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Rabbit Production 9th Edition This page intentionally left blank Rabbit Production 9th Edition James I. McNitt, Ph.D. (Professor Emeritus), Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA Steven D. Lukefahr, Ph.D. (Regents Professor), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, USA Peter R. Cheeke, Ph.D. (Professor Emeritus), Oregon State University, Corvallis, USA Nephi M. Patton, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Professor Emeritus), Oregon State University, Corvallis, USA CABI is a trading name of CAB International CABI CABI Nosworthy Way Chauncey Street Wallingford Suite 1002 Oxfordshire OX10 8DE Boston, MA 02111 UK USA Tel: +44 (0)1491 832111 Tel: +1 800 552 3083 (toll free) Fax: +44 (0)1491 833508 Tel: +1 (0)617 395 4051 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.cabi.org © J.I. McNitt 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronically, mechanically, by pho- tocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copy- right owners. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library, London, UK. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Rabbit production / James I. McNitt … [et al.]. -- 9th ed. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 978-1-78064-011-2 (pbk. : alk. paper) -- ISBN 978-1-78064-012-9 (hardback : alk. paper) 1. Rabbits. I. McNitt, J. I. (James I.) SF453.R225 2013 636.932′2--dc23 2012024124 ISBN-13: 9781 78064 011 2 (Pbk) 9781 78064 012 9 (Hbk) Commissioning editor: Sarah Hulbert Editorial assistant: Alexandra Lainsbury Production editor: Simon Hill Typeset by SPi, Pondicherry, India. Printed and bound in the UK by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY. Contents Preface xi Appendix xiii 1. Introduction 1 History, Taxonomy, and Domestication of the Rabbit 1 Potential of the Rabbit for Meat and Fur Production 4 Production of Pharmaceuticals 7 Youth Programs 7 Hobbies and Pets 7 Laboratory Use 8 Factors Limiting Rabbit Production 9 Sources of Helpful Information 10 A Rabbit by Any Other Name 11 2. Rabbit Production Worldwide 13 Europe 13 North and South America 15 Asia 16 Australia and New Zealand 17 Africa 17 Future World Rabbit Production 18 Rabbit Research Worldwide 18 3. Rabbit Breeds 21 Selecting a Breed 21 Purchasing Breeding Stock 22 Breeds of Rabbit 23 4. The Rabbitry and Its Equipment 27 Planning the Rabbitry 27 The Rabbit Building 28 Hutches and Cages 32 v vi Contents Feeding Equipment 36 Watering Equipment 36 Nest Boxes 38 Identification Equipment 40 Feed and Utility Carts 41 Other Equipment 41 5. Rabbit Management 42 Handling Rabbits 42 Number of Bucks 42 Age to Breed 43 Breeding Schedule 43 The Mating Process 44 Gestation Period 45 Factors Prevents Conception 46 Determining Pregnancy 48 Kindling 50 Care of Young Litters 51 Nest Box Management 51 Fostering Young 52 Causes of Losses in Young Litters 52 Feeding the Doe After Kindling 53 Weaning 54 Determination of Sex 54 Tattooing and Ear Tags 54 Care of the Herd in Hot Weather 55 Fur Chewing 56 Other Causes of Hair Loss 57 Sanitation 57 Shedding or Molting 59 Environmental Effects on Rabbit Performance 59 Hypnosis 61 Breeding Herd Replacements 61 Herd Records 61 6. Economics and Financial Management 64 Financing 64 Expenses 65 Income 66 Cash Flow 66 7. Principles of Rabbit Nutrition 69 Nutrient Categories 69 Protein 69 Carbohydrates 70 Fats 70 Minerals 71 Vitamins 74 Water 78 Digestive Processes in the Rabbit 79 Feed Analysis 83 Relationships Between Feed Manufacturers and Rabbit Raisers 86 Contents vii 8. Feeds and Feeding 88 Nutrient Requirements of Rabbits 88 Composition of Feeds 89 Roughages 90 Concentrates 93 Non-nutritive Feed Additives 97 Feed Formulation, Preparation, and Processing 100 Grazing Rabbits 103 Orphan Litters 104 Conditioning Show Rabbits 104 9. Toxins in Feeds 106 Goitrogens 106 Gossypol 107 Lectins (Hemagglutinins) 107 Mimosine 107 Mycotoxins 108 Nitrates 108 Oxalates 109 Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids 109 Saponins 109 Trypsin Inhibitors 109 Urea 109 Poisonous Plants 110 Herbal Remedies 110 Agricultural Chemicals: Pesticides and Herbicides 110 10. Rabbit Diseases and Health Problems 112 General Considerations 112 Quarantine 113 Diagnosing Diseases 114 Major Rabbit Diseases and Health Problems 115 Other Rabbit Diseases and Health Problems 124 11. Rabbit Reproduction 144 The Male 144 The Female 147 Artificial Insemination 154 Winter Breeding Depression 157 Embryo Transfer 158 12. Rabbit Behavior 160 Ethology: the Science of Behavior 160 Domestication of Rabbits 161 Behavior of Wild Rabbits 161 Behavior of Domestic Rabbits 162 Systems of Rabbit Behavior 163 Environmental Factors Affecting Behavior 168 13. Principles of Rabbit Genetics 170 Genes: the Basic Units of Inheritance 170 Mendelian Genetics 171 viii Contents Other Basic Genetic Terms 172 Gene Expression 172 14. Breeding Systems 177 Inbreeding 178 Linebreeding 182 Outcrossing 183 Crossbreeding 185 Random Mating 187 Summary 189 15. Genetic Selection for Herd Improvement 