rabbit manual 2010[1]

8/6/2019 Rabbit Manual 2010[1]

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Small Scale Rabbit

Breeding

A Food Security ProjectDeveloped by

Help people, Help themselves, Help others

By Dave & Christina Pilkington


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Small Scale Rabbit Breeding ManualA Food Security Project

By Dave & Christina Pilkington

Copyright 2010 by Christina Pilkington

We have put this manual together as a means to help facilitate anybody who wants tostart their own food security project or help someone else to. This is by far the mostunusual project we have ever worked on but has been intriguing and exciting to seehow one animal can have so much potential with the right knowledge, tools andunderstanding.

In no way can this manual be sold or reproduced to be sold. There are sources ofinformation which cannot be verified which were taken from the web.

This is a document that CAN be reproduced, photocopied, emailed and downloaded asmany times as you want for FREE. This was not put together to make money but tofacilitate and enable others to climb out of poverty by giving them the knowledge andunderstanding to generate their own food source and potential source of income.

The majority of this document is based on our own research and case studies. All butone of the diagrams was designed by Cara Botha for the free use of this project. Anyphotos that you may or may not see depending on what version you see are all photosthat we have taken for the use of this project.

Lastly, even though this is by no means a radical approach to food security, anacademic paper, or an exceptional piece of literature, however, we still feel we owe it tothank the people who have helped put this together. We have worked hard to try and putas much information into a document in the hope that maybe this is a smallcontribution to hunger and poverty being eradicated. Therefore, we would like toacknowledge as many of the individuals who have helped pull this together.

So with no further procrastination and self apology... we would like to thanks our friendDean Barnes who first suggested rabbits and paid for the first pilot project. MandyMinnar who spent many a night with us trying to get a government grant to do theproject large scale (however, this failed as we could not seem to convince boards thatpeople would want to eat rabbits - so we re-grouped to do a smaller version of our initial

feed the world with rabbits idea!) We definitely want to thank the community ofKwaDabeka in D Section (particularly Zume, Egcikini farmers Philani and Baba Zulu)who embraced us and humoured us. They also believed in the project and help make itall happen. Finally, the English volunteers from soul action; Hannah, Amy, Catherine,Bill and Ben (the flower pot men!) who helped us finalise and tweak this manual.

On a personal note I would like to thank our families especially my mum, dad, mybrother Eddie and His wife Anna who have supported us financially to make so much ofthis possible or not as stressful.

Christina Pilkington


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Chapters

CHAPTER 1 --- The answer to Why Rabbits?

CHAPTER 2 --- Food Security A Human Rights Issue...

CHAPTER 3 --- Getting Starteda. Choosing a breedb. Rabbit time-line

c. Sexing the rabbitd. Mating & Breedinge. Birthf. Nesting Boxg. Weaning

CHAPTER 4 --- Exponential Growth

CHAPTER 5 --- What do rabbits eat? & Rabbit feed boxes

CHAPTER 6 --- General care of rabbits

CHAPTER 7 --- Curing basic health problems

CHAPTER 8 --- Process and Timing of slaughtering

CHAPTER 9 --- Rabbit Skins & Tanning

Chapter 10 --- Glossary & Photos


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Chapter 1:The answer to Why rabbits?

Farming with rabbits is becoming increasingly popular because they can be keptin a relatively small space, it is not expensive to keep them, they eat almostanything, they produce high-quality protein meatand they can be sold to makemoney.

Some interesting facts about rabbits:

Rabbits are among the most productive of domestic livestock. A femalerabbit can produce up to 80 kilograms (kg) of meat per year.

X1 buck (male rabbit) and x2 does (female rabbits) can produce enough

rabbit meat to feed a family of 6.

A rabbit can produce 6lbs of meat for every 1lb of meat a cow canproduce of beef.

Rabbit meat is the most nutritious meat known to man according toUnited Stated Department of Agriculture. Rabbit meat has the highestprotein, vitamin and mineral content, a meat that meets all human aminoacid requirements, is low in cholesterol and high in Omega-3 fatty acids(United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation).

Rabbits will eat food such as grass, hay, carrot tops and other foods thatcould be seen as kitchen waste.

Rabbits do not compete with humans for food like other animals such aschickens that need grain, cows that needs two acres of land...

Rabbits are herbivores and eat many different foods that are easily grownin many different climates, making them one of the most economicanimals to farm.

Storage of meat is not an issue; one rabbit produces a good portion of

meat for a whole family (around 1kg). In many developing countries suchas South Africa many people do not own a refrigerator or freezer so alarge animal such as a cow or goat would require storage for excess meat.

Due to a global aids epidemic there has been an increase in child andpensioner headed homes in developing countries; thus small livestock isalso a practical solution as it allows physically weaker members ofsociety to be involved.

The rabbit pelts (skins) can be used as a raw produce to make shoes,blankets, gloves... providing possible income opportunities.

Rabbits are raised off the ground so they are one of the cleanest meats.


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Rabbit manure is one of the richest manures; this waste is much richer innutrients than ordinary farm manure and can be used directly withoutcomposting.

Earthworms can be used to convert rabbit manure into fertilizer. This is a

fairly important resource in areas where chemical fertilizers are virtuallyunknown or an expensive commodity.

What do the experts say???

United Nations (FOA 1981):Rabbit farming has significant potential to improvefood security and nutrition in developing countries.

United Nations: There is greater and greater recognition that the potential ofsmall species like rabbits, has been underestimated so far, according toEmmanuelle Guerne-Bleich, United Nations FAO animal production expert.

United Nations food and agriculture organization (Rome, 28 September 2001):Rabbit breeding for food security Ahead of a major international rabbitbreeding conference, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)announced today that it is ready to promote rabbit farming in its variouslivestock projects all over the world.

United States: The office of home economics, state relations of the U SDepartment of Agriculture, has done extensive tests and have stated that

domestic rabbit meat is the most nutritious meat known to man.

National Development Agency for South Africa: Produced a study; Rabbits forPoverty Alleviation in which they stated that:

The body size provides a small carcass that can beconsumed by a family in one meal, eliminating theneed for meat storage and refrigeration.

