Increase Your Rabbit Production Rates

If you have a rabbit farm, or are even just seeking information before starting one, you will want to know how you can increase your rabbit production rates. Producing more kits per doe per year will allow you to get more out of your business and will help you be successful.

The first thing you will want to do to jumpstart your does in producing is to have them serviced for the first time around 18 weeks. Although they are not technically fully mature yet, studies have shown that this will cause them to be able to produce more litters per year on average than the doe who is serviced when older. As does get older, their production rates naturally slow down, and the overall health of the litters decreases, so be sure to keep an eye on your does and cull them when they're not producing as well as they should. Beyond this great way to get your does off to a great start, there are three methods used to ensure that does are more productive.

The method that allows for the maximum amount of rest for the doe and nursing for her kits is called the extensive reproduction rate. This method allows the doe to nurse and wean her litter until about 5 weeks, and then she is serviced again. Each doe will have 4 or 5 litters per year. This is the most common method used in the United States and the United Kingdom, and is great because it allows time for the doe to rest between litters, which will help her stay healthy and can help extend her reproductive life.

The method that still allows for a small rest after kindling is called the semi-intensive rate, and requires that does are very well fed and kept healthy. With this method, the doe is serviced 10 to 11 days after birth, which means the kits are weaned about the same time that she gives birth to her new litter. Does on this schedule will have an average of 8 litters every year. This method has been used in Europe for years, but care must be taken that the does do not get over-exhausted or undernourished.

The last method which is not preferred because it is harder on the rabbits and can add to cost is the intensive rate. With this method, does are serviced immediately after kindling. However, this means that the kits are weaned at just 4 weeks, and will require a lot more hay and pellets, which is more costly than the mother's milk. While it does increase your rabbit production rates, it increases overall cost per rabbit.

Alan B. Stables is a freelance writer on alternative agriculture, has organized alternative agriculture events and has also been a guest speaker in Brazil, China, Egypt, Italy, Latvia and Spain, on how to market agricultural produce for maximum returns. One of his major contributions is assisting people on how to start a rabbit farm. Raising rabbits for meat has enabled groups of low income earners obtain a cheap source of protein under self sustainability conditions.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com