Backyard Production of Meat Rabbits in Texas - World Rabbit ...

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Table 4. Management Schedule for 6 or 8 Litters Per Doe inOne Year.Litters per Age to wean Time to Litterdoe per year litter rebreed doe* interval**6 28 days 28 days 59 days8 28 days 14 days 45 days*Age of litter.**Number of days between litters if no infertile matings.appears to be in poor bodycondition (underweight andrough fur) the mating shouldbe delayed until body conditionis restored.When the doe is 28 dayspregnant, provide her with anest box for the new litter(Figure 5). Nest boxes areusually made of 1 /2-inch plywood,with dimensions of10 x 16 x 8 inches (width,length, height). A top piece forthe nest box is unnecessary.Fasten screen wire ( 1 /8 inch)to the bottom of the nest boxusing wood molding and finishingnails. This feature promotesdrainage so that the kits(newborn rabbits) remain dry,warm, and comfortable. Thenest box should contain cleanFigure 5. Nest box dimensions and design.dry grass clippings, grass hay,wood shavings, or shreddednewspaper to keep the newborn,furless kits warm. Sincethe doe may start to build anest when the nest box is firstprovided, you may need toadd more bedding material upto the time that the litter isborn. However, some doesmay show little interest innest building until just minutesbefore the litter is born.The delivery of newbornrabbits, which usually takesplace in the early morninghours, is referred to as “kindling.”The typical size of thelitter for commercial rabbits isseven to eight kits. Inspect thenewborn litter promptly, sothat you can determine thenumber of kits, remove theafterbirth and any dead kits,and manage the nest. Nestmanagement consists of placingthe live kits together intothe nest constructed by thedoe, and then covering themwith fur that the doe haspulled to provide warmth. Ittakes only a few seconds toinspect the litter every morning.A doe will not mind thisbrief but essential managementpractice. This inspectionand handling of the kits willnot cause the doe to abandonor lose interest in her litter.A first-time doe is less likelythan an experienced doe tomake a good nest. You mightneed to help her line the nestwith fur and deliver her litterto the nest. If the first litter islost, always give the doe asecond chance to successfullyproduce a litter. If the secondlitter is also lost, the doeshould be dressed out or soldfor meat.Litter ManagementDoes nurse their kits onlyonce a day—usually in theearly morning hours—forabout 3 to 4 minutes. Especiallyin a large litter, this givesthe kits a brief period to feedand compete for subsistencefor another 24 hours until thenext nursing.A good management practiceis to equal out the numberof kits per doe by transferringkits from one nest toanother. The transfer of kitsbetween does for nursing iscalled “crossfostering.” Forthis useful practice to be successful,the does should bemated no more than 3 to 4days apart. The main advantageof this practice is thatcompetition for milk amongkits is reduced in litters that8
would otherwise be verylarge. This results in higherkit survival and more uniformfryer weights by market age.The litter can be weaned at4 weeks of age, since thedoe’s milk production level islow by this time (Table 4).Weaning involves removingeither the doe or the entire litterfrom the rearing cage. By 8to 10 weeks (market age),most fryers should weigh atleast 4 pounds. This is a goodtime to determine which fryerscould be saved as herdreplacement stock, as discussedin the Breeds andSelection section. Replacementsshould be placed individuallyin cages by 3 to 4months of age, at least 1month prior to first breeding.Feeds and FeedingMost rabbit producers feedcommercial feeds, such as pellets,in their operations. Theadvantages of feeding pelletsinclude convenience to theproducer and increased consumptionwith minimumwaste by the rabbits. In addition,most manufactured pelletedfeeds are complete formulationsthat do not requirethe producer to provide supplements,such as protein, vitamins,or salt. However, manyfeed companies have differentrabbit feed formulations. Aless-expensive diet is notalways the best buy, becausepoorer production may possiblyresult. The best advice isto feed a reputable feed brandavailable at a reasonable andcompetitive price. If your rabbitryconsists of at least 10does, ask your feed dealer fora bulk discount on the feedpurchase.Discussion of each requireddietary nutrient is beyond thescope of this publication.However, in terms of practicalfeeding, producing does, litters,and young growing stockshould be fed free-choice forbest performance results.Mature stock that are notreproductively active shouldbe limit-fed to maintain desirablebody condition. As a generalguide, a basic feedingchart is provided in Table 5.Rabbits should always haveaccess to clean, cool water.There is some local interestamong producers to feed lessexpensivehays, grains, lawnclippings, garden and kitchenwastes, etc., to their rabbits.This practice usually results ina poorer overall diet quality,which in turn results in lowerreproduction and growthresponse. You should beaware that it is the quality ofthe diet rather than the quantitythat determines performanceresults. However, aslong as the nutritional needsof the rabbit are satisfied, itdoesn’t really matter whichfeed ingredients are actuallyfed. Simply feeding a goodcommercial pelleted diet takesout much of this guesswork.On the other hand, there is noproblem in providing smallamounts of fresh feeds (forexample, a carrot, a fewblades of grass, or a couple ofcabbage leaves). This practicewill help to stimulate appetiteand promote gentle behaviorin rabbits. The fiber contentof the diet (15 percent) isimportant in preventing hairballs,stimulating gut function,and preventing diarrhea.HealthManagementProperly fed, housed, andmanaged commercial-bredrabbits generally remain ingood health. Vaccines, antibiotics,and other medicationsare not required to maintain aTable 5. Major Nutrient Requirements and Simple Feeding Chart.Class of Production Protein Fat Calories Fiber Daily Feeding Level(%) (%) (per lb.) (%)Pregnant or Lactating does 16-20 3-5.5 1136 12-14 Free choice(21 days or with litter)Growing fryers 16 2-4 1136 14-16 Free choice(1-3 months)Replacements 16 2-4 1136 14-16 6 to 8 oz. (0.25-0.3 lb.)(3-5 months)Breeding bucks 16 2-3 1136 14-20 6 to 8 oz. (0.25-0.3 lb.)(3 matings/week)Dry bucks/does 12-15 2-3.5 955 14-20 4 to 6 oz. (0.25-0.4 lb.)Source: National Research Council Publication 1194.9
Page 2 and 3: AcknowledgmentsThe authors grateful
Page 4 and 5: Table 1. Nutritional Value of Rabbi
Page 6 and 7: this purpose. Some completehutch de
Page 8 and 9: Figure 2. Rabbit drinking from an a
Page 12 and 13: healthy and profitable rabbitherd.
Page 14 and 15: It is recommended that youexpand yo
Page 16 and 17: Rabbit Stew1 rabbit, cut into 4 par
Page 18 and 19: Rabbit Delight1 rabbit, cut into se
Page 20: The information given herein is for

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