Rabbit Production, 10th Edition

Cover
Dedication
Rabbit Production
Copyright
Contents
Preface
Appendix
1 Introduction
	History, Taxonomy, and  Domestication of the Rabbit
	Potential of the Rabbit for Meat and Fur Production
	Production of Pharmaceuticals
	Youth Programs
	Hobbies and Pets
	Laboratory Use
	Factors Limiting Rabbit Production
	Sources of Helpful Information
	A Rabbit by Any Other Name
	Further Reading
2 Rabbit Production Worldwide
	Europe
	The Americas
	Asia
	Australia and New Zealand
	Africa
	Future World Rabbit Production
	Rabbit Research Worldwide
	Further Reading
3 Rabbit Breeds
	Selecting a Breed
	Purchasing Breeding Stock
	Breeds of Rabbit
	Further Reading
4 The Rabbitry and Its Equipment
	Planning the Rabbitry
	The Rabbit Building
	Hutches and Cages
	Feeding Equipment
		Feeders
		Hay mangers
	Watering Equipment
	Nest Boxes
		Winter nest boxes
	Identification Equipment
	Feed and Utility Carts
	Other Equipment
	Further Reading
5 Rabbit Management
	Handling Rabbits
	Number of Bucks
	Age to Breed
	Breeding Schedule
	The Mating Process
	Gestation Period
	Factors Preventing Conception
		Sterility
		Physical condition
		Pseudopregnancy
		Sore hocks or injuries
		Retained fetus
	Determining Pregnancy
	Kindling
	Care of Young Litters
	Nest Box Management
	Fostering Young
	Causes of Losses in Young Litters
	Feeding the Doe after Kindling
	Weaning
	Determination of Sex
	Tattooing and Ear Tags
	Care of the Herd in Hot Weather
	Fur Chewing
	Other Causes of Hair Loss
	Sanitation
	Shedding or Molting
	Environmental Effects on Rabbit Performance
		Temperature
		Light
	Hypnosis
	Breeding Herd Replacements
	Herd Records
6 Economics and Financial Management
	Financing
	Expenses
		Buildings
		Equipment
		Breeding stock
		Feed
		Labor
		Miscellaneous expenses
	Income
	Cash Flow
	Further Reading
7 Principles of Rabbit Nutrition
	Nutrient Categories
		Protein
		Carbohydrates
		Fats
		Minerals
			Calcium and phosphorus
			Magnesium
			Potassium, sodium, and chlorine
			Sulfur
			Iron
			Copper
			Cobalt
			Manganese
			Zinc
			Iodine
			Selenium
		Vitamins
			Definition of a vitamin
			Units of vitamin measurement
			Fat-soluble vitamins
			Water-soluble vitamins
	Water
	Digestive Processes in the Rabbit
		Digestion and digestibility
			Protein digestion
			Carbohydrate digestion
			Fat digestion
			Digestion of minerals and vitamins
		Cecotrophy
	Feed Analysis
		Total digestible nutrients
		Information on a feed tag
	Relationships between Feed Manufacturers and Rabbit Raisers
	Further Reading
8 Feeds and Feeding
	Nutrient Requirements of Rabbits
	Composition of Feeds
		Roughages
			Clovers
			Grasses
			Green feeds and succulents
		Alfalfa
		Concentrates
			Grains
			Other energy sources
			Protein supplements
	Non-nutritive Feed Additives
		Antibiotics
		Probiotics (direct-fed microbials)
		Prebiotics
		Pellet binders
		Flavoring agents
		Salt
		Copper sulfate
		Yucca and quillaja
		Enzymes
	Feed Formulation, Preparation, and Processing
		Diet formulation
		Feed storage
		Feed requirements and feed conversion
		Feeding systems
		Creep feeding
		Examples of diet formulas
	Grazing Rabbits
	Orphan Litters
	Conditioning Show Rabbits
	Further Reading
9 Toxins in Feeds
	Goitrogens
	Gossypol
	Lectins (Hemagglutinins)
	Mimosine
	Mycotoxins
	Nitrates
	Oxalates
	Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids
	Saponins
	Trypsin Inhibitors
	Urea
	Poisonous Plants
	Herbal Remedies
	Agricultural Chemicals: Pesticides and Herbicides
	Further Reading
10 Rabbit Diseases and Health Problems
	General Considerations
	Quarantine
	Diagnosing Diseases
	Major Rabbit Diseases and Health Problems
		Pasteurellosis
		Snuffles (rhinitis)
		Pneumonia
		Abscesses
		Metritis and orchitis
		Wry neck
		Weepy eyes (conjunctivitis)
		Enteric diseases
			Enterotoxemia
			Mucoid enteropathy and Epizootic rabbit enteropathy
			Coccidiosis
			Tyzzer’s disease
		Mastitis
	Other Rabbit Diseases and Health Problems
		Bordetellosis
		Broken back
		Buphthalmia (congenital glaucoma)
		Cannibalism
		Colibacillosis
		Dystocia
		Ear mites
		Encephalitozoonosis
		Fibroma
		Heat prostration
		Hepatitis E
		Hutch burn
		Listeriosis
