02/04/2023
Welcome everyone to my free rabbit workshop. I'm marshal of tycher rabbitry. Please feel free to ask questions. The workshop is going to be divide into several sections during the course of the week
[4/2, 20:01] Tycher rabbitry: Agenda
1.Why rabbitry or cunniculture
2. Site selection and housing
3. Breeds, breed selection and breeding
4. nutrition and feeding
5. Diseases and disease management
6. Record keeping
7. General rabbitry management
[4/2, 20:27] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: Rabbit are kept in Zimbabwe and the world for
-production of healthy meat which is low on cholesterol but high in protein,
-production of eco-friendly fertiliser and pesticide using their waste ( urine and droppings)
- production of hides
- for pets
- a source of income
[4/2, 20:34] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: Those are few amongst many reasons and on the last point. I have seen a lot people creating employment through rabbitry. For instance my brother Welly, Boss Jonso and Marcus full time into rabbitry and are doing wonders. This is how....
[4/2, 20:34] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: Topic 2 site selection and housing
[4/2, 20:38] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: There are different structures which can be used to house rabbits. Some can be indoor and others outdoor. These structures won't be productive if they are poorly *SITED*
[4/2, 20:52] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: When selecting a site for your rabbitry you should consider some of the following:
1. Presence of trees.
Trees help to cool the atmosphere, protect your rabbits from direct sunlight, act as windbreaker and they just beautify the place
2. Position
A rabbitry should be positioned in a manner that it allows air to freely circulate and not to allow direct sunlight in as it affects kits and the other rabbits. (Here in Zimbabwe, your rabbitry should be positioned facing east-west. See pic)
3. On well drained soils
Poorly drained soils help in the spread of diseases as they can accumulate in them.
[4/2, 20:56] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: That's my small rabbitry at work. It under native trees(muhacha). They help cool the inside of the rabbitry because the area is too hot 🔥
[4/2, 20:59] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: To further help in cooling I used thatch grass. Our grandparents live in huts cause ther were cool in summer and warm in winter. So l applied that concept
[4/2, 21:01] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: Those are now commercial and they use ventilators to help cool the atmosphere
[4/2, 21:03] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: Houses
[4/2, 21:05] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: Questions before we proceed to housing
[4/2, 21:08] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: Ok we shall continue
[4/2, 21:11] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: Housing
There are two types ie the cage and free range system
[4/2, 21:13] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: The cage system
[4/2, 21:25] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: Rabbits are individually or grouped in cages made from metal or wood
Advantages of caging
-records can easily be monitored as breeding is controlled
- rabbit performance can be monitored thus making it easy to cull non-productive stock
- limits the spread of diseases hence making it easy to cure diseases also
- easier to install automatic drinking and feeding systems
-easy to clean and maintain hygiene
[4/2, 21:33] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: Advantages of free ranging
-cheap to set-up
- colony can quickly multiple as they is no to limited human interference
However
- rabbits can fight and injure each other or even worse kill each other if they are bucks
- diseases spread easily as animals are in direct contact with the soil (most diseases pathogens hide in the soil. This becomes costly to the farmer as medicine are constantly required
-infant mortality is also high as nature selects who lives and dies
[4/2, 21:44] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: Advantages
- dureble
- easy to clean and maintain
- are more smarter
- sore hooks can be controlled
Disadv
- expensive to set-up
[4/2, 21:47] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: Wooden cages
Advantages
- are cheap
-easy to make
Disadv
- rabbits can eat the wood
- not dureble
-can cause sore hooks
- wood is constantly wet thus causing diseases and infections to build-up
[4/2, 21:49] Tycher rabbitry Baiwa: The following guidelines will be followed when cage construction is being carried out:
breeding doe-30”x 24”x 17” (72.6x60.9x43.1cm) {LxWxH}
breeding buck-18”x24”x 17” (46x60.9x43.1cm)
replacement doe-18”x24”x17” (46x60.9x43.1cm)
fattening cage- 30”x24”x17” (72.6x60.9x43.1cm)
at least 1sq. ft./animal(0.3m²) fatteners
However figures can be changed due to personal tastes
