my herd report:

[Diamond]

so, it all started with a few meat rabbits (have you heard these words before?)

Over the past 3 years, they evolved into a passion. I had the space, time and money to invest in raising New Zealand rabbits, which come in several color varieties..... so I had to have some of each kind.... and so the story goes. Most months, the rabbits pay their feed bill. But I will testify, the profit in raising rabbits is not monetary! It has gained relationships with the community, some great friends, a delicious source of protein, a reason to not sit on my butt all winter long, and an enjoyable diversion from the grim realities of life as we know it.

Since my numbers are fairly large (not commercial large, but hobby-out-of-control large) there was a steep learning curve involving rabbit health, disease causes, prevention and treatment. I am a registered nurse, so epidemiology is a pet of mine and I always want answers when faced with any type of rabbit health concern.

Mucoid enteritis (bloat) made its first appearance in late summer 2013 and has been a nasty child. Only weanlings are affected by it, but I went for years without any problems at all..... Much research, and finally veterinary intervention with necropsy and diagnosis of coccidiosis. I had already suspected this as the causative factor but the "Over the Counter" amprolium (Corid) was not eradicating the problem, simply minimizing it.

And so, in order for my vet to prescribe sulfa antibiotics to treat the herd, I had to do a head count.......

And here are the humbling numbers. Before reading on, you are asking - has treatment worked? Well, currently I have weaned 3 litters without mucoid enteritis symptoms showing up. I think that's a promising sign.....


• 12-13 pound Senior Rabbits: 13

• 10-11 pound Senior Rabbits: 15

• 8-9 pound Intermediate Rabbits: 23

• 6-7 pound Junior Rabbits: 9

• 5-6 pound Junior Rabbits: 8

• 4-5 Pound Weanlings: 20

• 3-4 Pound Weanlings: 12

• Kits 3-6 Weeks (under 2 pounds): 30

• Kits Under 3 Weeks (in nestbox/ nursing): 18


I keep telling myself I need to cut down. But each of my rabbits are so beautiful, and so full of potential, and share certain traits that I am striving for.... and I love happy little baby bunnies (the enteritis was just heartbreaking and depressing to go through, watching thos happy little baby bunnies suffer and die)...... and the local demand for quality, pedigreed breeding stock is very strong; about 33% of each litter gets to live on as a breeder. And I love rabbit for dinner; as much as I admire these adorable creatures I find them delicious to eat Someday I will probably go copletely soft and let them all out of their cages to hop freely about the world...... but I have not gone that far over the edge, just yet :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop:

 

[Ramjet]

I think this is a recurring theme around here .... I started with three just to have enough to eat , now I have 148.

Its called Rabbitosis. You are obviously highly contagious.


I wish I had room for that many .... My wife would kill me , she already thinks I'm crazy with ~20 and says its embarrassing. She thinks no animals were hurt in producing the meat at the grocery store .... & being self sufficient is odd.

 

[PSFAngoras]

Someday I'd love to be able to have more numbers, but at this moment DH won't let me take over the shed, so I only have 15 cages . I don't know if I can handle grooming too many more angoras, but I'd love to add both good quality standard rex and American chinchillas to my herd. And of course my new (not so) little NZR doe has turned into an absolute love, So I probably wouldn't mind expanding there, either!

Luckily, DH doesn't mind the rabbits in the least though, and I usually catch him out with the rabbits about that time when the adorable little fuzz balls start climbing out of the nest box. It was a bit of a struggle at first to make him see the logic in having so many rabbits, and the rabbits are still my deal, but he is understanding and supportive of my addiction now.

 

[michaels4gardens]

once upon a time, I started with 3 rabbits, and somehow got up to 100 does,
and was selling to a live market, -- but-- now I am over that phaze-- I have 12 does, and a small market, when the market expands -- so will I.

 

[skysthelimit]

I'm so glad you found success with managing the ME. Several of us have had it this summer, it wiped out 80% of my spring/summer growout and 4 adults, and the Corrid did nothing to help. I wound up using the sulpha drug, and the scours meds for cows, and your diagnosis would confirm why it worked.

I am pretty far down in numbers, I don't think I will every get that high again Does that have 8-12 kits at a time don't help.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I start off with meat breeds.. At one time i had over 200 rabbits ... then went down to 60 .. then down to one.. Miss them allot and now i start a different breed ... i start with them with three.. now i am over 25 ... that i have to brush... sometimes i wonder what the heck am i doing.. and well, they are still here

 

[Ramjet]

once upon a time, I started with 3 rabbits, and somehow got up to 100 does,
and was selling to a live market, -- but-- now I am over that phaze-- I have 12 does, and a small market, when the market expands -- so will I.

I cant sell a rabbit to save my life here in Houston .... need to explore options other than Craiglist but I don't know where in the world to begin.


3 rabbits turning into .... 100 does Good Grief Charlie Brown you had a BAD case of Rabbitosis.

 

[Diamond]

I'm so glad you found success with managing the ME. Several of us have had it this summer, it wiped out 80% of my spring/summer growout and 4 adults, and the Corrid did nothing to help. I wound up using the sulpha drug, and the scours meds for cows, and your diagnosis would confirm why it worked.

I am pretty far down in numbers, I don't think I will every get that high again Does that have 8-12 kits at a time don't help.

the amprolium (Corid) is supposed to be a coccidostat, but it really doesn't work that well.... the mucoid enteritis is frustrating, because it is a 'symptom' more than an illness of its own; which is why it really comes down to either a lot of trial and error with feed store brand medications or a necropsy and isolating the causative organism.

Since the Corid did reduce the percentage of enteritis symptoms I will continue to use it prophylactically at weaning time for the next month or two, and then run some pilot groups of kits without it to see if the coccidiosis has truely resolved.

 

[michaels4gardens]

once upon a time, I started with 3 rabbits, and somehow got up to 100 does,
and was selling to a live market, --
In California there was a slaughter house in Oakland area [maybe still is] they were paying #1.60 /lb,[4 to 5 lb whites] and 10 to 15 cents less for colored rabbits, - rabbit food was $ 0.10 1/2 cents /lb-- it was a good thing.
I had a pig farm,with 150 sows, and a little over 100 does, and a Asian Chicken market. --it worked for money and raising Boys, --when it got in the way of raising Boys, I got rid of it..
Now my market is seasonal, and most of it goes to restaurants-
If you can make friends with a chef, -who is a real chef [not a heat -and-eat chef]
they have to pay $30 to $40, for a rabbit, -- if you can sell them a rabbit ready to cook [and maybe brined]for $10, to $20 they can get interested.

 

[Peach]

It's funny how a small handful grow into more My BF of 3 years got me my first rabbit my senior year of highschool, and now I'm hooked! 1 turned into 28 holes LOL With babies, I can bump my number up quite a bit, but I probably won't expand again until after college out in a more rural area. (As I've asked for a downpayment on my future home as my college gift) My dream rabbitry will have 50 holes. I'm just glad I have a hobby I love, I get up every day for, and it keeps me out of trouble!

It's great that you were able to get the enteritis under control!