		Malocclusion
		Mange
		Moist dermatitis
		Myxomatosis
		Necrobacillosis
		Nest box death
		Papilloma
		Pinworms
		Pregnancy toxemia
		Pseudotuberculosis
		Rabbit hemorrhagic disease
		Rabbit pox
		Rabbit syphilis (venereal spirochetosis)
		Red urine
		Ringworm (dermatophytosis)
		Salmonellosis
		Sore hocks
		Splay leg
		Staphylococcosis
		Tapeworms
		Toxoplasmosis
		Trichobezoars (hairballs)
		Tularemia
		Urolithiasis
		Uterine adenocarcinoma
		Vitamin A deficiency
		Young doe syndrome
	Further Reading
11 Rabbit Reproduction
	The Male
		Organs of reproduction
		Spermatozoa
		Reproductive activity of the buck
	The Female
		Organs of reproduction
		Estrus and ovulation
		Pseudopregnancy
		Fertilization, implantation, and pregnancy
		Parturition and maternal care
		Lactation
	Artificial Insemination
	Winter Breeding Depression
	Embryo Transfer
	Cloning
	Further Reading
12 Rabbit Behavior
	Ethology: the Science of Behavior
	Domestication of Rabbits
	Behavior of Wild Rabbits
	Behavior of Domestic Rabbits
	Systems of Rabbit Behavior
		Ingestive behavior
			Feeding behavior
			Feeding problems and vices
			Drinking behavior
		Eliminative behavior
		Sexual behavior
		Maternal behavior
		Social behavior
		Shelter-seeking behavior
	Environmental Factors Affecting Behavior
	Further Reading
13 Principles of Rabbit Genetics
	Genes: the Basic Units of Inheritance
	Mendelian Genetics
	Other Basic Genetic Terms
	Gene Expression
	Further Reading
14 Breeding Systems
	Inbreeding
	Linebreeding
	Outcrossing
	Crossbreeding
		Hybrid vigor
		Breed complementation
	New Breed Development
	Random Mating
	Summary
	Further Reading
15 Genetic Selection for Herd Improvement
	Selection for Qualitative Traits
		Selection for desirable genes
		Selection against an undesirable gene
	Selection for Quantitative Traits
		The concept of heritability
		Indirect selection for lowly heritable traits
		Direct selection for moderately to highly heritable traits
		Selection practices for fanciers
		Selection practices for Angora breeders
	Recordkeeping
	Computers as an Aid to Genetic Selection
	Further Reading
16 Coat Color Genetics of Rabbits
	Classification of Major Coat Color Genes
		A series
		B series
		C series
		D series
		E series
	Coat Pattern Genes
		Dutch white spotting
		English white spotting
		Silvering
		Viennese white
		Wide band
	Modifier Genes
	Coat Structural Genes
		Angora
		Furless
		Rex
		Satin
		Waved
	Coat Color Breeding Schemes
		Simple gene introduction
		Multiple gene introduction
		Multiple gene recombination for producing new varieties
	Further Reading
17 Rabbit Shows
	Preparation of Rabbits for Shows
	Shipping Show Rabbits
	Judging and Showing
	Registering Rabbits
	Further Reading
18 Pet Rabbits
	Introduction
	House Training
	Nutrition
	Health
	Further Reading
19 Animal Welfare
	Further Reading
20 Rabbits for Family and Small Farm Development
	Rabbits as a Family Activity
		Family food production
		Youth development
		Other benefits
	Integrating Rabbit Production on the Family Farm
	Diversifying Rabbit Production on the Family Farm
	Market Development
	Further Reading
21 Rabbit Production in Developing Countries
	Cages and Equipment
	Feeding and Management
	Special Problems in Tropical Rabbit Production
		Heat stress
		Zoonoses
		Tsetse fly
	Rabbits as Pests
	Agencies Involved in International Development of Rabbit Production
	Further Reading
22 Angora Wool Production
	Wool Coat Growth
	Wool Yields
	Management
	Wool Block (Gastric Stasis)
	Equipment for Grooming and Wool Harvesting
	Removal of Wool
		Plucking
		Shearing or clipping
	Care of Shorn Rabbits
	Grading and Storing Angora Wool
	Home-spinning of Angora Wool
	Further Reading
23 Meat Production
	Fryers
	Stewers
	Nutritional Properties of Rabbit Meat
	Alternative Systems of Commercial Rabbit Production
	Further Reading
24 Harvesting and Preparation of Meat and Skins
	Meat
	Skins
		Curing
		Tanning skins for home use
		Salt–acid process
		Salt–alum process
	Further Reading
25 Marketing Rabbits and Their Products
	Rabbit Meat
	Breeding Stock
	Laboratory Stock
	Skins
	Pharmaceuticals
	Angora Wool
	Fur Crafts
	Pets
	Fertilizers
	Worms
Glossary
Index
Back_Cover