Rabbit skins are a major component in the

international fur trade, with large numbers also beingused for the manufacture of hats, trimmings andgloves.(www.nda.agric.za/docs/MarketExtension/7Livestock.pdf)

Disadvantages!

Rabbits have the potential to be an environmental disaster. If they escape fromconfinement they will breed very quickly and can potentially become verydestructive to farm land. Thus the need for cages and appropriate care is

paramount.
http://www.nda.agric.za/docs/MarketExtension/7Livestock.pdfhttp://www.nda.agric.za/docs/MarketExtension/7Livestock.pdfhttp://www.nda.agric.za/docs/MarketExtension/7Livestock.pdfhttp://www.nda.agric.za/docs/MarketExtension/7Livestock.pdf


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Chapter 2Food Security - A Human Rights Issue....

Hunger is a human rights issue. Never before has this linkage been so strongly

recognized as in the context of the global food crisis that started in 2005 withthe soaring food and energy prices and that continues today as a result of thefinancial crisis and economic slow-down. (United Nations right to food forum2009).

The right of access to sufficient food is a basic human necessity and right. Manyconstitutions oblige the State to provide legislation and other supporting measures toensure that all citizens are enabled to meet their basic food needs. Food Security is aresult of poverty (and often decisions made on a national or international levelregarding socio-economic and political issues).

In a recent report (2009) by United Nations food and agriculture organisation it stated;at a time when the global economic crisis dominates the news, the world needsto be reminded that not everyone works in offices and factories. The crisis isstalking the small-scale farms and rural areas of the world, where 70 percent ofthe worlds hungry live and work. With an estimated increase of 105 millionhungry people in 2009, there are now 1.02 billion malnourished people in theworld, meaning that almost one sixth of all humanity is suffering from hunger.(United Nations 2009)

The purpose of this project is to present a possible solution for some of thoseindividuals who are affected by food insecurity. Furthermore, to offer a potential

product that can be sold to establish income generating opportunities for many povertystricken families. The bi-product of rabbit pelts can create opportunities for people todevelop business ideas (such as making and selling blankets, gloves, even using theguts for organic dog food!) in order to further their financial capacity. This could alsocreate employment requiring skills ranging from practical skills such as sewing, tobusiness skills, slaughtering of animals, cage building. Hopefully resulting in thedevelopment of sustainable micro-economies in order to alleviate poverty and upliftcommunities based on agriculture and harnessing natural resources.

Food security by its very nature requires a sustainable solution as it is an on-goingneed that cannot be solved with a one-off financial investment otherwise seen as alinear solution:

money + person = problem solved.

The solution needs to cyclical - a cycle to replace the cycle of systemic (or cyclical)poverty which is starving many urban and rural communities. Therefore, the aim of theproject is to create a food and wealth generating cycle, reliant on initial financialinvestment but will then be sustained through effective agricultural methodsharnessing natural resources to develop food and income opportunities.


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*See chapter 3 for growth model.

A key aspect that we try and incorporate into the projects is creating systems ofaccountability and responsibility (or carrot and stick model) i.e. only when an individualshows they can take responsibility do they get access to more resources. Through

individuals becoming more responsible and accountable, communities are going to bestrengthened and more cohesive. Our aim is that we must not just Help People butalso they must learn to Help themselves and to also Help others. Thus, this hasformed the main principle in our project:

Help people, Help themselves, Help othersIn order to create systems of responsibility and accountability, inclusion in the

programme is based on the requirement that all participants invest some of theirproduce whether it be rabbits, seedlings, training, knowledge gained into anotherfamily, in order for them to keep access to the tools & resources required to developtheir project. This also ensures that the project is sustainable and does not requireconstant injections of funds.

A further aim of the project is that it is replicable. We want this project to not just belimited in course design to benefit a particular group of people but that the knowledgeand skills gained will be able to be transferred and adapted into other communities.With potential for some communities to be a hub of teaching, training, and a practicalworking example of a sustainable economy that generates food and wealth based onagricultural projects in small family homesteads.

Breed

Some

Eat

Some

SellSome

RabbitsBreed


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Community Cohesion Plan stage 1 (Ubuntu):Helping people, help themselves to help others

*This model is just a proposed idea and does not have to be followed religiously. Thestage 1 model illustrates how the project also has the capacity to be scalable as theproject can be started with 2 families or 20 families... etc. By investing rabbits into 10families, on the basis that they share with another 2 families, it creates the opportunityfor exponential growth i.e. the 10 families becomes 30 families. Thus, the projectbecomes scalable and sustainable based on community cohesion (or Ubuntu) rather

than further financial investment. The success of this project is due to effectivelyapplying rabbit farming knowledge and the spirit of ubuntu.

CommunityParticipant

Participant signs up andcompletes a 3 day rabbitbreeding and cage

building training course.

The participant then does a test tosee whether they have anunderstanding of what is required

to run a small scale rabbit project.

If the participant passes the testthey then receive a rabbit cage flatpack in which they are required toput their training in to operation

and build the cage.

The participant is given aprogramme with key stages suchas when it is suitable tobreed...and can follow theprogramme to start breeding (seechapter 4 rabbit time-line).

We then ask that each participant invest2 rabbits (x1 male and x1 female) into 2

other families of their choice and helpsthem develop their own food securityproject. In return we help supply themwith more cages to facilitate their

growing project.

If theparticipantchooses to sharethen they cancontinue toremain part of theproject thus hasaccess to advice,

cages, loantools...

...If theparticipantchooses not toshare, they cankeep their rabbitsbut will have noaccess to adviceor affordable

cages.

NoYes

The cage is then inspected and if it hasbeen suitably put together then theperson is eligible to receive two rabbits(a buck and doe).


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Explanation of Ubuntu:

Archbishop Desmond Tutu further explained Ubuntu in 2008:

One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu - the essence of being human.

Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can't exist as a human beingin isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can't be human all byyourself, and when you have this quality - Ubuntu - you are known for yourgenerosity...