192 Selection for Qualitative Traits 192 Selection for Quantitative Traits 194 Record Keeping 200 Computers as an Aid to Genetic Selection 200 16. Coat Color Genetics of Rabbits 202 Classification of Major Coat Color Genes 202 Coat Pattern Genes 208 Modifier Genes 212 Coat Structural Genes 212 Coat Color Breeding Schemes 215 17. Rabbit Shows 221 Preparation of Rabbits for Shows 221 Shipping Show Rabbits 223 Judging and Showing 223 Registering Rabbits 225 18. Pet Rabbits 229 Introduction 229 House Training 230 Nutrition 231 Health 232 19. Animal Welfare 235 20. Rabbits for Family and Small Farm Development 239 Rabbits as a Family Activity 240 Integrating Rabbit Production on the Family Farm 242 Diversifying Rabbit Production on the Family Farm 245 Market Development 246 21. Rabbit Production in Developing Countries 249 Cages and Equipment 249 Feeding and Management 250 Special Problems in Tropical Rabbit Production 253 Rabbits as Pests 254 Agencies Involved in International Development of Rabbit Production 255 Contents ix 22. Rex Fur Production 258 Hair Structure and Growth 258 Checking for Prime Pelts 260 Production of Rex Rabbits for Fur 261 Management of Rex Rabbits 262 Manufacture of Rex Garments 262 Economic Potentials of the Rex Industry 263 23. Angora Wool Production 265 Wool Growth 266 Wool Yields 267 Management 267 Wool Block 268 Equipment for Grooming and Wool Harvesting 269 Removal of Wool 269 Care of Shorn Rabbits 272 Grading and Storing Angora Wool 272 Home-spinning of Angora Wool 273 24. Meat Production 274 Fryers 274 Stewers 275 Nutritional Properties of Rabbit Meat 275 Alternative Systems of Commercial Rabbit Production 276 25. Slaughtering and Preparation of Meat and Skins 278 Meat 278 Skins 279 26. Marketing Rabbits and Their Products 282 Rabbit Meat 282 Breeding Stock 285 Laboratory Stock 286 Skins 286 Pharmaceuticals 286 Angora Wool 287 Fur Crafts 287 Fertilizers 287 Worms 288 Glossary 289 Index 293 This page intentionally left blank Preface Rabbit Production is widely recognized as a source of up-to-date information for highly experienced rabbit raisers as well as beginners. Changes of publishers and our scientific knowledge of rabbit production methods have necessitated a revision to offer the most current information to our readers. We have tried to write in a style that will be useful to people interested in rabbits, regardless of educational background. We hope that after reading this book you will have gained knowledge that will be useful to you in your rabbit raising endeavors. Because our new publisher (CAB International) is located in the UK, we have had to change all of our units to metric (grams, liters, meters, etc.) We have included a conversion table as Appendix 1. Use of rabbits as a food and income resource in developing countries continues to increase, with expanding interest in Eastern Europe and in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The ability of rabbits to reproduce and yield high quality meat on low quality diets based on forages and agricultural by-products, as well as their modest housing requirements, makes them well suited for subsistence agriculture. In the United States and Canada, rabbits continue to be valued as a hobby and as a source of secondary income. With the current market structure, few people make their primary living from rabbits, but the enjoyment of rearing rabbits and the income and satisfaction from providing food or fiber make rabbits an inviting species. Rabbit raising is popular with youth programs and as a small-scale family enterprise because of the small size and the small investment. In addition, rabbits can be reared in many cities and towns where other livestock cannot be kept. This book is founded on the collective many years of experience of the authors. J.I. McNitt spent a number of years in Africa as a rabbit specialist and was the leader of a rabbit research program at Southern University and A&M College. The primary goal of the research center was to assist small, limited resource farmers with production problems. As a result, most of his research was aimed at production – housing, feeding, management, etc. He retired in 1998 but remains active in writing and editing rabbit publications. N.M. Patton conducted rabbit disease research for 25 years. He has also been a consultant to a large commercial rabbitry for the past 10 years, during which time he has experienced most of the problems that rabbit raisers can encounter. In 1993, he was elected President of the World Rabbit Science Association. He retired from Oregon State University in 1996. S.D. Lukefahr has also operated his own rabbitry and has worked for many years in over 20 developing countries (especially in Africa and Latin America), where he promoted rural or village-level rabbit farming. He has been involved in rabbit xi xii Preface breeding research since 1978, has an extensive publication record, and has made many signifi- cant contributions to our knowledge of rabbit breeding and genetics.

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