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• GLENNEIS KRIEL
While raising rabbits can be quite lucrative, it is not a fast system. Glenneis Kriel has been talking with Karoline Steenekamp about do's and don'ts when starting a rabbit business.
Steenekamp was born in the industry, as her mother, who was rabbit, breeder and author of the book Rabbit Breeding in South Africa, she gave birth to it among rabbits of judgment at the Rand Easter Show.
"After her contractions began, my mother quickly finished her sentence before leaving for the hospital, and returned to the show the next day with me in her arms," says Karoline.
Karoline has become an internationally recognized rabbit judge and one of only four judges in South Africa, and has considerable production experience having grown in various locations, including Johannesburg and Cape Town.
BASIC RULES
Although it requires a great deal of dedication and hard work, raising rabbits can generate good primary and additional incomes.
There is however no general recipe for success, because the production protocols differ according to the breed of rabbit chosen, the type of housing used, the purpose of production and the climatic conditions.
Nevertheless, the following principles are non-negotiable: [19659003] • First, establish a ready market right from the start. This applies whether the final product is meat, wool, skins or manure.
• Second, find a mentor. A budding rabbit breeder should learn the why and how of an experienced farmer before building cages or buying stocks, so that you understand how to feed and care for the animals. "Find a mentor you can talk to if you have a problem," says Karoline. An easy way to find a mentor is to join a rabbit club.
• Third, forget the outdoor production. Rabbits should be kept in shelters or cages, as they like to dig. When they are kept out, they are sure to escape before long. They are also safer in cages, away from predators such as rats, birds of prey, dogs and snakes, as well as parasites such as mites (which can cause scabies) and fleas. Rabbits are surprisingly territorial, says Karoline. "They are looking for their own space in a communal burrow, even though they share common feeding and toilet areas, and so they are very happy to live in individual cages at the sight and the l & # 39; smell of other rabbits. "
• Fourth, choose good size cages. Overcrowding causes stress and poses health risks because it increases ammonia levels, which can cause breathing problems and the like. The actual stand density depends on the type of housing and breed produced, but a fair cage size for most breeds is about 600 mm (W) × 500 mm (W) × 450 mm (H) . Height is important because rabbits need to stretch after eating to get rid of the pockets of sour air that form in their intestines when they eat and rest.
"If they do not stretch, the gas is trapped. Ideally, when the rabbit stretches, his ears should not touch the top of the cage, "says Karoline.
Fifth, like all breeders, you have to be a good breeder. This means refining your ability to quickly identify problems and spot sick animals before things get out of hand.
A farmer should quickly identify a sick animal simply by looking at his posture or picking up a sour odor. Signs of poor health may be a dull eye, an arched body, breathing difficulties or a runny belly, "says Karoline
for this reason, she prefers that the cages be visible
. are above or below eye level. A commercial farmer could run a three tier system if there is enough air in the rabbit, but I prefer two because it allows me to see what is happening in the cages.
Sound hygiene is another tool for disease prevention.
"Rabbits that are kept in dirty conditions or that receive contaminated food tend to develop a coccidiosis that can explode into an epidemic if they are not treated quickly," warns Karoline
. best way to prevent this disease is from rabbits, cages, water and clean food. Sulfur drugs are the best treatment when the disease breaks out. "
Alfalfa-based commercial pellets are available on the market Karoline advises against the use of pellets containing antibiotics.
" Some companies put coccidiostats in their diet to prevent coccidiosis, but this could prevent animals from responding to medications if they needed them later. "
and leftovers can be used as feeds instead of pellets, provided sufficient quantity is available and available. a high quality hay is also provided.
DIET DETERMINES THE AGE OF SLAUGHTERING
Karoline believes that a premixed rabbit food can reach the # 1 Age of slaughter from 10 to 14 weeks, while rabbits fed hay and garden do so only for 20 to 30 weeks.
The haying of hay and vegetables, however, will be much better than haying. rabbits on the ra premixed, because the older animal will have a more mature skin at slaughter.
At 12 weeks, a rabbit always wears a baby coat.
– Farmers Weekly
(send an email to Karoline Steenekamp at [email protected].)
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