...We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated fromone another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the wholeworld. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.

Archbishop Desmond Tutudescribes this perspective, ubuntu is not, I thinktherefore I am. It says rather: I am a human because I be long. I participate. Ishare.In essence, I am because you are.

We are truly all in this together, and we will only succeed by building mutuallybeneficial partnerships among civil society, the private sector, and the publicsector.

This is Ubuntu Diplomacy: where all sectors belong as partners, where we allparticipate as stakeholders, and where we all succeed together, notincrementally but exponentially.

Help people, Help themselves, Help others


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Chapter 3:Getting Started

(a) Choosing a breed of Rabbit

We use Californian whites and New Zealand whites. If Californians can be sold theyhave the best tasting meat and can be grown more economically. The four mostcommon breeds for meat are:

New Zealand Red - a light brown-red colour with an average adult weightof 3.5 kg. Although it is the smallest breed, it is the quickest to reachslaughter weight of 2 kg.

New Zealand White - completely white colour with an average adult weightof 5 kg.

California - white with black nose, ears, feet and tail. Average adult weight4.5 kg.

Flemish Giant - grey-brown in colour, with average adult weight of 6 kg.

The main breeds used for rabbit meat in the world for supermarket and restaurantretail are the New Zealand White and the Californian White rabbit. The maindifferences are that the adult New Zealand White is bigger, while the Californian growsfaster over the first 8 weeks than the New Zealand White.

(b) Rabbit Time-line

Female rabbits are ready to breed when they are 4 to 6 months old and males whenthey are 5 to 6 months old. Pregnancy lasts about 1 month (28 days), the baby rabbitseyes open at around 10 days old.

Depending on the feeding and management level, the female can be mated againfrom 2 to 3 days after having given birth. However, it is important to understand thatthe harder a rabbit works (i.e. if you breed your rabbit(s) every month) this will shorterthe life expectancy plus they can start to get unproductive. If this happens at any stageof breeding rabbits (i.e. they start getting less and less productive) then they can bekilled and eaten. Only select the productive rabbits to be the breeding rabbits. Goodbreeding productive rabbits produce good breeding productive rabbits...i.e. if a rabbit

gives birth to 10 babies, then those babies are likely to produce 10 babies, If a rabbitonly produces a small litter you should eat them all as they will only produce smalllitters. Some people recommend that you breed your rabbits every 2 months in orderto keep them strong and breed longer. At around 5-6 weeks the young rabbits need tobe moved to their own cage, keeping the bucks and does in separate cages.

Young rabbits are usually big enough to be eaten or sold at the age of 3 to 4 months. Atarget weight of 2.4kg is a good time this would produce around 1.2kg of meat. If youkeep them for a longer period they will eat much more and the males will begin to fight.

Rabbits generally retire from breeding at around 2-3 years of age, and again they can

just be killed and eaten.


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Rabbit Timeline - a guide to key mile stones:

Day Date Action/ Event Stage

Day 0 Mate Rabbits- note date in folder and on cage 1.Day 25 Add nesting box and hay (both in the box and underneath the

box) then leave until after birth.2.

Day

27,28,29

Check the doe late at night ie, 8:00pm for fur being pulled out,

if has been then very likely will have babies in the early hours.3.

Day 30 1st

litter born normally in the early hours, count number of

newborn and remove any dead babies - record, move them

into the nesting box if not already there. Put vicks vapour rub

on does nose if not familiar with you. Doe may eat 1st

litter.

4.

Day 40 Kindlings eyes should be open, if not get advice 5.Day 45 Kindling can leave the nesting box after 15 days 6.Day 45 Doe re-mated- note date in folder and on cage 7.

Day 65 1st

litter does (females) and bucks (males) should be movedinto separate cages - max 4 per cage

8.

Day 70 Add nesting box and hay. 9.Day 72,

73, 74

Check the doe late at night ie, 8:00pm for fur being pulled out

(repeat stage 3).10.

Day 75 2nd

litter born normally in the early hours (repeat stage 4) 11.Day 85 Kindlings eyes should be open, if not use get advice 12.Day 90 Kindling can leave the nesting box after 15 days 13.Day 90 Doe re-mated- note date in folder and on cage 14.Day 110 2

ndlitter does and bucks should be moved into separate cages-

max 4 per cage15.

Day 115 Add nesting box and hay (repeat stage 2) 16.Day 117

118, 119


if has been then very likely will have babies in the early hours17.

Day 120 3rd

litter born normally in the early hours (repeat stage 4) 18.Day 120 1

stlitter should be given away, sold or killed. 19.

Day 130 Kindlings eyes should be open, if not get advice 20.Day 135 Kindling can leave the nesting box after 15 days 21.Day 135 Doe re-mated- note date in folder and on cage 22.Day 155 3

rdlitter does and bucks should be moved into separate cages-

max 4 per cage

23.

Day 160 Add nesting box and hay (both in the box and underneath thebox) then leave until after birth (expect for food and water!)

24.

Day 162

163,164


if has been then very likely will have babies in the early hours25.

Day 165 4th

litter born normally in the early hours, count no born and

remove any dead babies- record, move them into the nesting

box if not already there. Put vicks vapour rub on does nose if

not familiar with you.

26.

Day 165 2nd

litter should be given away, sold or killed. 27.


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(c) SEXING THE RABBIT

(d) Mating & Breeding

Before mating rabbits ensure that both the Buck and Doe are in good health, anydefects in the doe are likely to be passed to their babies; your aim is to breed only thebest stock to ensure healthy babies. Female rabbits are ready to breed when they are4 to 6 months old and males when they are 5 to 6 months old. Keep the male rabbit ina separate cage. We have found it hard to tell if the mating was successful however,the male can roll over on his side and sometimes squeal! If the female is not ready formating, she will try to run away. For the first month the young buck should not bemated as often as an adult. The female is more productive during springtime, summerand early autumn.

