Breeding in Rabbit

PAPER OF MISCELLANEOUS LIVESTOCK BREEDING IN RABBIT INTRODUCTION Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a logomorpha ordo that clasified in herbivore non nimiancia , rabbit have very high reproductive rate compared to other livestock (Templeton,1968). They become sexually mature within a few months of birth and have realitevely short pregnancies. They produce large litters and unique in that they can be rebred immideately after kindling ( giving birth ). With an intensive bredding program a doe can be expected to have 60 weaned young a year. Such intensive breeding is not recomended, however, for the beginner and is seldom used in commercial production. Rabbit have many kind of “ breed” for example small rabbit, normaly and also big rabbit. And that breed have different potential and reproductive. In Indonesia farmer has a breeding native rabbit but also they farm other rabbit like Flemish Giant, New Zealand White, Californian, Blouwender, Rex. satin, etc. Breeding schedule When setting up a breeding system for our rabbity, at the first consideration should be our purpose for rising rabbits. If we are raising rabbits for meat , if we want to produce as many fryers as possible. If we are mostly interested in showing rabbits , we must have only a few liters each year and time them to provide stock of the proper age for showing. Rabbit breeding schedules are usually based on 7-day intervals for ease in record kepping. Many commercial rabbit producers will breed does back 14 or 21 days after kindling. A 35-day breed-back schedule is recomded. We can shorten the interval between kindling and breeding as we gain experience. However, intensive breeding programs may increase the number of does culled annually due to “burn out” No matter what breeding schedule you use, always check the condition of the rabbits before mating them. It would not be wise to remete a doe in poor condition or one nursing a large litter 21 days after kindling, as it could effect her reproductive performance. This could effect her reproductive performance. This could result in the young produced. When possible, mate several does on the same day or within a few days. Kindling will take place at about the same time ( 28 to 32 days later), which will make fostering the young easier if it becomes necessary. Does should be expected to produce seven or eight young in litter, but they may occasionally have smaller litters. A. Breeding 1. Classification Rabbit breeder can classification 3 groups: a. Foundation stock : the breeder take from groove has upper glorification value. b. Breeding stock : take from groove elaboration c. Commercial stock : take from development proccess mother breed 2. Regulation Grade Livestock breeder must appropriate with standart or minimal technical regulation,as: a) General Regulation 1) Safe and free from physical defect like eyes physical defect,paralyzed,abnormal teeth and claw and have can not difference back bone or physical defect 2) Female rabbit must free from reproduction physical defect,abnormal udder,cannibal character,sterility indication and have milk hilt amount eight minimal. 3) Male rabbit must start as male and have no physical defect in reproduction and have high libido 4) Have genealogy note b) Special Regulation Special regulation must full to some rabbit groove are: 1) Wool product (Anggora rabbit) a) Kind of Angora rabbit - English Angora:ears no have fur with weight 2,3 – 3,2 kg - French Angora: ears with fur with 3,4-4,8 kg - Giant Angora:ears with fur with > 4,9 kg - Satin angora : ears with fur 3,0 – 4,0 kg b) Fur Colour - Agouty - Broken - Pointed White - Wide band 2) Meat Product a) Flemish Giant Rabbit - Shape long body,broad ears and long - Adult weight 6 kg - Fur colour is white,black,blue,fawn,light grey,sandy,steel grey - As crossing material b) New Zeland White - Fast growth - Wean a child weight amount 1,8 kg - Adult weight 3,6 until 5,5 kg - Albino white fur colour - Red eyes 3) Fur Skin Product a) Rex rabbit - Smooth fur,thick,uniform (1,27-1,59 cm),not easy shed - White fur colour,black,blue,gold brown,gold yellow,spot white - Adult white amount 3,6 kg b) Satin Rabbit - Thick fur,long body,broad head,short broad ears and balance with body. - Strong bone,straight length,black fingernail - Black colour fur,blue,californian,white,brown,ivory color,coppe,siarnese and chinchilla - Body weight at upper eight age month for male 4,8 kg and female amount 5 kg 2. Technical breeder 1. Mantaining Raising livestock only be able to carried with intensive systems, namely nurseries rabbit with raising at stalls and requirement feed full supplied 2. Production Animal breeding in the rabbit is classified to pure-breed and crossbreeding. a. Pure breed is crossing between pure or same class each rabbit b. Cross breed is crossing between deferent class of rabbit 3. Seed Selection Rabbit seed selection carried out by appearance / performance of individual selection criteria as follows: a. rabbits parent 1) The parent must be able to produce the child on a regular basis at least once in two months; 2) number of children born of at least 6 (six); 3) the number of children of weaning must be above average. b. prospective male 1) The rabbit weaning weights above average; 2) weight gain pre and post weaning on the average; 3) high libido and sperm quality is good; 4) performance in accordance with the class. c. prospective parent 1) The rabbit weaning weights above average; 2) weight gain pre and post weaning on the average. 3) performance in accordance with the class; 4) the number of nipples at least 8 (eight) pieces. 4. Crossing Crossing must meet the technical requirements following: a. Seedling age adult females 5-6 months; b. Seedling age males 6-7 months; c. Estrus females are marked with colored vulva red and swollen, and may be induced by finger touch on female genital; d. Mating system can be done with insemination artificial (IB) or natural mating e. natural mating is done by carrying doe rabbit cage to male with comparison male and female 1: 5; f. IB using semen frozen or liquid semen from male that has been tried and tested quality and declared free from infectious animal diseases that can be transmitted through semen; g. in the implementation of natural mating or IB must made arrangements use a male or cement frozen / liquid cement to prevent mating incest (inbreeding). 5. Livestock Substitute (replacement stock) Procurement of livestock replacement (replacement stock), carried as follows: a. female seeds selected candidate best 50%; b. male candidates selected seeds 10% best. 6. Rejects Expenditure (salvage / culling), conducted as follows: a. In males, 90% of the lowest ratings on selection first; b. In females, 50% of the lowest ratings on selection first; c. The parent and male unproductive or over the age of 5 (five) years. 7. Crosses Crosses made to increase productivity, with regard to: a. must meet the standards or technical requirements minimal; b. blood composition temperate maximum of 50%. 3. Infrastructure of housing rabbit. The distance of housing rabbit should be 1000 minimum far away from the breeding of poultry, not disturb the public life and should have the permission from goverment to build house of breeding rabbit. The farmer should think about the waste from breeding rabbit so it won’t be contaminte the environment. The temperature of location of house of breeding is 18-20®C so it will make the rabbit comfort to grow up. The land to make breeding rabbit should free from microorganism which dangerous for the animal and also the farmer. To make breeding rabbit we need the available of water, energy source and access availability. The water should be enough for breeding rabbit and have good quality for breeding. The energy source should eneough for breeding operational. The most important from make breeding rabbit is should have good transportation access to fulfill the requirement of production and distribution of offspring. The facilities if we want to prepare breeding rabbit, wes should seperate each age of the rabbit. The house of breeding rabbit should have the feed storage, tool storage, and the incierator oof dead rabbit. Good for the sanitation an has the building to prepare the administration. The building if we want to make breeding rabbit should be strong and have good construction. The ventilation of house should be optimum for the aeration and the drainase and waste access should be prepare well and easy to clean up. The distance between house unless 5 meters and with the other building at least 10 meters. The condition of environment should be quiet and not noisy. The tool to prepare breeding rabbit are feeder, drinker, tool for clean up the house, lamp, pelleting machine, clippers, disc mill, etc. The breed should fulfill the standart of breeding like free from zoonosis like scabies. It can from purebred or crossbred. 4. Housing system 1. Type of house Type of house that use for breeding rabbit is : a. Postal house is used for offspring and must placed indoor; b. Battery house system for 1 rabbit with battery construction (row), tier battery (storeyed) and pyramid battery (pyramid stack); c. Square house is used for birth parent and offspring 2. The capacity matched with the type and age of the rabbit, as follows: Table 2. Cage capacity (length x width x height in cm) Type of rabbit Age of the rabbit Male rabbit parent Offspring (6-12 mgg) Dara (12-24 mmg) Amount/cage Individual Individual 5-6 rabbit/group Individual Small (<2.5 kg) 75x60x40 75x60x40 75x60x40 75x35x40 Medium (2.5-4.5 kg) 80x75x45 80x75x45 80x75x45 80x50x45 Big (>4.5 kg) 90x80x50 90x80x50 90x80x50 90x60x50 5. Breeding outcome handling Several things that must be considered and must to do is : 1. Selection of the rabbit The rabbit must meet the standart or the minimal requirement. 2. Sanitation of the rabbit The rabbit must be cleaned without water, except the dirt that hard to clean with warm water, to avoid changes in the skin, and the rabbit as soon as possible to be dried. 3. Packaging of the rabbit The pack of the rabbit must meet the animal health and animal welfare. Be equipped with the information (label, leaflet or brochure) that contain place of origin, amount, age, sex, genealogy and identification number. 4. Carriage of the rabbit The carriage must meet the animal health and animal welfare. REFERENCES Kementrian Pertanian. 2011. Good Breeding Practice. hlm 31.