Environmental and housing systems for rabbit

Like other livestock species, rabbits need protection from adverse environmental conditions. This includes protection from predators. While ample sunlight and ventilation are important, extremes of both may well limit production. Air quality is of major concern in the control of respiratory diseases, such as pasteurellosis and pneumonia. Under controlled experimental regimens, Stephen (1981) and Poujardieu and Matheron (1984) investigated varying temperature and humidity stress effects on growth and feeding performances of rabbit fryers. Stephen (1981) observed optimal productivity at 18°C (versus 5° and 30°C) and 70 percent humidity (versus 60 and 80 percent) of 37.4 g average daily gain and 4.23 feed efficiency values.

It is established that high ambient temperatures can cause infertility in breeding rabbits, bucks being more sensitive than does, and 30°C is considered the threshold point beyond which infertility may result. A number of practical measures for alleviating heat stress have been documented by Cheeke et al. (1987); these include providing cool water, ample shade, evaporation cooling, appropriate housing design and placement, and the use of young and potent bucks.

The rabbit's basic shelter needs are modest. It is fortuitous that a variety of locally available building materials used in the construction of simple sheds, hutches, nest boxes, hay racks and feeding and watering equipment are generally abundant in tropical developing countries. Suitable shelter for rabbits can be made in an outdoor shed, veranda or spare room, or a complete hutch (cage with roof and siding) can be constructed. Shed designs should be of a narrow width (less than 6 m) with open sides to facilitate natural ventilation. The run of the shed can be of any length and the height can be designed with a chimney effect to provide cooling through natural air movement (Cheeke et al., 1987). In semi-desert regions where wood is scarce or costly, rabbit shelters can be constructed with mud and grass thatch (Owen, 1981). The rabbit dome concept- an underground earthen shelter which offers relief from high daytime temperatures - is used in arid areas (Gentry, 1983; Finzi, Scappini and Tani, 1988). However, floor-rearing systems of rabbit production, common in the Near East, however, are usually associated with an increased incidence of parasitism (coccidiosis) as a result of direct floor contamination.

Hutches can be of various shapes. Durable and inexpensive building materials include bamboo, raffia palm, "bush sticks", woven wood straps, bricks or mortar (McNitt, 1980; Owen, 1981; Cheeke, 1983; Lukefahr and Goldman, 1985). Each breeding doe unit requires a cage floor area of lless than 1 m², while each fryer unit requires from 0.05 to 0.10 m². Regardless of the construction material used, the hutch should be kept clean and comfortable under the direct control of the farmer.

Similarly, accessory equipment-hay racks, nest boxes, salt and feeding and watering containers - can be made from a diversity of products, including such refuse items as bottles and tins. Nest boxes made of wood, clay, metal and basket materials are useful for accommodating young litters and they should be supplied with fine-stemmed grass hay, cotton, shredded paper, wood shavings or similar insulatory material to enhance litter survival. Feeding and watering equipment must be readily accessible, voluminous and regularly cleaned. Clean water should always be available.

Rabbit losses caused by predators and thieves are a common threat to farmers. Proven control measures include sturdy, well-designed hutches; a protective fence; a guard dog; the close proximity of the rabbitry to the compound; the installment of noisy alarms such as bells, chimes and gongs, spring-loaded rodent-traps, locks and native taboo deterrents.