Rabbit husbandry is very important so we wanted to share sarabis babies with our viewers a. Enrichment devices are to be exchanged, so that each rabbit is given a different device from the week previous. Upon adopting a rabbit, owners should bring their new pet to their veterinarian for an initial exam and information on proper husbandry, advises dr. This varies with species, strain and sex, for example there is debate over the benefits of group housing hamsters and some strains of male mice. More detailed guidance can be found in the related resources and references provided. The various views and language used in the discussion of stress and distress lead to confusion in the scientific, regulatory, and animal welfare communities. Guidelines for the housing of rabbits in scientific. Lu, clostridium difficile colitis in a rabbit following antibiotic therapy for pasteurellosis j am vet med assoc 179. Meat rabbits how to handle a predator attack in the rabbitry aggressive rabbits dealing with aggressive rabbits sky has lately been an aggressive rabbit when we. Toys are very important to a rabbits feelings of well being. In ordinary times many of the small rabbit raisers dont bother to save the skins, but they do have some value. Phoenician sailors visiting its coast around the 12th century bc mistook the european rabbit for the familiar rock hyrax procavia capensis of their homeland.
If there are no ongoing health issues, a rabbit should visit the veterinarian each year for an annual exam, just as is typically done for a cat or dog. However, the technique can also cause harm to animals, making biotelemetry a refinement that needs refining. The crosses between the above mentioned breeds and local types have been produced. For breeding does, nesting material and a nest box or other refuge should be provided. Transfer rabbits to clean cages along with their individual cage card.
This article will outline how to start a commercial rabbit farming business, and the rabbit farming business plan pdf, word and excel. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Responsibility animal care staff, facility supervisors, facilities manager. Housing in pens on the floor should always be considered before. The towel burrito is also an excellent way to examine a rabbit and perform any husbandry procedures the rabbit may require. Code of practice for the intensive husbandry of rabbits. Rabbit husbandry a discussion about rabbit husbandry and dropdown nest boxes what others are saying when we build our rabbit nest boxes, lets make them out of wire instead of wood, line with cardboard and bedding, and have a trap door to release into waste bins below when the boxes are no longer needed. Topics covered include the creation of a home hospital cage. Husbandry standards for commercial rabbit production by corinne fayo, mark a grobner phd and linda welch 2005 rabbit classification. It recognises that the basic requirement for the welfare of rabbits is a husbandry system appropriate to their physiological and behavioural needs. To download, rightclick either pdf or word under each icon. The following topics are discussed in this publication.
Electrical wiring, toxic paints, pressuretreated lumber and plastic are all potential problems. Refinements in rabbit husbandry second report of the. Rabbit husbandry and care laboratory animal resources. Maintain temperature and humidity controls in the storeroom. A total of 60 new zealand white rabbits housed individually in cages were used. S532 24 skara, sweden accepted 19 july 1996 abstract the behavioural effects of providing male laboratory rabbits with one of four objects in their cage as environmental enrichment were investigated. First aid is the initial treatment given to an injured or ill bird during an emergency. Rabbit calicivirus disease rcd has spread through many parts of australia, dramatically reducing european wild rabbit populations in some areas. Basic rabbit care handout and infographic lafebervet. Types of rabbit production fanciers pets, breeding stock, and show animals laboratory furhair angora rex meat largest rabbit market. However, to build a successful, sustainable commercial rabbit farming business, you require sufficient knowledge of how to efficiently raise the rabbits, good management skills, and a good rabbit farming business plan.
The rabbit code is not intended to describe all production and management. One community feels that modeling ethical and humane animal stewardship is essential and for the highest good of all in todays world of diverse needs. Supplementary resources for members of local ethical. The goal of first aid is to stabilize the bird until veterinary medical care can be provided. The current state of welfare, housing and husbandry of the. The guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat. Does have been known to kindle give birth up to 23 kits at one time. This meeting reported on the latest and best rabbit technologies, as well as those which. Monitor rabbits to ensure the refinements are not causing health problems. Average gain of around 300400 gm has been suggested from mating to 30 days in large sized rabbit. A complete cage change is performed biweekly rack, feeders, enrichment devices, water bottles. Covers individual and group housing, general husbandry, environmental enrichment, catching and handling, identification, breeding and health.
