The success of rabbit production depends on suitable site & design of houses. Rabbit needs housing for protection and preventing them from running away. Rabbit is burrowing animal and has sharp reflexes.
Housing of Rabbit:
Housing premises should provide adequate shade of trees & peaceful environment free of strong winds.
Shelter must provide protection from inclement weather and predators like dogs, cats, snakes, bats etc.
Rabbits can be housed in several ways depending on finance availability and climate. Rabbits are reared individually or in colonies.
An enclosed shed with hutches kept on racks or cages hung from ceiling with wires are elaborate housing.
A hutch is small built-up structure of wood and chicken mesh.
The floor of hutch may be made up of stronger mesh or solid sheets bedded with straw otherwise locally available materials like tree twinges and woven splits bamboo.
The roof of hutch should be sloping made of asbestos sheet/grass thatch. Gunny bags or mats should be kept hanging on sides of hutches without affecting ventilation to provide protection from rain, wind and sun.
Wire mesh floor is preferred over solid bedding materials as the droppings falls down and it keeps cage clean, free from ammonia odour and fly.
Rabbits can also be housed in thatch roofed mud huts with hard mud floor attached with small yard.
In colony raising, usually 10 or more in colony hutches or on floor in deep litter are reared.
The floor can be wiring mesh or hard floor with bedding materials.
The floor space is 1.5-2.0sqft. or 0.45-0.65sq.m./adult rabbit.
However, advanced pregnant does, usually from 1 week prior to kindling until weaning of bunnies should be isolated from flocks.
Major problem of colony raising specially on deep litter is higher risk of coccidiosis and maintenance of hygiene.
In western countries cages or hutches are fabricated with wire netting.
They are installed in single, two or three tier system.
They are costly but space saving.
Such cages are usually in commercial rabbitary.
The wire mesh of 12.5x12.5mm size of 16 or 14 gauge specifically used for bottom of cages.
Waterers and Feeders in housing:
Waterers: - Earthen ware, concrete, glass & plastic pots are commonly used waterers in backyard rabbitries.
In modern commercial rearing inverted water bottles of polypropylene materials are more popular.
The water bottle is big enough to fulfil 24 to 48 hrs of water supply.
Feeders: - Normally L or J shape feeders with bottom mesh are used which eliminate dust in the feed.
These feeders are called self-cleaning feeders & used for feed concentrate in the form of pellets.
Feeders are raised.
Environmental requirement of rabbit:
Temperature: - The comfortable zone of temperature for maximum production is 10° to 26°C if temperature is more than 28°C and above decreases feed consumption and increases water intake. Due to which-
Growth rate slowed down in growers.
Productive efficiency in females adversely affected with reduced fertility and temporary sterility in males.
Humidity: - Rabbits are sensitive to low humidity. Comfortable humidity ranges from 55 to 70%.
Ventilation: - Ventilation requirement depends upon weather, cage type and population density. Free movement of air is always needed in rabbitary especially in hot weathers. Air must be free from dust and smoke.
Light: - About 8hrs in males and 16hrs in females' exposure to light is must for sexually active and fertile. For growing rabbits, 1-2 hrs additional artificial light is sufficient.
Sanitation for disease prevention:
Sanitation is the most important management to prevent disease incidence.
Daily cleaning of cages/hutches, feeders & waters should be done to ensure sanitary conditions.
Water supplied should be treated with common sanitizers to reduce microbe load.
Removal of manure, soiled bedding, contaminated food or feed and supplying contamination free roughage/feed reduce disease emergence in rabbitry.
Isolation of sick animals and treatments is also equally important.
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Common terms related to rabbits.
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