
oset
oyourbodywi
thi
tsf
acet
uckedi
ntoy
ourar
m.Thi
smakesi
tver
ycomf
ort
abl
e.

<>Atr
anspor
tboxi susedtomov erabbi
tsduri
nglongdi
stances.Theboxmustbeper
for
atedt
oal
l
ow f
ree
mov
ementofairandpr
eventr
abbi
tsfr
om suff
ocat
ing

d.Sexi
ngrabbi
ts
Sexi
ngischecki
ngwhet
heray
oungr
abbi
tismal
eorf
emal
e.I
tisdoneat8–12weeks.

<>I
tisdonet
osot
hatbuckscanbesepar
atedf
rom doeswhent
heyar
est
il
lyoungt
ocont
rol
breedi
ng.
4|
Page
 Mr
sKei
ght

Procedureforsexingrabbit
s
1.Lif
ttherabbitbythescruff
2.Placeitonaf l
atsurfaceonitsback
3.Gentlypressdownf uraroundthegeni
tal
openi
ngtoexposethesexual
organs.
<>Ifiti
sabuckapeni swillbeseenandavagi
nawil
lbeseenifiti
sadoe.

e.Breedi
ngrabbi
ts
Rabbitar
ereadyformat
ingatsi
xmont
hs.Theyonl
ymat
ewhent
hedoei
sonheat
.

Si
ngsofheatindoes
Doemount sonotherdoes
Doebecomesr est
less
Vul
vaturnsreddi
sh( pur
pli
sh)andenl
arged
Mucusdischargefr
om v ul
va
Doeli
ft
sitstai
l

Car
eforpr
egnantrabbi
ts
 NB: Gestat
ionper
iodf
orr
abbi
tsi
s30day
s.

*Separateapregnantrabbi
tfrom ot
herdoes
*Placeanestboxinsidethedoe’shutch
*Availcl
eanfeedsandwat er
*Placeli
tter(
sawdust )i
nsidethenestbox.Thedoewi
l
lpul
lfurf
rom herbodyandl
i
nei
tint
henestboxt
omake
apropernest.

Car
efory
oungr
abbi
tsaf
terki
ndl
i
ng

*Remov edeadones
*Remov edeformedandweakki ndli
ngs
*Keepthem inquietenvi
ronment
*Ensurethatthekindl
i
ngssuckle
*Avoidtouchi
ngnewbor nr abbi
tsbecauset
hemot
hercanabandonorki
l
lthem

RABBITPARASI
TES
Aparasi
tei
sanani
mal
thatl
i
vesonori
nanot
heror
gani
sm f
orsur
viv
al

Ty
pesofpar
asi
tes
i
.Int
ernal
par
asi
tes i
i
.Ext
ernal
par
asi
tes

i
.Inter
nalparasi
tes:Theyl
i
vei
nsi
det
hebodyoft
hehostani
mal
.e.
g.r
oundwor
ms,t
apewor
m, cocci
dia,
hai
rworms,
pinworms

i
i
.Ext
ernal
par
asi
tes:
Theyl
i
veout
sidet
hebodyoft
hehostani
mal
.e.
g.l
i
ce,
fleas,
earmi
tes,
ticks

a.Roundwor
ms

5|
Page
 Mr
sKei
ght

i
.Li
fecy
cleofr
oundwor
ms

i
i.Ef
fect
sofr oundwor msonr abbits
*Theycausel oweredr esi
stancet odisease
*Theyuseupnut r
ientsintheintestineofrabbit
s.
*Rabbit
slooseappet it
eandgr owpoor ly
*Theycausedi ar
rhea
*Seri
ousattackcanl eadtodeat hofr abbit
s
*Theycausel ossofwei ghtandl owpr oducti
on

i
ii
.Controlandpr eventi
onmeasur es
*Giv
er abbit
sf reshfeedsandcleanwat er
*Avoidgrazingr abbi
tsonwetar eas.
*Keepdr i
nkingandf eedingcontainersclean
*Keept hesurroundingscleanandf reeofwastematt
er.
*Giv
ewor mr emedyt ogetridofinternalpar
asi
tes

b.Earmi
tes

i
.Li
fecycl
eofearmites
Thecy
cleiscompl
etedin21day
sandt
heent
ir
eli
fecy
clei
sspentont
heearoft
hehost

1.Adultmi
tesmateandfemalel
ayseggs
2.Eggshat
chintolarv
ae
3.Larv
aedevel
opsi nt
onymphs
4.Nymphssuckbloodanddevel
opint
oadul
tmi
tes

i
i.Eff
ectsonrabbit
s
*Theysuckbloodcausi nganaemia
*Theybi t
eandcausepai n
*Theycauseirri
tat
ion
*Theycausediseaseslikeearcanker
*Theyleadtolossofbodycondi t
ion
*Theyleadtol
owr esist
ancetodiseases
*Theyleadtolowpr oducti
on

6|
Page
 Mr
sKei
ght

i
ii
.Controlmeasures
*I
solateaff
ectedrabbit
stopreventspreadofmit
es
*Quaranti
neofnewl yboughtr
abbitsfor3weeks.
*Cleananddisinf
ecttherabbi
thutches
*Burnthebeddingusedbyaf f
ectedrabbit
s
*Changebeddingr egul
arl
y.

