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CALIFORNIA WHITE

General Information

They produces high amount of meat percentage. They are short, broad and sturdy. They have white skin color but their nose, ears, feet and tail is either black or dark grey in color.

Fodder

Rabbit can feed on all types of grains such as sorghum, bajra and other legumes and green fodder such as carrot and cabbage leaves, Lucerne etc. Fresh and clean water should be available all the time to the rabbits. The teeth of rabbit grows continuously therefore it requires both type of feeds i.e. concentrate and green fodder. 1kg rabbit requires 40gm of concentrated feed and 40gm of green fodder per day. Rabbits take their feed only at day time. The concentrate feed should be given in the form of pellets by making small balls of it. The feed should be given according to the size and weight of the rabbit as given below:
•    Adult male rabbit having weight of approximately 4-5kg should be given 100gm of concentrate feed and 250gm of green fodder per day.
•    Adult female rabbit having weight of approximately 4-5kg should be given 100gm of concentrate feed and 300gm of green fodder per day.
•    Lactating and pregnant rabbit having weight of approximately 4-5kg should be given 150gm of concentrate feed and 150gm of green fodder per day.
•    Young rabbits having weight of approximately 0.6-0.7kg should be given 50-75gm of concentrate feed and 150gm of green fodder per day.

Some other important consideration on feeding:
•    Both types of feeds are given in equal amount. Don’t feed rabbits only concentrate feed.
•    For good succulent feed give them vegetables such as green grass, turnip, lucerne, spinach, berseem etc.
•    Kitchen waste such as carrot and cauliflower leaves should be given in the feed.
•    The feed of does should be increased after 5-7 days of kindling.
•    Clean and fresh water must be available all time in all seasons.
 

Care of the breed

Shelter and care: The temperature between 10-20oC and humidity between 55-65% is suitable for rabbit farming. Three types of housing systems can be made for rising rabbits i.e. hutch system, cage system and floor system. In cage system the cages are made up of wooden or galvanized wire mesh, in hutch system it contains self-contained cage with roof on the top which can be moved from one place to another and in floor system the floor is covered with litter material.  

Care of nursing does:
The nursing does are kept in separate cages. The noon meal of stale bread and milk should be included with morning and evening meal. After birth of kits the doe is shifted to peaceful place where there is no disturbance of dogs and children.
 
Care of new born kits: The newborn kits are blind and hairless. Their hair starts growing in 4th day and they open their eyes after 10th day. When the kits are around 21-23 days old they start coming out of the nest and start nibbling and when the kits are around 1 month old they start taking proper feed.

Recommended vaccines:

•    Combined vaccination of RMD and Myxomatosis is given to 5 weeks old rabbit. This vaccination is given at the interval of 1 year.
•    Vaccination of RHD2 is given after every 6-12 months. The RHD2 vaccination is given 2 weeks apart from RMD and Myxomatosis vaccination.

Diseases and Treatment

•    Pasteurellosis: The symptoms are pneumonia, rise in temperature, respiratory disease and sneezing. The disease is more susceptible in young rabbits.
Treatment: Penicillin LA4 or streptomycin injection @0.5gm should be given for 3-5 days to treat this disease.

 



•    Mastitis: It is the bacterial disease which is caused by Streptococcus. The symptoms are bluish tinge on breast area as a result they do not allow kits to suckle.
Treatment: Dose of penicillin LA3, streptomycin or other antibiotic medicine should be given for 3-5 days in early stage.

 

 



•    Myxomatosis: It is mainly spread through rabbit fleas and mosquitos. The symptoms are oedema of ears, anal, genital orifices and eye lids.
Treatment: No effective treatment is there. Antibiotics are given to avoid secondary infection.

 


•    Coccidiosis: The symptoms are bloody diarrhea.
Treatment: Sulpha drugs (sulphamerazine sodium (0.2%), sulfa cuina kislin (0.05-0.1%)) or nitrofurazone (0.5-2gm/kg of weight) is given to treat this disease.

 

 


•    Mucoid entropathy: The symptoms are diarrhea and dehydration.
Treatment: No effective treatment is there. Antibiotics are given to avoid secondary infection.

 

 

 


•    Ear canker: The symptoms are shaking of head, crust in ear and scratching of ears with legs.
Treatment: First remove the crusts and then clear the ears and then benzyl benzoate should be applied for 3-4 days.

 



•    Body mange and ringworm:
The symptoms are falling of hairs from nose and ears.
Treatment: First remove the crusts and then clear the ears and then benzyl benzoate should be applied for 3-4 days.

 

 

•    Sore Hock: The symptoms are loss of weight, anorexia and stilled movements.
Treatment: Ointments containing zinc and iodine and ammonium acetate solution@0.2% is given to treat sore hock.