Feb 12
5
Ideas For Rabbit Meat Products
The rabbit meat products should be presented in a unique but appetizing way in order to enhance the interest of consumers in buying the food products. The meat harvested from the rabbit can be altered to improve presentation, taste and other important qualities. This can be accomplished by using different tools, ingredients and materials. The handlers can use different recipes and formulations to create high quality food products. The rabbit meat is very easy to deal with since it is very soft and tender. Once the meat has been processed, it can be sold at a higher price. Since the rabbit meat is presented in different ways, consumer interest would not be lessened. This would allow the rabbit farming business to increase profit and income by a large margin.
There are certain types of rabbit meat which can be used for a specific product. The tenderness, consistency and flavor of the rabbit meat would have to be considered before using it. It can be mixed with certain ingredients and food items to improve taste. People would have to be creative and resourceful in order to enhance the quality of the rabbit meat.
The rabbit meat can be used to create sausages. This is a very effective way to increase consumer interest towards rabbit meat considering sausages are among the most widely recognized food products in the market. Kids and adults eat sausages on a regular basis.
The New Zealand and Californian breeds can be used to make sausages due to the high protein content and dense consistency of the product produced. These types of rabbit meat would allow the sausage to retain its form despite being softened during the cooking process. Different ingredients can be included in the sausage such as onions, pepper, oregano and spices. By placing a set of ingredients, the rabbit meat sausage can appeal to different consumers.
The rabbit meat can also be cut in small pieces and coated with batter to be sold as fritters. This is ideal for people who want to enjoy rabbit meat at an instant. The fritter can be deep fried in hot oil. It would be ready within minutes. The Palomino breed should be used for this type of preparation. This is because the meat coming from the Palomino breed is already packed tightly. The person eating the fritters would be able to taste a lot of flavor in one small bite.
Special preparations can also be provided to consumers. rabbit meat marinated in special sauces can be packed individually. This would sell at a very high price if the recipe is very tasty and delicious. Many gourmet meat shops use the Beveren Rabbit due to its clean and pure taste. The sauces included would accentuate the Beveren rabbit meat.
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Proper maintenance of the rabbit farm is very important in preventing problems and complications from occurring. The rabbit farm should be kept clean and free of any contaminants to avoid diseases and health disorders. The feeding, cleaning and bathing process should be accomplished systematically and meticulously. Rabbits react negatively if there are any deficiencies with their needs. If the rabbits are not fed or cleaned properly, their reaction towards the handlers and other rabbits would be erratic. This would make the feeding and mating process harder to initiate. Investing significant amount of time and effort would allow the rabbit farm to be more efficient which would increase sales and profit in the long term.
Handling the rabbit should be done carefully since damage to the muscles and skin could be incurred if it is held at the wrong place. A lot of people make the mistake of pulling the rabbit by the ears. This is not recommended since the ligaments and tendons found in the neck and shoulder is displaced. This could cause tearing in the muscle which would lead to internal bleeding. The meat and skin of the rabbit would be discolored.
The use of a large cage with individual segmentation is a more efficient way to manage the rabbits. This would avoid territorial issues between the rabbits which is the most common cause of conflict between the animals. Rabbits are very territorial and aggressive. If a buck is placed on a territory already claimed by the doe, a fight would occur. This could cause severe injury to the two rabbits. Placing divisions in the cage would allow the rabbits to be isolated from each other. Unnecessary mating can also be prevented.
The cages should also be equipped with a ventilation and waste disposal system. This would reduce the effort needed to maintain the rabbits. The ventilation system is equipped with a vacuum and an external channel. The vacuum would divert fresh air inside the cage. This is necessary especially if the rabbit is unable to go outside of the cage. The external channels would allow the peculiar odor coming from the rabbit to be released outside. The waste disposal system is used divert the excretions produced by the rabbit. Excretory wastes are full of bacteria, viruses and other contaminants which could cause severe infections. That is why the waste disposal system is equipped with a chemical dispenser that is used to exterminate the organisms which could cause diseases. All the wastes are collected in a sealed chamber outside of the cage.
An automated feeding system can be installed to allow faster and more efficient distribution of food items. The feeding system is equipped with a dispenser which can automatically release the proper amount of feeds at a specific time. The handlers would not be required to place food in each of the feeding plate. This is very efficient especially in large rabbit farms where thousands of stocks are present.
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The proper rabbit mating and reproduction techniques are a very important aspect of the rabbit farming business. Consistent generation of offspring would allow the rabbit farming business to operate continually. A small rabbit farm can expand into a large business if the proper mating techniques are established. This would allow the business to create and distribute more rabbit based products. Completing the mating process is very simple. The people involved would only need to understand the basic concepts behind the interaction process of the buck and doe. The reaction and response of the buck and doe are very predictable. This has made it easier for handlers to facilitate the mating process. This should be taken advantage by the people running the rabbit farm.
The first thing that should be noted is the habit and inclination of the buck and doe. The doe is extremely territorial. If a buck or another doe is placed inside the cage of the female rabbit, it would react aggressively and negatively. There is a high chance that a fight would occur between the two rabbits. The best way to provoke mating is by placing the doe inside the territory of the buck. If the doe is placed in an unfamiliar territory, it would react differently. It would remain calm and silent. The buck would be free to initiate the mating process.
The proper time of the mating process is also important. Mating at an early age would negatively affect the lifespan of the rabbit. This is because the reproductive system would be strained. The proper mating age would differ based on the breed. Smaller rabbits grow more rapidly which is why they can mate at an early age. When the small rabbits reach 4 to 6 months, mating can begin. Larger breeds have a slower development. Mating can only be permitted once it reaches 10 months. The doe can get only get pregnant 4 to 6 times a year. The doe should not be subjected to sexual activity immediately after birth. There should be an allowance of one week before the doe is impregnated again.
The gestation period would range from 30 to 32 days. During this time, the embryo would develop inside the womb of the doe. By the 33rd day, the offspring would be released. The number of offspring can reach up to 12. During the gestation period, the doe should be provided with the necessary nutrients and feeds. This is very important in order to ensure the litters or offspring would be healthy enough to survive after birth.
There are artificial means available to motivate the buck to mate with the doe. Pheromones developed in the laboratory can be applied on the female rabbit to attract the buck. This is very effective since the chemical can enhance the sexual urge of the male rabbit. This is used by handlers to enhance the proliferation of offspring in a short period of time.
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Jan 12
24
Tips On Rabbit Breeding
Important Considerations as you engage in building a rabbitry.
• It’s an excellent idea to join the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) http://www.arba.net in order to get their book on Raising Rabbits, the membership roster, and the subscription to Domestic Rabbits Magazine. These will provide great material for raising rabbits. Membership will also allow your rabbits to get grand championships, thus increasing the rabbit’s and its offspring’s value.
• Check out National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. P.O. Box 3657. Fayetteville, AR 72702 and the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) web page to find a rabbit show near you. Go to it and investigate the breed you are interested in raising. You can get insights as to how a judge evaluates the rabbit breed you are interested in. You can also ask other rabbit fanciers to share their experiences with their rabbits. Finally, you can purchase your rabbits at the show.
• Only purchase rabbits from an established breeder who will stand behind the sale with a signed certificate of pedigree. Any other way invites problems such as genetic defects, disease, and bad specimens of the breed. You also must have a pedigree to show a rabbit or to sell pedigreed offspring.
• Select a breed that you want to become an expert in. You should love that breed. Concentrate on what judges are looking for in that breed. Strive to attain the perfect standard. When others know you have high quality rabbits, they will beat a path to your door.
• Your cages should give you easy access, be self cleaning, and provide good protection for your rabbits. They should not be too small.
• Feed rabbits the correct amount of rabbit pellets for their size and occasionally supplement their diet with alfalfa hay. Do not feed them too much – a fat rabbit loses stamina and doesn’t breed well.