Mating is always done in the buck's cage. You need to check the doe's health at thistime to make sure she has no breathing problems, sore hocks (sore feet), etc. or that

she is not too thin. If the females private part is red that is a promising but not infalliblesign that the female has mated successfully (80-90 percent chance of matingsuccess). If the females private part is white the buck can mate a doe but less chanceof success (10-20 percent chance of success). When they have successfully matedyou should remove the doe and put her back in her own cage. Altogether this shouldnot take more than 2-5 minutes.

If the doe refuses to mate you can try to present her to another buck. As a last resortyou can leave her for 24 hours in the buck's cage but then you cannot be sure thatmating has taken place. It is better to mate the animals in the morning or evening, toavoid the hottest hours of the day.


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In intensive breeding 1 buck can serve 7 or 8 does. In the extensive system 1 buckcan serve 10-15 does. The buck, however, should not be used more than 3 or 4 daysa week, and not more than 2 or 3 times a day. So even if there are only, say, 10 doesin the unit, there should be at least 2 bucks so that successful mating is not dependenton 1 buck alone.

(e) Birth

About 25 days after mating soft dry grass can be placed in a clean, dry nesting box forthe female. The female will add some of her own fur to the grass. Stay away from thecage at this stage until the babies have been born. The babies are usually born duringthe early morning hours. Inspect the babies carefully to see if they are alive and well.Remove dead babies immediately. Try not to touch the babies unless it is absolutelynecessary. The female may reject the babies if she picks up your smell on them andmay even eat them. (This is less likely if the same person who handles the babies alsoregularly handles the doe as the scent will be familiar). It is wise to put a strong-

smelling nontoxic substance on the female's nose before handling the babies (VicksVapo Rub).

The babies should lie close together in the nesting box. Make sure that the babies aresuckling and well nourished. Females, who have babies for the first time, may eatthem! The female cannot always feed all the babies if there are too many. Some of thebabies can then be given to another female who only has a few babies. The babiesshould be of the same age. Cows or goats milk is a suitable substitute where themother cannot rear the babies.

(f) Nesting Box:

The nest box is strongly advised for rabbitries using straw litter. The box mostrecommended to meet these requirements, especially the doe's comfort when kindlingand nursing, is a rectangular shaped box 30cm X 40cm (See picture diagram 1). Thenesting box should be placed in the does cage 25 days after mating has occurred.The nesting box is for the babies and must have room for the doe to be able to get intofeed the babies. Hay should be placed under the nesting box for extra insulation, andin the nesting box

The nest box should be made from materials that are impossible to gnaw, easy todisinfect and insulate and resistant to moisture. In a well-heated rabbitry or a warmclimate, galvanized iron can be used if some other material such as plywood, wood orplastic is used for the bottom. Untreated wood, fibreboard, plywood or plastic arefrequently used in Europe. They insulate better than metals, but except for plastic arenot always easy to disinfect.

The nesting box should have the following features:

The bottom should be non-skid, to prevent dislocation of the young bones("swimming");

Access for the doe should be clear so that she will not crush them whenentering the nest box suddenly;


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The bottom of the box should be designed to allow urine to run off. It can beperforated or a space 1 to 1.5 cm wide can be left between the floor and thesides of the box. Another alternative is straw sandwiched between two layers ofmesh;

There should be a sufficiently high ledge, to keep the young from leaving the

box too early (before day 15).

30cm x 40cm (diagram 1)

The doe needs materials in addition to her own fur to make a good nest. Cleanstraw or soft, untreated wood chips are suitable and dried grasses can be used.Cotton wool must never be used.

(g) Weaning

The baby rabbits can be weaned from the age of 30 to 35 days. At this stage they canbe taken away from their mother. Put the young females and males in separate cages.

As mentioned previously, depending on the feeding and management level, the femalecan be mated again from 2 to 3 days up to 1 month after having given birth. Youngrabbits are usually big enough to be eaten or sold at the age of 3 to 4 months anddepending on their size can be mated between 4-6 months.


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Chapter 4:Exponential Growth

Although on average each doe often produces between 7 and 12 babies for the

purpose of this illustration we are going to use a minimum of 6. Each Doe canbe mated every month, but we recommend breeding every two months to allowthe doe to stay strong. So the following example is based on breeding every twomonths using a minimum of 6 babies per doe

If you have one doe and breed her once every two months, and presume she has 6 babies,half of which are female (which you keep) then:

1st month: 1 doe = 6 babies keep 3 eat 3

3rd month: 1 doe = 6 babies keep 3 eat 3

5th month: 1 doe = 6 babies keep 3 eat 3

(Now the fist litter is mature enough to breed so we add them to the does we breed eachmonth as they reach 5 months of age)

7th month: 1 doe + 3 youngsters = 24 babies keep 12 does eat 12

9th month: 4 does + 3 youngsters = 42 babies keep 21 does eat 21

11th month: 7 does +3 youngsters = 60 babies keep 30 does eat 30

1 doe can produce 6 babies (minimal estimate) every 2 months. The ideal is for a doe toproduce a litter every 2 months not every month, (although this is possible). Therefore it isfeasible to see the potential for further exponential growth if a doe produces 10 rabbits and ismated every month... Therefore: In 12 months 1 doe can produce 36 babies. 1 meat rabbit willweigh approx 1.5kg once slaughtered

Therefore: 1 doe produces 54kg of meat each year. So:

3 does will produce 162 kg per year or 108 babies...

5 does will produce 270kg per year or 180 babies...

10 does will produce 540kg per year or 360 babies...

So if you keep 10 rabbits and breed them properly you then get 10does = 45 kg of meat a month or: 10kg of meat per week or: 1.5kg ofmeat per day

Practicalities: by month 11 each household will require 11 cages(please see cage design to understand that this is 11 double cages)

to facilitate the breeding. However, families should be able to usesome of their rabbits to purchase or exchange for more cages.


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Chapter 5What do rabbits eat?

Do not over feed rabbits. Only feed rabbits twice a day (Morning &

Evening).

Rabbits are vegetarians They must NOT eat meat!

Keep plenty of fresh clean water available at all times.