Once the rabbit is wrapped in the blanket it is easy to examine her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Further research warranted on behavior and husbandry. It recognises that the basic requirement for the welfare of rabbits is a husbandry system appropriate to their physiological and. Rabbit farming business is a very profitable business, and many people are making money all over the world by raising rabbits for meat. The guidelines are not intended to be a complete manual on rabbit. Good house denotes proper cages or hutches and arrangement for feeding, watering, cleaning. Good housing and husbandry for rabbit housing should take account of the following principles. Variables, refinement and environmental enrichment for rodents.
Rabbit serves as a model organism in developmental biology, surgery, and in studies of many congenital, acquired cancer and others, and infectious. Anything beyond this is considered a treat and should be offered in limited quantities only. More detailed guidance can be found in the resources and references provided. Group housing in pens daily rabbits are housed in 7.
Group on refinement report refinements in rabbit husbandry reference 1. We anticipate many cultures and communities globally and for the predictable future will either need or choose to use animals as food andor raise them for their other byproducts. To examine the rest of her body, the towel can be lifted up or unwrapped in the area that is being examined. Current welfare issues relating to the housing and husbandry of animals used in biotelemetry studies are single vs. Then click save link as if you are using firefox, or save target as if you are using ie. The cagepen must be provisioned with at least 1 type of refinement on a continual basis. A good housing facility with adequate arrangement of ventilation is the most important factor in rabbit house. Publication of the handbook, delayed for many months, coincided with the sixth world rabbit congress held in toulouse from 8 to 12 july. This code of practice is intended as a guide for all persons responsible for the intensive husbandry of domestictype rabbits for commercial production. The present report, entitled refinements in rabbit husbandry, is the second of the series. Members of rabbit husbandry working party d b morton chairman, m jennings secretary, g r batchelor, d bell, l birke, k davies, j r eveleigh, d gunn, m heath, b howard, p koder, j phillips. Feed each rabbit ad libutum teklad 8630 rabbit diet. More indepth guidance on behaviour and husbandry refinements can be found in references 2 and 3 and a very accessible guide to behaviour in 4. The rabbit is a test species commonly used in in vivo hazard identification tests to determine the developmental toxicity potential of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and many other chemicals.
I only kept one sheet for the whole rabbitry and noted several rabbits placements on it in each show. In europe and the united states large scale commercial rabbit farming has been practised for many years and standards of husbandry raised. If the rabbit is kept loose in the house the house needs to be rabbitproofed. This report describes ways in which the current systems of housing rabbits can be improved by group housing or by enriching the environment of individual cages. Refining housing, husbandry and care for animals used in.
Refinements in rabbit husbandry second report of the bvaframerspcaufaw joint working group on refinement. Guidelines for the housing of rabbits in scientific institutions. Husbandry of laboratory research animals laboratory. Husbandry standards for commercial rabbit production. Typical parttime enterprises consist of 50 to 100 rabbits. Refinement is the attempt to enhance animal welfare by reducing to an. Store open feed bags in leakproof containers with tightly fitting lids. Second report of the bvaawfframerspcaufaw joint working group on refinement. It is generally accepted that social species, including many commonly used laboratory mammals, should be housed in stable, compatible groups 7,15. Here we provide general information on the housing and husbandry requirements of commonly used laboratory rodents, including mice, rats, guinea pigs, gerbils and hamsters. Two does and one buck should produce 180 pounds of meat per year. They named their discovery ishepanham, meaning land or island of hyraxes. Purpose this standard operating procedure sop describes the basic procedures for routine care and husbandry of rabbits.
Publication of the handbook, delayed for many months, coincided with the sixth world rabbit congress held in toulouse from 8 to 12 july 1996. Greg burkett, this client educational handout helps owners prepare for emergencies. Angora is a very ancient breed of small rabbit weighing around 3 kilograms. Technicians will log any enrichment provided to the rabbits in the enrichment log located in the rooms.
