What is the common feed for rabbits?
Rabbits eat what we call mills like the poultry. They eat confounded feeds, though this is not being produced specifically for rabbits, but we are hoping that with time industries would begin to produce mills or mesh for rabbits that farmers can buy. Rabbits eat so many things like forages of different kinds; like carrot […]
Rabbits eat what we call mills like the poultry. They eat confounded feeds, though this is not being produced specifically for rabbits, but we are hoping that with time industries would begin to produce mills or mesh for rabbits that farmers can buy. Rabbits eat so many things like forages of different kinds; like carrot tops or groundnut hums or coffee tops. The leaves of these crops can be given to rabbits. They also eat ‘dusa’ (maize or sorghum tops). They also eat soybeans residues, which can be mixed with ‘dusa’. A farmer can also give his rabbits ‘kanzon tuwo‘ (what is left in the pot after ‘tuwo’ is taken up), as long as it did not decay. When you pill your yam or potato and other pills from household, you can give them to your rabbits, provided they are not contaminated. Of course, there are grasses, legumes and others.
What are the best practices in rearing rabbits?
When we talk about good management, it implies feeding your animals correctly by giving them mesh, that is chicken mesh, and the other items I mentioned above. Cleaning their house regularly is another best practice. In terms of feeding, you can give them the mesh in the morning and groundnut. Rabbits are like rats, so, they require things like forages and grasses that would help them cut back their teeth so that the teeth would not continue to grow. It is advisable however that you give them forage in the evening or in the night, especially during hot season. A farmer has to also ensure that his rabbits do not waste his feeds, because feed is about 70-80 per cent of the production cost. A farmer also has to give his rabbits clean, not dirty, water in the morning, especially. He shouldn’t also allow water on the ground; therefore he has to be cleaning their house regularly so that the place would be dry always so that he doesn’t have pathogens. Pathogens are like disease-causing organisms. The farmer should also ensure that rats and cats don’t have access to his rabbits’ house. Movement of people around rabbits’ house should also be restricted. If they are ill, a farmer should invite expert to treat his rabbits. These are part of what we call good management of rabbits.
Professor Grace Iyegbe-Erakpotobor is of Swine and Rabbit Research unit, formerly the head of rabbit research unit before it was merged with swine, in the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), Zaria.