Feeding baby rabbits:

The feeding pattern of newborn rabbits is imposed by the mother. A doe feeds heryoung only once every 24 hours (although some does will nurse their young twice).Suckling lasts only two or three minutes. If there is not enough milk the young try tofeed every time the doe enters the nestbox, but she will hold back her milk. Thisbehaviour signals insufficient milk production in the doe.

Rabbits eat almost anything that grows in the soil. However, do not feed cabbage tothe female when she is producing milk, as it can reduce milk production. Do notmake sudden changes to the rabbits diet. Feed rabbits early in the morning and late inthe afternoon. Most of the food should be given in the late afternoon.

You should give your rabbits a variety of foods, such as:

Root crops, like carrots, turnips and radishes. If you have many rabbits, you

should consider growing radishes for them. Radishes grow all year round andcan be picked 3 weeks after planting;

Fresh green grass, green maize leaves, cabbage leaves, lettuce, Lucerne,blackjacks and dandelions are all good food for rabbits;

Starch foods like maize meal, porridge and bread are good for fattening rabbitsbefore slaughter. Rabbits also like good quality hay;

Always give rabbits plenty of clean water. A female producing milk drinks upto 4 litres of water per day.

:


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Rabbit Feed Boxes:

This requires a bit of creativity! Each cage needs to have two boxes a water feederand a food feeder. In the rabbit cage manual there is a section which shows how to

build a basic frame that can be attached to the sides of the cage to secure two plasticmargarine type plastic tubs. If the boxes or feeders are not secured to the cage therabbits tip them up and the food/water is wasted. To purchase rabbit feeders from ashop are considerably expensive so trying to be creative to find a suitable solution isworthwhile.

Never put the rabbits food straight on the floor in the cage, as this encouragesdisease (if the rabbit or their babies wee on the food and the rabbits eat it! It has thenbecome contaminated).

Note:Do not feed rabbits the following dry because they can be poisonous for

rabbits:

grass or leaves,

potato plants,

tomato plants, and

spinach leaves.

Do not give them food that has been sprayed with pesticides, looks rottenor mouldy hay.

Rabbit Food List

Rabbits CANNOT eat ANY rotten or bad food, if you wouldnt eat it yourrabbit shouldnt!

Napier fodder (umhlanga) is a form of cane (looks like sugar cane) but hasno use for humans but is a complete diet for rabbits. Also, it grows wildlyall over the Durban area!

Do not give sloppy / wet food to rabbits.

Hay is a very important aspect to a rabbits diet. A rabbit must have some

hay every day this helps the rabbit digest food and prevents the rabbitfrom becoming ill.


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NOT SAFE TO FEED RABBITS SAFE TO FEED RABBITSNO greens for rabbits once moved frommother, until 3 months old.

Sunflower seeds.

Tomato. Peanuts.Tomato leaves and stalks. Sugar beet.

Raw potato. Carrots (green tops included).Potato leaves and stalks (any potatoplants).

Turnips.

Fruit tree cuttings. Porridge.Bean leaves. Sweet potato cooked- NOT the leaves.Lettuce although not deadly, if too muchis given can cause diarrhea and urineinfections.

Mielies - cob and stalk included.

Fresh alfalfa/Lucerne. Potato and peels COOKED.

Grass cuttings that are warm- if they arewarm that means they are decomposingand therefore bad for your rabbit.

Khakibos.

Wet grass or weeds dry them off beforeusing them.

Hay.

Wilted greens. Alfalfa - ONLY when DRY.Black jacks.Chickweed.

Green grass clean, not any dogs orhorses have been on.Cabbage leaves- fed sparingly.

Broccoli.Apples.Pineapple good to clear fur block,when they get a fur build up inside theirstomachs.Bananas good to clear fur block.Bread crumbled or soaked in milk orwater.Sugar cane.

Bran with mashed (boiled) potato.Vegetable scraps mashed with bran.

Milk- dried and fresh.Oats.Soya bean ground.Wheat.

Bran.Beans.Parsley- good tonic.


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Chapter 6General Care of Rabbits:

A HAPPY BUNNY grows well, breeds well and lives well. Therefore,

making sure your rabbits are clean, well-fed and generally looked after will make yourproject a success. A rabbit is essentially a worker for you (working to produce meat) ifyou look after your workers they are happy to work and work well!

Key points for caring for your Rabbits:

Feed rabbits twice a day; morning and evening.

Always make sure there is plenty of clean water.

The rabbits hutch or cage should be cleaned once a week with milddisinfectant, including the feeding and drinking equipment. Depending onthe cage design, some cages may need to be cleaned more regular.Rabbits are among some of the cleanest animals in the world.

A clean cage is your best insurance for a healthy rabbit.

Rabbits teeth grow continuously, therefore, it is essential that the upperand lower teeth meet evenly and that they be worn down by chewing onsomething hard or clipped with special clippers. Otherwise they willeventually grow so the rabbit will be unable to eat.

Rabbits nails need to be clipped when getting too long.

If your rabbits are housed outside then it is essential to make sure theirhome is weather proofed.

The hutch or cage should be at least 2 feet off the ground with a slopingroof and a slight over hang so the rain will just run off. For addedprotection canvas flaps can be added to all four sides and lowered whenthe weather is bad or windy.

Hay, straw or wood shavings make a nice warm bed for rabbits. Also, hayis a very important aspect to a rabbits diet. A rabbit must have some hayevery day; this helps the rabbit digest food and stops the rabbit becomingill.

Make sure the wire mesh has small holes to stop animals with sharpclaws reaching in to harm the rabbits.

Rabbits need plenty of fresh air circulating through the hutches. Put agrass wall or windbreak on the windy side to reduce the cold wind in

winter.


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Chapter 7Curing basic health problems

If you give your rabbits the proper care and attention, hopefully they will maintain a

sound state of health. Most diseases result from the lack of proper care, unsanitaryliving conditions, bad ventilation or improper food.