House is important to keep the broiler rabbit in one roof and to prevent them from running away. Rabbit production manual government of nova scotia. Pdf this resource was produced by members of the ufawrspca rabbit. Caring and husbandry of pet rabbits pet rabbit care. A theory exists though it is somewhat controversial. In floor pens for group housing, the provision of visual barriers figure 2 is. Each pen can hold 15 rabbits weighing less than 4 kg or 11 rabbits weighing 45 kg. Other breeds of rabbit may be used for these purposes. A critique of henry heffners arguments, colin allen, marc bekoff, and lori gruen. Introduction the importance of the domestic rabbit as a supplier of meat for human consumption is widely recognised throughout the world. Environmental enrichment for laboratory rodents and rabbits. Store feed on plastic pallets off the floor and 46 inches away from walls, in a verminproof storeroom. With the release of rabbit calicivirus disease rcd, the number of harvested rabbits fell from about 2.
Reprinted from laboratory animals 1993 vol 27, pages 3029available from british library document supply centredsc. Good practice for housing and care by the rspca research. They are found to be highly adaptive to kerala conditions. Jul 17, 2011 storeys guide to raising rabbits, 4th edition is one of the books i read the most, but if you dont want to purchase a book the usda has a page devoted to rabbit husbandry with many links to. Suitable enrichment for rabbits includes at a minimum roughage, hay blocks, or chew sticks, as well as an area for withdrawal and lookout e. The welfare of pet rabbits is an area of growing interest in europe and the uk. We anticipate many cultures and communities globally and for the predictable future will either need or choose to use animals as food and. Today they are raised for meat, research, pets, show, and pelts. The aim of the report is to identify the needs of the domestic rabbit and to present information on ways in which current systems of housing can be improved. Indeed, the animal welfare literature itself does not distinguish stress from distress in any systematic fashion, and the term distress rarely appears in the biomedical sciences literature. Raising rabbits for meat is a lucrative business, providing income for millions of people, but there are some essential things you need to do before you venture into the rabbit farming business. The guidelines will be revised from time to time to take account of advances in the understanding of rabbit physiology and behaviour, technological advances, and changes in community attitudes and expectations about the welfare of animals.
Here we provide general information on the housing and husbandry requirements of laboratory rabbits. Angora rabbits produce 8 to 10 inches, or 12 to 16 ounces, of wool per year. Free rabbitry record sheets to download and print rabbit. A sound rabbit diet consists of fresh hay, goodquality pellets, fresh vegetables, and water.
Biotelemetry can contribute towards reducing animal numbers and suffering in disciplines including physiology, pharmacology and behavioural research. Access to society journal content varies across our titles. Breeding of laboratory research animals collection. An abundance of ancient rabbits may have played a part in the naming of spain. However, the wild rabbit remains a serious pest, and for this reason it is illegal to keep it as a pet or for commercial purposes. If you have access to a journal via a society or association membership, please browse to your society journal, select an article to view, and follow the instructions in this box. A fulltime enterprise should have at least 600 females does and 60 males bucks. In the past, the australian rabbit industry was based on harvesting wild rabbits. Each doe produces 25 to 50 live rabbits a year, which will yield 125 to 250 pounds of meat. Rabbits usually have four to five litters per year. Basic requirements mice rats guinea pigs gerbils hamsters related resources references basic requirements basic requirements for good rodent. The guidance on how to meet the needs of the rabbit has been drawn. Behavioural effects of environmental enrichment for.
Annual wool yield recorded is between 300g in 3 to 4 clippings. This study analyses questionnaire results from a diverse population of 1254 rabbit owners from three different geographical areas in england with the aim of providing an accurate representation of how pet rabbits are currently housed and cared for and key aspects of their health and welfare. Enrichment will be provided to the rabbits by the technicians at changeout and various times throughout the week. The guide to raising and breeding rabbits for meat mother. Commercial rabbit production rabbits have been produced for 3,000 years. Show records i used this one on a rabbitrywide basis. Basic requirements for good rodent housing and husbandry are given in the table below.
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