Rabbit breeding can be an alternative farming opportunity for a beginner farmer or someone with limited resources. According to Mike Daka, a rabbit farmer and interim President of the Rabbit Farmers Association of Zambia, the demand for rabbit meat in the country is growing.

He told the Xinhaunet News Agency* that the Association was formed to encourage and assist farmers to meet the local demand, and even export to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The rabbit species mostly used for farming are the New Zealand White and California White breeds because they are easy to breed and grow fast, unlike local breeds.

Besides the growing demand for rabbit meat as a healthy white meat alternative, the increasing popularity of rabbit farming can be contributed to the following:

•They take up very little space

•They are inexpensive to keep

•They have a varied diet

•They produce meat with high-quality protein

•They produce many offspring in a short time span

•They can be sold for a profit

 Housing of rabbits

Wire mesh or scrap wood can be used to build a big cage, divided into individual cages. Poles, bricks, or even old tyres can be used to support and lift the cages off the ground. The following sizes for individual cages should meet the requirements for housing a medium-sized rabbit: 80 x 60 x 60 centimetres. The bot­tom of the cages should be fitted with mesh large enough to allow droppings to fall through, but not too large so that their feet get stuck. Vegetable patches and flower gardens will both benefit when the droppings are used as fertiliser.

Soil floors should never be used for rabbit cages as they will dig their way out. When wooden frames are used, they should be lined on the inside with wire mesh to ensure that the rabbits will not gnaw their way through the frame.

Does (female rabbits) should be sup­plied with nesting boxes to keep their babies warm. This box should not be smaller than 38 x 25 x 25 centimetres. Diseases can be prevented when the cages are dry and cleaned regularly.

Cages should be protected from sun, wind, and rain. Rabbits can tolerate cold much better than heat, so there is no need to place cages in sheds. The cages should be well ventilated as rabbits need a lot of fresh air. Cages should be kept in a quiet place where they cannot be reached by dogs, cats, or rats.

 Feeding of rabbits

Serious rabbit farmers can obtain well-formulated rabbit feed pellets from feed companies, but rabbits will eat al­most any plant. Lucerne, grass, green maize leaves, carrots, turnips, cabbage (in small amounts), and lettuce are also good choices for a healthy rab­bit’s diet. Cauliflower should not be fed to the doe while she is lactating since it can reduce her milk supply. Maize meal, porridge, bread, samp (dried, stamped corn kernels), weeds, and fruit tree leaves are also favourites.

Rabbits are poisoned by potato and tomato leaves, as well as rhubarb, and it could potentially kill them. Do not make drastic dietary adjustments to the rabbits’ feed. Feeding cooked greens, pesticide-sprayed food, rotten food, or mouldy hay to rabbits is not recommended.

There should always be clean water available, and they should never be deprived of water. Early in the morn­ing and late in the afternoon are good times to feed the rabbits. The majority of the food should be served in the late afternoon feeding. Farmers can grow their own green material for rabbit food.

Selecting rabbit breeding stock

Make certain that the rabbits you pur­chase are in good health, with bright eyes, dry nostrils, and clean ears and paws. The rabbit’s fur should be smooth and clean, and its teeth should be in a straight line to be considered healthy. Buy a young doe instead of a mature doe since you may never be sure how old she is.

If she has reached the end of her productive life, she will no longer be of any use to anyone. The presence of long toenails indicates that the rabbit is an older animal. Choose rabbits from parents who have a solid track record of reproducing successfully. It is inevi­table that a doe that does not perform well will likewise produce bad offspring.

When does are approximately six months old, purchase them as breeding stock. Every three years, you should replace your breeding stock and get rid of underperformers.

Breeding rabbits

Does (female rabbits) are ready to breed at 4 to 6 months of age, while bucks (male rabbits) are ready to breed at 5 to 6 months of age, depending on the species. Keep the buck in a sepa­rate cage from the doe. Always place the doe in the cage with the buck. If the mating was successful, the buck would roll over and prostrate himself. If a doe is not ready for mating, she will attempt to flee the situation.

When mating does not occur, the doe can be placed in the buck’s cage for the following 5 to 6 days until mating occurs. During spring, summer, and early autumn, the doe is more productive than the buck. Because it gets chilly during the winter months, it is not suggested to breed during this time. Pregnancy lasts around one month.

Birth

Soft dried grass can be placed in a clean, dry nesting box for the doe ap­proximately 25 days following the mat­ing event. Some of the doe’s own fur will be strewn across the grass. Keep your distance from the cage until the babies (kittens) have been born. Most of the time, the kittens are born in the early hours of the morning.

Check to see if the kittens are still alive and well. Dead kittens should be removed as soon as possible. If possible, avoid touching the kittens unless absolutely necessary. If the doe detects your scent on the kittens, she may reject them. The use of a strong-smelling, harmless agent (such as Vicks Vapo Rub) on the female’s nose is recommended before interacting with the new-born.

In the nesting box, the kittens should be kept near to one another. Ensure that the kittens are sucking and that they are well-nourished. Does who gave birth for the first time may con­sume their young.

If there are too many kittens, the doe will not be able to feed them all at once. If that is the case some of the kittens can be handed to another female with fewer kittens. The kittens should be roughly the same age. When a doe is unable to rear her young, cow’s or goat’s milk may be used as a substitute.

Weaning the young

It is possible to wean the new-born kittens between the ages of 30 and 35 days. When they reach this stage, they can be separated from their mother. Separate the young does from the young bucks in a cage. It is possible for the does to be mated again after two or three days and up to a month after giving birth, depending on the level of feeding and management.

Generally, young rabbits are ready to be slaughtered or sold when they reach the age of three to four months. If you keep them for an extended period of time, they will consume significantly more food, making your venture unprof­itable, and the bucks will begin to fight.

The information provided in this article is credited to the National Department of Agriculture in South Africa in cooperation with JA Eras­mus at the Glen Agricultural Devel­opment Institute. For more informa­tion visit www.daff.gov.za or send an e-mail to DPP@nda.agric.za.

*http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/africa/2021-07/09/c_1310052234.htm