Rabbit raising technology

Author: Gu Zilin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-04-01
Features: Rabbit farming is a traditional industry in China with a long history and a broad public foundation. In recent years, the industry has developed rapidly and shown new trends and characteristics. First, the breeding areas have been continuously expanding. In addition to some traditional rabbit breeding bases such as Shandong, Sichuan, Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and the three provinces in the northeast, which still maintain a fast development pace, some provinces with minimal or relatively backward rabbit farming, such as Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Yunnan, Fujian, and Hainan, have also demonstrated strong growth momentum. Second, the farming workforce has been growing. In the past, rabbit farming was primarily considered a project for poverty alleviation and wealth creation in impoverished areas, mainly farmed by farmers. Now, some more developed suburban areas also pay great attention to rabbit farming, especially with laid-off workers becoming active participants. Third, the domestic consumption of rabbit meat has been continuously increasing. In the past, it relied heavily on exports, with domestic consumption being negligible. With the deepening of reform and opening-up and the continuous improvement of people's living standards as well as the demand for high-end meat products (high protein, low fat, and low cholesterol), rabbit meat has become increasingly popular among Chinese consumers. Especially with the development of rabbit meat processing industries and the emergence of high-quality new products such as canned rabbit meat, sausages, meat floss, smoked rabbits, and braised rabbits, domestic consumption has been boosted. Fourth, the farming level has been continuously improving, mainly reflected in the following aspects: A. The emergence of large-scale rabbit farms, although China's rabbit farming is still dominated by farmers with small and medium-sized scales, some large-scale and high-end (with higher standards) rabbit farms are becoming increasingly common; B. The breeding of new breeds such as the Taihang rabbit, the Beibei rabbit, the Harbin white rabbit, the Anyang gray rabbit, and the Hebei large-ear yellow rabbit, as well as the introduction of some from abroad such as the Brittany, Zica, and Embre. C. The development of new technological achievements and their application and promotion in production, such as vaccines (rabbit hemorrhagic disease,), complete pelleted feed, granulated feed, high-efficiency feed additives, artificial insemination, modern cages, and related supporting technologies; D. The emergence of dragon enterprises integrating production, processing, and sales, with some economically powerful companies participating in rabbit farming, providing strong conditions for upgrading and improving the industry. From the above, it can be seen that China's rabbit farming industry is in a transitional period from extensive to intensive, from scattered to large-scale, from household sideline to professional, and from traditional to scientific. During this period, advanced theories and technologies are particularly important for accelerating this transition. Therefore, we have compiled the book "Rabbit Farming Technology" to meet the needs of. In the compilation process, we have summarized the experience of the compilers in teaching, research, and production of rabbit farming over the years, as well as absorbed advanced technological achievements from China and abroad in recent years. It includes both the compilers' personal practices and the rich and specific typical experiences of farmers. The content is rich, the language is simple, focusing on practical and applicable technologies, with minimal theoretical discussions, making it highly operational. It is suitable for enthusiasts and grassroots animal husbandry and veterinary technicians for learning and reference.