• Do not put rabbits together after they are 3 months old until you are ready to breed them at 6 months.
• As a side note, when you get your book on raising rabbits from ARBA, memorize the section on diseases. When I say, memorize, I mean, MEMORIZE! Always be vigilant for those diseases in your rabbitry. Finally, protect your rabbits from other animals, especially from dogs and raccoons. They’ll do a number on your rabbits if given the chance.
Keep the following principles in mind when you want to breed your rabbits:
• Only mate rabbits of the same breed. Exceptions to this include breeding for meat, pets or genetic experimentation. You cannot sell a pedigree rabbit that has mixed blood in its background going back 4 generations.
• Do not keep more than one rabbit in each cage when the rabbit is 3 months or older. Rabbits mature faster when alone, do not fight, and do not breed, thus eliminating unexpected results.
• Before breeding, check the bottom of the cage of both the doe and buck for evidence of diarrhea or loose stools. Do not breed the rabbit having this condition until it has been adequately treated. Also check the genitals of both rabbits for any signs of disease or infection (for example, extreme redness, discharge, sores or scabbiness). Refer to the
ARBA Official Guidebook section on diseases.
• When ready to breed the doe, take it to the buck’s cage. Never bring the buck to the doe’s cage. The reason for this is that the buck has fewer tendencies to breed in the doe’s cage. He’s too busy sniffing around the cage.
• Some leave the doe with the buck overnight. Others put the doe in, watch it, and when they have mated, remove the doe. If you do the latter, put the doe back in with the buck 1 to 12 hours after the initial breeding. This will increase the likelihood of pregnancy and may increase the number of offspring.
• Keep a calendar and accurate records of the day you breed the doe. You should test her for pregnancy between the 10th and 14th day after the initial breeding. There are two ways to do this. The overall preferred method is to palpate the lower abdomen of the doe with your thumb and forefinger checking for nodules about the size of a marble. The other method is not only more risky but also more inaccurate. This method is to mate the doe with the buck again. This can cause problems because the doe has two uterine horns, each of which can carry babies. It is possible for one horn to be fertilized on the first mating and the second to be fertilized on the second mating. This will create a hormonal imbalance and cause the babies in both uteri to not form right, causing her to pass blobs instead of babies at the date of kindling. There is also a chance these “mummified” blobs could cause complications leading to the death of the doe.
• You should place a nest box in her cage on the 29th day after breeding. Thirty-one days after breeding, she should kindle her litter.
• For meat rabbits and other breeding purposes, depending on the method of breeding the breeder chooses to adopt, the baby rabbits are weaned at between 4 – 7 weeks (See chapter 6 on Reproduction and mating). The number of rabbits per cage is determined by the weight, size and age of animals. (See chapter 4 on housing and caging).
• Finally, before starting off, make it a point of duty to visit a rabbit farm, join an organization like American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) http://www.arba.net in order to get their book on Raising Rabbits, the membership roster, and the subscription to Domestic Rabbits Magazine. These will provide great material for raising rabbits. Membership will also allow your rabbits to get grand championships, thus increasing the rabbit’s and its offspring’s value. With these tips, you are on your way to being a successful rabbit farmer.
Conclusion
The secret is to study and get to know as much as possible. Then put what you have learnt into practice. Every venture carries its peculiar associated risk. But if managed well, with great commitment and visionary planning, you can become a successful rabbit farmer.
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Veterinary care
Rabbits visit the vet for routine checkups, vaccination and when ill or injured. Some veterinary surgeons have a special interest in rabbits and some have extra qualifications. It is advisable to look for vets who have qualifications in treating and taking care of rabbits in your area particularly if you plan on having rabbits on a large scale.
Routine checkups
Routine checkups usually involve assessment of weight, skin, health and teeth by the owner or a veterinarian. This is essential because a rabbit’s health and welfare can be compromised by being overweight or underweight or by having dental problems. Checking the teeth is particularly important part of the examination. Veterinarians can also give personalized advice on diet and exercise.
Vaccinations
Rabbits should be vaccinated against Myxomatosis and Viral Hemorrhagic Disease. These vaccinations are usually given annually, two weeks apart. If there is an outbreak of Myxomatosis locally this vaccine can be administered every six months for extra protection.
Worming
Some vets now recommend worming all rabbits against the parasite Encephalitozoon Cuniculi. Fenbendazole is used as a worm expellant agent in other species of animal and has shown to be effective in treating rabbits. It is particularly recommended for rabbits kept in colonies and before mixing new rabbits with each other.
Ill or Injured
Rabbits should be taken to the vets if ill or injured beyond the ability of the owner to treat. It is important to seek urgent veterinary attention if a rabbit has any of the following symptoms: dramatic or sudden loss of appetite, severe depression, breathing problems, sudden onset of head tilt, signs of infestation, not passing stools.
Rabbits also need urgent veterinary attention if they are exposed to poisons, involved in accidents, fall from a height or are exposed to smoke. Rabbits that are drooling, have unexplained weight loss, diarrhea or fur loss should also be taken to the vets. As in other farming practices, observe your rabbits and look out for abnormal behavior.
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Sadly many rabbits are found dead by their owners simply because they’ve been stuck in a hutch making it impossible for the owner to see any natural behavior therefore unable to see any changes due to illness. Prey animals frustratingly hide signs of illness due to survival instinct as they rather die peacefully than be found by a predator and not be strong enough to run away.
For instance rabbits are quiet when ill unlike cats or dogs. They can make various vocal communications, but this is mainly seen in the most trusting, confident rabbits, usually house rabbits where they have a very close bond with the owner, who spends many hours with their rabbit.
There is also the most horrible high-pitched shriek you never want to hear of a petrified rabbit and you will recognize some growling noises of a scared or discontented rabbit. This all means that we have to be very vigilant and observant and know our rabbits very well to recognize if they are unwell. They are creatures of habit. Signs of illness are extremely subtle, but if noticed and the rabbit is taken to the vets promptly, they can be treated successfully.
The one vital piece of information for a rabbit owner is do not wait to see if they will be better tomorrow. The rabbit probably has been ill for a long time and is only just showing symptoms. Also the main thing, which kills rabbits, is not the infection/illness, which can normally be treated, but their digestive system shutting down. Even a few hours without normal grazing can cause life-threatening problems.
Rabbits are creatures of routine so be aware if your rabbit acts differently.
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Jan 12
12
Rabbit Breeding Basic Knowledge
Rabbit breeding requires a basic understanding of the animal and their reproduction cycles. Rabbits are an excellent choice to produce a steady source of income and food. This is because rabbits require small use of resources to have high outcomes when compared to traditional livestock.
There are basic terms involved understanding rabbits before breeding begins. A female rabbit is called a doe. A male rabbit is called a buck. When you check to see if the doe is pregnant or breeding again before she is due to give birth, this is called testing. When you put a box in the hutch that is lined with hay and the doe pulls fur from her belly, this is called nesting. When the doe gives birth, this is called kindling. The period of time between breeding and kindling is called the gestation period. When the doe gives birth the young are called kits. When the kits are taken away from the mother, this is called weaning.
Other than understanding the animal, having a plan in place and good record keeping is a must for a successful rabbitry. One point to consider before breeding is what will you do with the extra rabbits? Will you use them for food or sell the rabbits live? Having a clear plan helps to understand how to control your rabbit herd. Also, keeping record of the ages of the rabbits as well as their reproductive cycle will lead to successful animal management.
For example, a medium breed doe can be ready to conceive at 5 – 6 months of age. A medium breed buck can be ready between 7 – 9 months of age for breeding. Also, the bucks and does cannot be left together for extended time or herd quality may diminish. Careful planning of breeding requires placing the animals together overnight and then removing the buck to avoid the doe from becoming pregnant in her two uterine horns. If this occurs it may not produce successful litters and lead to a shorter reproductive life span for the doe.
