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

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this purpose. Some completehutch designs provide for anenclosed wooden rear compartmentfor winter protection,although this compartmentshould be blocked offduring summer monthsbecause the rabbits will getoverheated if they hide or nestin it. In unusually cold periods,hutches or cages can bewrapped with inexpensivepolyethylene sheets or oldblankets if necessary.Heat StressManagementIn periods of extreme heat,proper management techniquescan be followed tomaintain normal fertility levelsin commercial breedingstock. The buck is more pronethan the doe to experienceinfertility in the summer.Buck fertility may declinewhen temperatures are above85 o F for several consecutivedays, which actually representsseveral months out ofthe year in Texas. Youngbucks (6 to 9 months old)have higher fertility and sexdrive than older bucks andcan be mated to does duringthe summer season to achievereproductive success.To further cope with heatstress conditions, one strategyis to ensure that the insidetemperature where the rabbitsare housed is at least 10degrees cooler than the outsidetemperature.Thermometers can beplaced both inside and outsideof the shed (or other building)as a check. A well-ventilatedshed or even shade trees willhelp meet this objective.During the heat of the day,you can place sprinkler hoseson the roof of the shed orhutches and turn them on andwet the grounds around thehutches with a garden hose topromote evaporative cooling.Water directly reduces thesurrounding temperature, and,when water comes in contactwith prevailing breezes, thiscools the stock. If necessary,you can also freeze plastic softdrink bottles filled with wateror water-soaked burlap sacksor towels and place them inthe cages. You can even putice in the cages on especiallyhot, humid days when there isno breeze. In particularlyadverse situations, large fansor commercial fog mist systemsmay be justified. Becareful to avoid getting theanimals wet.Proper timing and consistencyin implementing theseheat stress management interventionsis vital to the comfort,productivity, and evensurvival of the stock.Basic Housing andEquipmentIf you do not already have ashed, there is little economicjustification for the expense ofbuilding a new shed just forraising rabbits. A wiser investmentwould be to construct acomplete rabbit hutch (Figure1). You should locate thehutch in a safe area (for example,under shade trees or in afenced lot), so that the rabbitswill be protected from the naturalelements, includingpredators. Wire cages aredesigned for hanging insidesheds or other buildings.Cages are usually about 30inches wide, 30 inches long,and 18 inches high for doeproduction or fryer growthpurposes. For growing fryers,one cage for every 2 does isrecommended. Ideally, fryerscan be grown in used cages tooffset costs. Bucks may beaccommodated in cages withdimensions of 30 x 24 x 18 or24 x 24 x 18 inches, dependingon the size or breed of rabbit.Commercially availablefeeder and automatic wateringequipment can be used in thebackyard rabbit operation(Figure 2). Water bottles orcrocks are also popular. Nestboxes are discussed in theReproduction section. Forinformation on cages, feeders,waterers, and other equipmentspecifically designed forrabbits, you can request a freecatalogue from the BassEquipment Company (P.O.Box 352, Monett, Missouri,65708 or 1-800-798-0150).Breeds andSelectionBreeding StockThe American RabbitBreeders Association recognizesmore than fifty breeds ofrabbit. However, most of thesebreeds are bred and raisedstrictly for fancy or showexhibition. In general, a fancybred doe is unsuitable foryear-round meat production.In other words, fancy rabbitsare selectively bred for theshow table rather than for themeat table. Examples of showtable traits include body,head, and fur type and coatand toenail color.Similarly, rabbits from petstores and flea markets arenot a good source of breedingstock. This is because suchrabbits have an unknownbackground or are not from4
Figure 1. Hutch plans for small rabbit units.5
Page 2 and 3: AcknowledgmentsThe authors grateful
Page 4 and 5: Table 1. Nutritional Value of Rabbi
Page 8 and 9: Figure 2. Rabbit drinking from an a
Page 10 and 11: Table 4. Management Schedule for 6
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

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

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