The more hygienic the methods you apply, the fewer problems you will have withdiseases. Clean the cage regularly and keep it dry to prevent diseases. After theanimals have been removed, the cages must be thoroughly cleaned, and sprayed witha bleach product (jik, domestos). Dung and hair that collect on the wire cage must beremoved from time to time. Wire cages can be disinfected with a flame, which alsogets rid of the dung and hair.

After the litter has been weaned, the nesting boxes should be thoroughly cleaned. All

waste should be removed and the boxes disinfected with a bleach product on the floorof the box, put it outside for 24 hours. Study the following carefully so that you canidentify diseases and treat them immediately.

1. Coccidiosis

Symptoms of coccidiosis are diarrhoea, loss of appetite, pot belly, rough or untidy hair,and traces of blood in the dung. The disease is caused mostly by unclean hutches andcontaminated food. Regular and thorough cleaning of cages and equipment reducesthe risk. It is better to use fine wire netting for the hutch floor. If manure is allowed tocontaminate feed or water, the chances increase for the disease. If it occurs, reducethe amount of green feed and get advice.

2. Bloat

This attacks young rabbits before weaning. They show loss of appetite, a heavy flow ofintestinal mucus or thin watery diarrhoea, and an accumulation of gas in the digestivesystem. It is caused by mouldy feed and/or dirty feed troughs. Bloat can be preventedby ensuring there is always clean water available, and by keeping the hutch clean.

3. Ear-Canker

This is an irritation of the ear, which causes the rabbit either to shake its head a lot orscratch its ears. It is caused by a mange mite irritating the lining of the ear. Theparasite can also affect other parts of the body. It can be treated by cleaning the earwith a cotton wool swab soaked in a solution of diazinon. If it persists get advice.

4. Mastitis

The udder (does breasts) is swollen, hot and sensitive; the doe is feverish and losesappetite. Affected does should be isolated and their litters bottle-fed. The litter shouldnot be given to a foster mother, as she will also become infected. The doe should thenbe treated with an antibiotic.

5. Sore hocks (feet)

Sores develop under the hind leg between the hock and the toes, caused by dirty

floors and injuries. The hindleg of the animal should be immersed in a disinfectantsuch as iodine. Rabbits with dense hair cover suffer less from sore hocks.


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6. Pasteurella

Pasteurella causes 4 different conditions in rabbits:

1. Snuffles a watery discharge from the nose, sneezing and a snuffling sound;2. Pneumonia rabbits are often found dead without showing symptoms;

3. Middle-ear inflammation affected rabbits tilt the head to one side. Treatment isusually ineffective;

4. Conjunctivitis eyelids are swollen, the eye turns red, and there is a watery dischargearound the eyes. An antibiotic eye ointment can be used.

A vaccine against pasteurella is now available, which must be repeated every 6months. Good hygiene is the best way to prevent this disease.

7. Mange

This is caused by a mite, and the rabbit shows scaly, bare patches of skin across thenose, forehead, eyes, hindlegs and genitals. The animal is itchy and keeps rubbing

and scratching itself. It is very contagious, and infected animals must be isolated.Mange can be treated with 1.6ml of diazinon in 1 litre of water. Sponge the animal withthe solution, and repeat after 1 week.

Products Used by a Rabbitry in South Africa

Boracic Powder used in warm water for cleaning rabbits eyes when infectedSulphcetamide an eye ointment (made for humans) available at chemists, put in theeye after cleaning.Iodine- (disinfectant)diluted 1:10 sprayed/dabbed onto wounds

F10- a disinfectant for spraying, bowls, cages and general use.

Virukil- for flushing out water system and general disinfectantAgricultural Lime- sprinkled under the cages and on compost heap to prevent flies.


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Chapter 8:Slaughtering and skinning

Young rabbits are usually big enough for sale or slaughter at the age of 3 to 4 months.

The best time to slaughter rabbits for meat is when they reach a weight of 2 kg. Kill therabbit by hitting it hard on the back of the head with an iron bar or slit throat! (to behonest we still need to add more information to this section?)

Skin the rabbit by hanging it up by its legs. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the skinaround and down the outside of each thigh, and down the belly. Loosen the skin andpull it downwards. Cut around the head and the front feet, and pull the skin off. At 11weeks of age, about 54% of a rabbit carcass is meat.

Dry the skins in the sun, but do not rub salt or chemicals into them. Soften them byrubbing them in your hands or over a smooth stone.

Skin cutbetween

Skinpulled offSkin pulledto bareCarcass

the thighs. the hind legs. the trunk and then skinned butthe fore legs. the fore legs internal

organs notremoved.

Carcass opened, white viscera(intestinal tract and lungs) removed.


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Chapter 9:Rabbit skins & Tanning

The skins if looked after properly can become a useful by-product that can be

sold, tanned, turned into floor rugs, trimmings on clothes garments, blankets,gloves even shoes!

One idea that we have been able to facilitate here in Durban, south Africa; istaking the skins to a tannery instead of paying cash for the process anagreement is made in which the tanner agrees to tan the skins in return for halfthe skins back. For example, if a person takes 4 skins to a tanner, they then tanthe skins and keep two as payment. A successful rabbit project could beproducing 10 rabbits a week within a year. Which means around 500 rabbits peryear? If all of the skins are tanned; after payment of giving half (50%) of theskins to the tanner you would still be looking at a substantial amount of tannedskins/leather back for further use and potential financial income at littleinvestment (or 0 investment).

An alternative is that you attempt to tan the skins yourself which is acomplicated process and one we have not attempted, but I have included somedownloaded information off the internet!

(This next section has been copied from a blog on the internet)(It has not been tried and tested by us!)

Tanning (which is also called tawing or pickling) is the process of converting a

raw hide into leather, thus making the skin more pliable, more durable, and more

resistant to water, wear, and decay. You may be surprised to learn, though, that

home tanning costs very little and requires a minimum of equipment. In fact,

you'll find that your biggest investments in the craft will be your time and

energy.

The availability, convenient, small size and variable colours, patterns, and

textures of rabbit skins make them perfect material for the novice tanner. NOTE:

No tanning formula is foolproof. There are no shortcuts to learning this skill . . .

you'll need to practice, practice, practice!

The freshly flayed hide (which is known as a "green" skin) is now cased, or

sleeve-pulled, to put the fur on the inside and the flesh on the outside. Let the

cased pelt soak in cold water while you finish dressing out the carcass and

storing the meat in your refrigerator or freezer.


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WASHING AND COOLING THE SKIN

Once the butchering duties are finished, thoroughly rinse the hide in more cold

water to finish cooling it as quickly as possible. Don't worry about any

remaining fat and tissue at this point . . . rather, apply your effort to washing

away all the blood left in the skin, since any that's not removed will leave

permanent brown stains in the leather after tanning. (Soap or detergent is really

unnecessary, but if you do use such a cleanser, be sure that all traces of that

are rinsed out before you proceed, too.) With the rinsing done, carefully squeeze

(never wring!) the excess water from the pelt.

THE FIRST TANNING SOLUTION

When the pelts are clean and cooled you're ready to begin tanning. You'll firstneed to round up a four-to six-gallon plastic container (a wastebasket or bucket

will work fine). Then pour two gallons of room-temperature (about 70F) water

into it, and add either but not both of the following recipes. (Each formula

will be adequate to tan six to nine medium-sized pelts.)

TANNING RECIPE NO. 1:

SALT/ALUM

1 cup of coarse or granulated salt (not iodized)

1 cup of common alum (aluminium sulphate or any of several similar doublesulphates), powdered or granulated

TANNING RECIPE NO. 2:

SALT/ACID

1 pound of coarse or granulated salt (about 1-3/4 cups)

1 ounce of full-strength sulfuric acid, or 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of battery acid (dilute

sulfuric acid)

You can buy a five-pound sack of the necessary salt at almost any grocery store(look for noniodized pickling salt). And larger quantities (usually 100-pound

sacks) are available from chemical companies and other sources at "bargain"

bulk prices.

Alum is stocked by biological supply companies, handicraft and leather shops,

chemical suppliers, pharmacies, and feed stores. It comes in both a commercial

and a medicinal grade (for tanning purposes it makes no difference which you

use)

Battery acid (electrolyte) is available from auto supply houses and is usuallysold in five-gallon containers.


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Both recipes work well and take approximately the same amount of time. Once

you've determined which method you're going to use, add the chemicals to the

water (don't let them splash) . . . and make sure the powders are completely

dissolved before you add the pelts. Be certain to show respect for your

chemicals and to handle them properly. (Wear rubber gloves if you're working

with sulfuric acid.)

Now, drop each skin into the pickle (as the tanning mix is called) and swish it

around with a wooden stick or spoon (or wear gloves and use your hands) to

work the solution into the fur and skin. Allow the pelts to remain in the brine

at room temperature (65-70F) for 48 hours, stirring them at least twice a day.

If the pelts tend to float to the top of the solution, weigh them down . . . using a

glass jug filled with water or a clean rock.

After the two full days have passed, squeeze the excess brine from the skins

(save the solution . . . you'll reuse it later) and rinse them in cold water.

FLESHING

Fleshing is the process of removing the fatty tissue and flesh to expose the

actual leather (or derma) to chemical action. Rabbits have a clearly defined

undertissue which, after the first chemical soaking, can be peeled off in one

piece (if you're careful). Since the flesh separates most readily at the rump

section, start there and peel toward the neck. A steak knife can be used to

scrape and loosen the difficult areas you are likely to encounter on the belly and

around the legs. Be careful not to peel too deep and expose the root hairs, but

do try to get off as much fatty tissue as possible.

When you're finished, rinse the fleshed hides in cool water and then squeeze out

the excess liquid.

THE SECOND TANNING SOLUTION

Now, go back to the recipe you chose before, add the same amount of salt/alum

or salt/acid as you used in the first soaking solution to the reserved brine . . .

and follow the same mixing procedure.

Put the pelts in the liquid, one at a time, working each hide thoroughly to coat it

with the pickle. Keep the skins soaking at room temperature for seven days,

stirring them at least twice a day.

You can see when the tanning is successful after the week's up by simply

boiling a small piece of hide for a few minutes in water. If the leather curls up

and becomes hard and rubbery, return the pelt to the solution . . . because a

well-tanned skin will show little or no change in boiling water.


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DRYING AND FLUFFING

Test one pelt to see if it is done. If it is, remove all of them from the solution and

squeeze out the excess tanning mix. The tanning brine will likely be pretty much

used up if you've soaked the recommended number of skins, but any liquid that

does remain should be disposed of. Take care to discard the mixture where

animals can't drink it and the chemicals won't contaminate drinking water.

(Although it's not poisonous to handle, the brew might be fatal if taken

internally.) I generally pour any leftover solution along pathways to keep them

free of weeds.

Next, wash each pelt thoroughly with a mild detergent. I use an inexpensive

cologne-scented shampoo that leaves the fur soft, fluffy, clean, and sweet

smelling. Then rinse the hide several times in lukewarm water and squeeze out

the excess liquid. Hang the pelts in the shade to dry (or on a temporary

clothesline suspended over the bathtub). It'll take from six hours to two days for

the skins to become fully dried, depending on the temperature, the humidity,

and the thickness of the leather. (Don't ever put wet hides in direct sun or near a

heat source, as they'll quickly shrink and become brittle as they dry.)

WORKING THE LEATHER

Ever since animal hides were first turned into leather, they've been pounded,

rubbed, chewed, and beaten and often anointed with grease or oils to make

(and keep) them flexible and soft. Stretch partially dried hides to soften the

leather, using a process known as breaking the skin.

Pull the skin of your damp pelt in all directions, working only a small area at a

time. The leather will begin to turn soft and white. The trick is to catch the hide

while it's still slightly wet and limp.

If it becomes too dry and turns hard, resoak it with a wet sponge (this is called

damping back) until it's soft enough to stretch again. Be firm as you pull the

leather, but don't use too much force, or you might tear it.