Keep a calendar and accurate records of the day you breed the doe. The doe should be tested for pregnancy between the 10th and 14th day after the initial breeding. The preferred method is to palpate the lower abdomen of the doe with your thumb and forefinger checking for nodules about the size of a marble. You should place a nest box in her cage on the 29th day after breeding. Thirty-one days after breeding, she should kindle her litter.
The doe will commonly be ready to breed again at 4 weeks after kindling. The kits should be removed at 5 – 7 weeks. As you can see, watching and keeping accurate records of breeding your rabbits is crucial to successful animal husbandry. If poor records are kept, the results will be over population or poor reproduction among the does. It is important to understand the breeding habits of a particular rabbit breed. However, good knowledge and accurate attention to detail can produce successful rabbit breeding.
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Dec 11
28
Getting Your Rabbit Farm Ready
It is exciting to begin your new rabbit farm, but there are a number of seemingly unimportant or mundane tasks that need to be considered, before the first doe and buck can be purchased. Each country and local area has legislation pertaining to the keeping and breeding of livestock. Health regulations, agricultural permits, licences and such will be needed for your proposed business venture. Once you have decided which aspect of rabbit farming you will venture into, you will need to research if it is permissible in your local area, and to which extent it will be permissible.
You will also need to make a business plan available to any health inspectors that may be needed. This will include the nature of your business with raising and breeding rabbits, to how many you intend on having on the farm at any given time. You will also need to address the question of how the effluent will be disposed of. The structures used will need to be laid out, along with what sewerage systems will be in place, and how the carcasses and effluent will be dealt with.
Rabbits are kept in close quarters, at high densities, and are generally housed off the floor in wire cages. You will need to organise the housing in such a way that cleaning the cages, and the area under them is as efficient as is possible. Also access to each cage and each rabbit, for care and maintenance needs to be easy and efficient.
Effluent removal is usually done in one of two ways
• Dry Cleaning. Rabbit pellets, waste and nesting matter is removed from the floor by sweeping the area under the cages. Sprays are utilised for controlling odour, bacteria and pests. Dry cleaning works particularly well when there are 15 or more breeding does, and up to a total of 1800 rabbits kept at any time.
• Wet Cleaning. This method works better in a smaller rabbit population (less that 15 breeding does, and up to 900 rabbits kept at any given time). The effluent, waste, pellets, nesting material and more are washed away by water.
Whichever cleaning method used, consideration needs to be given to where the effluent will go to from the housing. Consideration needs to be given to any carcasses that need to be disposed of, and how the effluent, carcasses and other waste will influence the environment and ground water in the area. Just as important is the control of flies and other pests, bacteria, fungal growths and how these control measures will affect the environment and wildlife.
Consider also in your planning how the rabbits are to be fed and watered. Feeding animals on any farm, on a commercial scale, takes up 90 % of the resources available to caring for the animals, especially labor. Installing automatic water and feeding systems can cut down on these menial tasks, saving a lot of time, money and wastage.
Another necessity in planning your rabbit farming operation, is the installing of a quarantine area. This area can be a life saver to prevent the spread of disease in a confined space, either from newly introduced rabbits in your programme, or rabbits that have become ill.
With proper goal setting, planning and business proposals in place, you will be ready to start your rabbit farm and face any obstacles in your way head on, with a successful outcome.
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Dec 11
24
The Benefits Of Rabbit Meat
Since the earliest of times, rabbit meat has formed a large source of our meat consumption. This is due to the prolific nature of rabbits, and also the ease in trapping or hunting for these animals. And although it is no longer necessary to go out to hunt for your own food each day, rabbit meat has not lost its appeal as a healthy alternative meat protein. In fact, as the world-wide demand for meat protein continues to increase, so the benefits of farming rabbits for their meat become clearer.
The texture and taste of rabbit meat is very similar to white chicken meat, and many cooks have exclaimed at how the bland palette of rabbit meat makes it so versatile in making simple and extravagant dishes, as it readily absorbs flavors and aromas.