RABBITDISEASES
*Cocci
diosis *Earcanker *Mast
it
is(
bluebr
east
)
*Ri
ngwor m *Bloat(enter
it
is) *Weepyeyes(conj
unct
ivi
ti
s)
*Vent(r
abbitsy
phi
li
s) *Urinehutchburn

Commondi
seasesandt
hei
rcauses

DISEASE CAUSE
Coccidiosis Prot
ozoa
Bloat Eati
ngalotoff
reshgr
eenl
eav
es
Mast i
ti
s Bacter
ia
Vent Bacter
ia
Earcanker Earmites
Ringwor m Fungus
Urinehutchbur
n Bacter
ia

a.Cocci di
osis
Cause: Protozoa
Transmi ssion:spreadt hr oughcont aminateddr opping
Sympt oms: *Smel l
ywat erydr oppings
*Dul l
ness
*Potbel ly(swollenst omach)
*Lossofwei ght
*Lossofappet ite
*Roughf urcoat
*Stagger i
ngwhenmov ing
*Suddendeat h
Treatment : *Treatr abbitswi t
hcoccidiostats
*Addsul phamet hazinesoluti
ont odrinki
ngwat
er.
Control:*Av oidcont ami nat i
onoff oodandwat erbyfaeces.
*Cleananddi sinf ecthut ches
*Isolatesickrabbi t
st oav oidspreadofpr ot
ozoa
*Bur nbodiesofdeadr abbi t
stoki l
lpr
ot ozoa
*Bur nthebeddi ngusedbyaf fectedrabbits

b.Bloat
Cause: Eati
ngtoomanyf reshgr eenleaves
Transmi ssi
on:
Cannotbet ransmi tt
ed.
Sympt oms:Swol l
enstomachf il
ledwithgas
Treatmentandcont r
ol:*Allowt herabbitstoexer
ciseoutsi
det
orel
easet
he
gas.
*Injectsoapywat eri
ntotheanus.

7|
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 Mr
sKei
ght

c.Ringworm
Cause: Fungus
Transmi ssion:Contactwi thi nfectedrabbi
t
Sympt oms: *Br ownpat chesont heskin
*Scalyskin
*Scratchingt hebody
*Lossoff ur
Treatment :ApplyTer ramy cinonaf f
ectedparts
Control:*Isolatesickani mal s
*Burnt hebeddi ngusedbyaf fect
edrabbi
ts
*Cleananddi sinf
ecthut ches

d.Earcanker
Cause: Earmi tes
Transmi ssion:Mi t
es
Sympt oms: *Redpat chesont heears.
*Headshaki ng.
*Earscr atching.
Treatment :Applyearmi teointment
Control:*Isolatesickani mals
*Bur nthebeddi ngusedbyaf fect
edrabbi
ts
*Cleananddi sinfecthutches

e.Mast
it
is
Cause: Bact eri
a
Transmi ssion:Bacteriapasst hroughtheteat
s
Sympt oms: *Swol lenteat
s
*Mot herdoesnotwantt heyoungonest
osuckl
e
*Breast smayt urnbl
ackorpurpl
e
*Hight emperature
Treatment :Antibiot
icse. g.Terr
amy ci
n
Control:*Pr acti
cegoodhy gi
ene.
*Isolatethesi ckrabbit
s.

RABBI
TPRODUCTSANDBY-
PRODUCTS

PRODUCTS BYPRODUCTS
*Meat *Manur
e *Bones
*Fur *Bl
ood

Meat:Whit
emeati sri
chi
nprot
eins,mineral
sandvit
aminsandit
’sgoodf
orpeopl
esuf
fer
ingf
rom gout
.
Fur
:Iti
sprocessedtomakeexpensiv
eclothessuchashats,
glov
esandcoat
s.
Manure:Afer
ti
li
zerusedt
oimprovesoilfert
il
it
y.
Bones:Theyareusedasfoodforpetssuchascats.

8|
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 Mr
sKei
ght

Pr ng/dr
ocessi essi
ng/sl
aught
eri
ngr
abbi
ts

1.Hitt
her abbithar dbehindheadt okil
li
t.(
Kill
i
ng)
2.Cutoffthehead
2.Hangthebodybyt hebackl egssoast odrainoutbl
ood(
bleedi
ng)
3.Cutoffthepawsatt hehockj oi
nts.
4.Remov eskinf rom thebody( ski
nning)
5.Remov eoffals( evi
scerat
ion)
6.Washt hecar casswi thcl
eanwat er(cl
eani
ng)
7.Cutandpackt hecar cass
8.Puti
nar ef
ri
ger ator

Mar
ket
ingr
abbi
tpr
oduct
sandby
-pr
oduct
s

*Rabbi
tsaresoldli
veorasdr essedcar
casses(meat)
*Rabbi
tmeatcanbesol dt oconsumerssuchashotelandr
est
aur
antowner
s
*Furi
ssoldtoindustr
iesthatmakepeltgarment
s.
*Manurei
ssoldt ovegetabl
egr ower
s
*Bonesaresol
dt opetowner s

*
**THEEND*
**

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