Keep up the skin-breaking procedure as long as necessary. . , until the peltremains soft as it dries. ("Broken" hides may be pinned to a board or frame to

encourage them to dry flat.)

FINISHING AND STORAGE

After the hide has dried and is sufficiently soft, give the fur a good brushing with

a small hairbrush. Then massage mink oil (I buy it at shoe stores . . . where an

eight-ounce container, which is enough for several dozen pelts, into the skin

side of the hide with your fingers. (You'll be glad to know that mink oil is a

wonderful hand conditioner.) As a final optional step, try buffing the leather withpumice or fine sandpaper to give it a soft, velvety feel.


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Rabbit fur, like all leathers, breathes . . . that is, it contains microscopic spaces

for air circulation. Therefore, it's best not to store rabbit pelts (or any other fur or

leather) in airtight containers. I keep my finished hides in a cardboard box with a

bar of sweet-smelling soap, which repels insects and helps to scent the furs.

PREVENTING FAILURES

Although the procedure itself is simple enough, really successful pelt tanning is

usually the result of ingenuity and perseverance. The secret is not so much the

chemicals used as it is the elbow grease that you apply to make the hides soft

and supple.

Keep in mind that each piece of leather is different. And even among hides that

were all tanned in the same batch of solution, something will occasionally go

wrong with one or more of the skins.

The problem I encounter most often is hairslip: bare patches that appear as the

fur pulls or slips off the leather. This condition, which is also called taint, results

from the growth of bacteria on the outer skin (decay) and usually occurs in folds

and wrinkles, where the surface wasn't exposed to the tanning solution. It can

be prevented if you stir the pelts around in the solution frequently and make

sure that the liquid comes in contact with all parts of each hide. Take care, too,

that the brine ingredients are dissolved and mixed well before adding the skins.

Finally, don't store the pelts in the solution at temperatures over 80. If hairslip

does afflict a pelt or two, however, you can trim away the damaged sections

when constructing garments or other articles.

ALTERNATIVE TANNING PROCESSES

The tanning technique described here is a simplified version of chemical

tanning. (There are also vegetable and oil tanning methods, neither of which is

well suited to preserving rabbit skins.)

Most of the other chemical processes in use today would require additional

equipment, extra labour, and complicated ingredients. In general, these systems

involve the application of a paste or powder (common ingredients might includealum, acids, sodas, salts, animal brains and livers, oils, and vegetable tannins)

to the fleshed skin. The substance must be reapplied several times over the

course of a few days, with the residual material scraped off the hide before each

new application.

Not only are such processes too time consuming to fit into the schedules of

most busy homesteaders, but they also require the green hide to be fleshed

before the application of the tanning agent . . . and the mere thought of spending

hours scraping fat and tissue from a hide is enough to discourage most folks

from even attempting to tan furs. The chemical method I've recommended, on


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the other hand, requires only a minimum of scraping, which can be

accomplished within five to ten minutes.

NOW WHAT?

If these instructions are followed, you should be the proud possessor of a stack

of soft, silky rabbit pelts . . . which you can either sell as is or fashion into

beautiful garments and other items for sale or barter.

SEWING RABBIT FUR

Working with thin leather such as rabbit skin isn't all that different from

working with thick cloth. Therefore, any person who sews should have no great

difficulty making the transition from fabric to fur.

The following list should serve to give you an idea of the variety of items aningenious homesteader can craft with rabbit pelts: bedspreads, coverlets, robes,

cushion covers, pillows, handbags, toys, hats, caps, hoods, mittens, baby

bootees, vests, coats, capes . . . in short, the scope of your furs-titching projects

is limited only by your imagination!


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Glossary:

Glossary

Accountability Being answerable to another person.

Alleviation To make more bearable or to remove.

Antibiotic Substance or compound that kills bacteria or inhibits their growth.

Breeding The producing and upbringing of young.

Buck Male rabbit.

Carcass The body of an animal.

Commodity A physical substance, such as food, grains, and metals, which can bebought, sold or exchanged with another product of the same type.

Compost A mixture of decaying matter, from plants and manure, used toimprove soil structure and provide nutrients.

Confinement To restrict or restrain within limits.

Contaminate To taint or dirty something.

Destructive Something which causes harm or damage.

Disaster Any happening that causes great harm or damage.

Doe Female rabbit.

Economic The production, development, and management of material wealth.

Expose To reveal or uncover.

Fertilizer Soil amendments applied to promote plant growth, and containnutrients

Herbivore A living thing that eats only plants.

Hock The joint bending backward in the back leg of an animal.

Infallible Perfect or foolproof.

Manure Animal waste.

Microscopic Objects smaller than those that can easily be seen by the naked eyeand which require a lens or microscope to see them clearly.
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/food.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/grain.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/metal.htmlhttp://www.investorwords.com/3874/product.htmlhttp://www.investorwords.com/3874/product.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/metal.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/grain.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/food.html


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Nutritious Providing nourishment especially to a high degree; nourishing;healthful.

Paramount Of great importance and influence.

Pelts A stripped animal skin ready for tanning.

Reject To refuse or decline something.

Relatively In proportion.

Responsibility Being answerable or accountable, for something within one's power,control, or management.

Scalable Capable of being copied but to a bigger or smaller degree.

Substitute Something which takes the place of something else.

Suckling Feeding of a young animal with milk from the mother.

Sustainable Capable of being continued with little long-term effect on theenvironment.

Tanning The process of making leather, which does not easily decompose,from the skins of animals, which do.

Udder The organ on a female animal which produces milk and where theyoung feed from.

Unproductive Not creating desired results.

Ventilation Process of "changing" or replacing air in any space to provide betterIndoor air quality.

Vulva The external female genitalia.

Weaning The process of gradually introducing a mammal infant, either humanor animal, to what will be its adult diet and withdrawing the supply ofits mother's milk.


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Project Photos:

Community Outreach and Consultancy

Rabbit training

Rabbit Cage flat pack getting ready to be delivered...

Loading up the flat packs....


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Delivering the cages


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Putting the cages together:

Delivering the rabbits:


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rabbit manual 2010[1]

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