There are more reasons why cooking with rabbit meat is a healthy alternative, not only because a few famous chefs enjoy working with rabbit meat. Firstly, rabbit is lower in fat than turkey, pork and beef. Rabbit meat only has 795 calories per 1 lb. (450 gm.) of meat, and is low in cholesterol. This makes rabbit meat a healthy choice for people suffering from heart disease, hyper tension, and those struggling with weight problems. At the same time, rabbit meat is higher in protein than any other meat, and this makes it an excellent choice for body builders, and people requiring extra protein intake.
Rabbit meat is also more economical to produce. It is possible to produce 6 times as much rabbit meat, using comparable amounts of water and feed, as we could get from cattle, and that on only a fraction of the land that cattle would need. This makes it both cheaper to produce and more environmentally friendly too.
We must take time to take note, however, that if rabbit meat is the only source of animal protein, there are health risks involved, as rabbit meat is very low in essential fatty acids. These are needed for healthy cell growth and digestion. Two of the commonly found diseases affecting people who consume only rabbit meat are “Rabbit Starvation”, which refers to a severe deficiency in these amino acids in a person’s diet. The other is Tularaemia, or rabbit fever, which is a bacterial infection common in both people and animals.
In spite of this, rabbit meat holds many benefits for the consumer, when used in conjunction with a balanced diet, and for the producer, due to the profitable nature of the ease with which rabbit farming can be maintained.
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Dec 11
20
A Quick Rabbit Production Guide
Although rabbit farming started very slowly, rabbit production is picking up pace all over the world. This is because rabbits are easy to keep as a livestock, they are cheap to produce, as compared to cattle and even poultry, and they are a well known source of meat protein. And although not all shops have started to keep rabbits in their meat section, it is becoming more popular and more readily available, as a lot of marketing is being done to promote rabbits as a meat protein.
There are many different breeds of rabbits, which are available to farm commercially, but two of the most popular rabbits remain the New Zealand and the Californian. These two breeds have a fast growth rate, and are ready for slaughter at 14 – 16 weeks. They are also popular, because of the lighter pink meat, and the more domesticated taste.
A kit or litter of rabbits is ready to be weaned from the mother at between 5 and 8 weeks old. The nest box should however be removed before this date, preferably between 2 and 3 weeks, to prevent health problems. Most kits will have jumped from the box by this age, without any prompting. Once they have left the nest box, they remain with the mother until weaning, when they are moved to their own cage. In the wild, rabbits will breed again within days of the first kit being born. This means that the kit would be weaned and removed from the burrow by 4 weeks of age. Many rabbit producers are following this “wild” connection, and allowing the doe to mate again immediately, as this heightens production. The danger lies in this however, as these does are spent too quickly, and their productive years are shortened. It is advisable to give the doe a rest period in-between kits, to ensure a healthy start and litter the next time round.
Weaning can be done in two stages. Firstly, the all the kits, but one are removed from the mother’s cage. They can continue to share a cage until they are nine weeks old, where after they can each be moved to their individual cages. The last kit (preferably the smallest) stays with the mother to continue suckling for another day or two. This helps the doe to transition her milk production without becoming engorged with the unused milk, and developing mastitis. Then the kit can be moved back to the siblings.
Feeding:
The adage goes: They are what they eat. This holds very true in rabbits as well. Once the doe’s milk is no longer available to the kits, they should already have learned to eat of the supply of food available to the doe. Most of the intake of the rabbits is hay, which is made into a commercially available pellet, along with other vital nutrients. A variety of grasses are used in the making of the pellets, to ensure a varied diet. Do not however change the diet rapidly, as this can be detrimental to the health of the rabbits. New feeds need to be introduced slowly over a period of a few days.
Although fresh grasses and greens are a valuable source of energy and nutrients to the rabbits, care should be taken to not overfeed on these, as this can lead to diarrhoea, and this is detrimental to their health. It is advisable to always check the consistency and the color of their fecal pellets, in order to monitor their health.
With good planning, your rabbit production will run smoothly and profitably.
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