For breeders aiming for a robust rabbitry, understanding and implementing an intensive breeding program is key to maximizing production, especially when dealing with meat rabbits or show stock. This approach, while demanding, can lead to significant success.
Understanding Rabbit Reproduction Cycles
The gestation period for rabbits is approximately 30 days, though this can vary slightly. If a doe does not produce kits by around 30 days post-breeding, it’s recommended to breed her again promptly. Once kits are born, a doe can be bred back successfully as early as three days after giving birth, a biological adaptation driven by their position at the bottom of the food chain and the need for rapid reproduction. This rapid breeding cycle is a significant factor in why rabbit populations can explode when introduced to new environments without natural predators, as seen in Australia’s historical struggle with introduced rabbits that devastated the farming economy and native wildlife.
Implementing an Intensive Breeding Program
A successful intensive breeding program requires meticulous attention to detail and optimized conditions. In a semi-commercial setting, does can be bred back when their kits are as young as 6 weeks old. It is crucial to palpate the does around day 10 of pregnancy to confirm they are indeed pregnant. The doe can then be separated from her kits at 8 weeks, with her being moved to a cage adjacent to her litter. This proximity allows the kits to continue feeding and growing while the doe prepares for her next litter, typically resulting in a two-week interval between litters. This timeline can be further optimized to a four-week interval after kindling, with palpation at 10 days and doe removal at 6 weeks. Maintaining a higher protein percentage in the feed for nursing does is essential to provide the necessary nutrition for milk production. Breeding does are generally rotated out of the program around 2.5 years of age, or when litter sizes begin to decrease or conception rates drop.
Infrastructure and Sorting for Quality Stock
Running an intensive program necessitates adequate infrastructure, including sufficient cage space and diligent record-keeping. A rabbitry with around 120 “holes” might utilize 36″ x 30″ hanging cages for breeding bucks and does, and 24″ x 24″ cages for “grower cages” for potential show-quality rabbits. Rabbits not selected for show or breeding are typically sold for slaughter. Sorting is a critical process, often occurring at 8 weeks of age. Rabbits deemed “just OK” are sold for meat, while keepers are tattooed and moved to individual grower cages. Any rabbits that are not exceptional, even if deemed “OK” by some, should be culled to maintain high standards. A second sorting occurs at 3 months of age, with any remaining culls sold privately for meat or processed for personal consumption. Rabbits selected at 3 months are moved to 36″ x 30″ breeder cages.
Show Standards and Lifespan
The show standard for rabbits is largely based on the quality of the carcass, emphasizing meat placement. This focus ensures that breeding stock retained for sale or future programs are of the highest quality. Rabbits selected at 3 months may be entered into shows, sold as breeders, or kept for the breeding program. Does should ideally enter production no later than 8 months of age, and often achieve their championship status by this time. While some does might continue to develop, it has been observed that retaining them for breeding beyond 11-12 months can negatively impact their reproductive performance. Bucks, on the other hand, can remain in the show circuit and breed successfully for longer, sometimes up to 4-5 years, compared to does whose productive breeding life is typically around 2 years. This highlights the relatively short “shelf life” of rabbits in terms of peak performance, reinforcing the need for a well-managed breeding program.
Do not keep your doe back from breeding if she does not kindle around the expected date. Immediately rebreed her. Your buck will settle down and learn his trade after several successful breedings. A rabbit doe’s breeding life is about 2 years. A buck can breed successfully up to 4 or 5 years.
