Rabbit Production

Rabbit Production & Processing S.A.E. Project

By: Morgan Stewart

S.A.E. Completion: August 2015

This S.A.E. project was part of my junior year Advanced AgriScience Class. I have been involved with raising various animals and worms through my 3 years with FFA and the Alcona County 4-H; which I have been a member for 5 years. My major project during the past few years has been raising rabbits as meat pens for sale at the Alcona Junior Livestock Club Market Sale at the Alcona County Fair.

I purchased a Black New Zealand rabbit in June of 2013 for $40.00; with hopes that I would be able to purchase a White New Zealand rabbit at the fair. My Black New Zealand is a pedigreed rabbit and its ancestry has taken 3 legs in various ARBA competitions. I was fortunate enough to purchase a White New Zealand rabbit, which is not pedigreed, at the fair for $20.00.

Both the rabbits, having been housed at my home since their purchase, were brought into the Alcona FFA AgriScience Shop on January 24, 2014. The purpose of bringing the rabbits into the school is to educate AgriScience students and FFA members on rabbit production and processing. On February 4, 2014 the rabbits were mated with an estimated kindling date (the date the baby rabbits or kits will be born) of March 4-7, 2014. The gestation period for a rabbit is 28-31 days.

Being this will be the New Zealand’s first litter, I am hoping she will produce enough litter to give a diverse group of kits in regards to their variety (fur color and patterns). I am hoping she will produce some black and/or white varieties and agouti; which is a mixture of black and white in a pattern.

As of February 4, 2014 both rabbits have been thriving with the buck being removed from the AgriScience Shop to make room for the incoming kits.

On March 10-12, 2014, I realized that the runt of the litter had not gained any weight and remained at 1.5oz. The other kits gained substantial weight, with the largest breaking 4 ounces. It was decided that I would let the runt feed alone by bringing the doe out three times a day, holding it on its back and allowing the runt to feed. I came to the conclusion that the larger kits were not allowing the runt to feed. Within 3 days the runt had broken the 2.8oz mark. I decided to bring all the rabbits, doe and kits, home for the weekend. They were all brought home the weekend of March 14, 2014. The morning of the 15th one of the larger kits, a white one, was missing. After searching everywhere I determined that the doe had eaten the kit. I am now down to 9 kits. I researched why a rabbit would eat her own kit as this is the first time in 5 years that this has happened to me and learned the following at DebMarkRabbit Education Resource website:

"That people that raise a lot of rabbits occasionally come across a doe that eats her young. If this is her first or second litter, she may be forgiven for “she knoweth not what she doeth”. (This is Nevaeh’s first litter) But if she eats babies with each litter, there's no sense in breeding her anymore. There is no known cause or cure. The problem is that rabbits do not have the same motherly instinct as dogs or cats who will protect their young. Some does will simply neglect their young and let them die. The majority of does, however, once they get the knack of things, will take care of their babies to the extent that their limited instinct will allow them. For instance, baby rabbits must remain in their nest box and not come out of it until they're ready because the mother will not take them back into the box.

As far as any rabbit eating a baby rabbit, sometimes it will think that a baby rabbit is a mouse or something and destroy it. Sometimes stress may cause a rabbit to eat its young. Some think that there is something lacking in the diet. In case this is so, offer some alfalfa hay occasionally. If the doe eats the babies as she is giving birth, I think it is because she doesn't know what is coming out of her and will eat the babies as she would her afterbirth. This is caused by inexperience being a mother, though, and she should be given another opportunity. In any case, do not tolerate a doe eating the young after her second or third litter." -Dr. Mark Waldo

As of today, March 15, 2014, the remaining 9 kits are doing very well and gaining weight. The doe is also doing well and I am watching to see if there is anymore canabalism over the next couple weeks. If there is the doe will be kept from the kits and the kits will be fed by her separately as the runt is.

S.A.E. Project Expenses: