A rabbit farm can be an excellent attraction in a farm or in a farm open to the public. Even a family (individual) can start a rabbit farm for their own consumption of meat, as long as they guarantee the animal’s well-being until the moment of slaughter. Depending on the use you want to make of the rabbits (as a pet and attraction of the company or for the consumption of meat), there are various housing boxes on the market. Let’s start with these.
To raise rabbits you will need to:
- Setting up a shelter that is more than just a cage
- Ensuring the correct nutrition for your rabbit according to its growth stages
- Help rabbits with breeding and nest building
Rabbit breeding : living box or cage
When purchasing a rabbit cage , you should keep in mind that rabbits are animals that reproduce easily, so choose boxes that include removable nests. Don’t worry about the cost: choose boxes that are large enough and of adequate size.
In this panorama, it is also possible to choose boxes for organic rabbit breeding that comply with EU regulation 384/07, article 42.
For a small breeding, you can choose a cage of 150 x 100 cm, height 100 cm with a 30 cm rise from the ground. The total size of such a cage can vary depending on the model, up to 250 x 100 x 130 cm, this is because rabbit pens can have one or more nests. Choose a cage with wooden nests that are removable and can be checked from the outside.
In addition to the presence of the nest, when purchasing a box to start a rabbit farm , it is important to evaluate the maintenance and cleaning work.
In this regard, some cages have a removable bottom to facilitate cleaning operations. Alternatively, you can choose a mesh bottom with a mesh loose enough to allow waste materials to flow towards the ground and then be removed with a rake. You will be comforted to know that rabbit waste tends to be dry and not very messy.
Rabbit breeding: feeding
Rabbit feeding can vary depending on the time of year.
Between March and April, when the rabbit is in full reproduction, 10% of barley grain can be added to the hay and pellet feed. From the dry feed of the winter period, in spring and summer, the rabbit can be fed with green and fresh foods.
So… can you give fresh grass to rabbits? Sure, but in moderation. The new grass is very rich in vegetation water and therefore it should be given to nursing females in smaller doses to avoid the onset of diarrhea and loss of fluids.
The transition from winter to summer feeding is done gradually. In practice, the rabbit must get used to switching from dehydrated and pelleted foods to fresh foods such as field grass.
How to do it? To start, give dried grass. Let the grass wither for three days and then give it to the rabbits. Then let the grass wither for only two days and give it to the rabbits … finally let the grass wither for only one day and then you will give it to the rabbits, until you also give them some fresh grass.
Rabbit Breeding: Reproduction and Mating
Rabbits can be reproduced with a certain ease but without leaving anything to chance. In autumn, in the rabbit farm there are both old female rabbits (2 or 3 years old) and younger females that are reproducing for the first time. Young female rabbits of one year are more likely to trigger a false pregnancy, since, even after mating, fertilization does not occur.
In this case, the false pregnancy lasts 2-3 weeks, during which the doe must be left alone. Only after another 20 days, the doe can be reintroduced for a new mating.
After fertilization, the female prepares the nest with her fur. Within the first week after giving birth, check the nest and verify the number of newborns and the presence of any dead ones. Remove the dead babies and, if you have mated more than one rabbit, perform the litter matching. What does this mean? That you have to distribute the bunnies among the nursing doe so that each nursing doe has eight bunnies since eight is the number of active nipples.
During lactation, it is recommended to give females flaked cereals in addition to the classic feed. As mentioned, pregnant, mating or lactating females must consume fresh foods (including fresh grass) in extreme moderation.
Rabbit’s Nest
In order to successfully breed a rabbit , females must have a suitable nest. If the female has not been able to prepare a nest with her fur, this gap can be filled manually. Without delay, stroke the female’s chest and manually remove the fur and place it in the nest.
What to do if the female eats her children?
To prevent this from happening you must act in advance. Cannibalism is a phenomenon present in rabbits, especially in young females that are nesting for the first time.
At the time of birth (and even before) there should never be a lack of clean water. The nursing rabbit consumes about a liter of water every day. In the absence of water, the females eat their offspring because the newborns are rich in water.
Newborns can be weaned after 5 weeks. After 5 weeks, the female rabbit should be moved to another cage. After 3 – 4 days, she will be ready for a new mating and can be placed in the cage with the male.
Rabbit farming , bureaucratic notes on meat consumption
From an administrative point of view, the possession of farm animals must be notified to the Veterinary Services of the relevant ASL. The notification will be followed by the release of authorizations for the breeding of rabbits for family consumption.
The ASL regulations allow the home slaughter of rabbits and poultry when the destination is personal consumption. If the breeding is for commercial purposes: the slaughter of animals whose meat is intended for trade can only be carried out in authorized slaughterhouses and must comply with the rules set out in Community regulations.
