Rabbit/Fur Farming | Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science Optional for UPSC PDF Download

Rabbit Meat Production

Introduction

• Rabbit farming in the Tropics primarily focuses on meat production, with skins and manure as by-products.
• Efficient treatment of rabbit products can significantly enhance the profitability of rabbit farming.

Care and Management

• Slaughter:
  • Rabbits are typically slaughtered for meat in Europe and America at around 2 kg between two and three months old.
  • In the tropics, rabbits are slaughtered at varying weights (1.2 to 3.0 kg) and ages (two to six months) due to local preferences, rabbit types, feeding standards, and management practices.
  • Methods of slaughter include administering a blow to the head or dislocating the neck to ensure minimal stress and meat quality.
• Skinning:
  • A sharp, clean knife is essential for skinning rabbits.
  • Skinning process involves careful cutting and removal of the skin to preserve meat quality.
• Preparation of the Carcass:
  • After skinning, the carcass is prepared by removing internal organs like stomach, intestines, and bladder.
  • Special care is taken to separate the gall bladder to prevent bile contamination of the meat.
  • The carcass can be left whole or segmented into joints based on preference.
• Utilization of Rabbit Meat and By-products
  • Processing of Rabbit Carcass

    When preparing rabbit meat for consumption:

    • Ensure carcass cleanliness by removing fur, dirt, and blood stains with cold water.
    • Avoid using cloths to prevent contamination spread.
    • Store the carcass in a cool, fly-free place overnight before refrigerating or freezing for longer storage.
  • Disposal and Utilization of Fur and Wool

    Regarding fur and wool by-products:

    • Low-quality skins from young rabbits can be cured, smoked, or used for home purposes.
    • The curing process involves drying the skin over a wire stretcher, scraping off fat, and chemical treatment.
    • Alum tanning can transform skins into leather; a homemade tanning method involves specific chemical solutions and procedures.
    • Prepared skins can be used to create mats or rugs, but note that alum tanning does not produce waterproof leather.
  • Utilization of Rabbit Manure

    Rabbit manure can be effectively utilized as fertilizer:

    • Self-cleaning wire cages allow for the collection of clear manure, which can be used directly or processed further.
    • Composting is a common method involving layering vegetable matter and rabbit manure alternately, maintaining moisture and adding soil at the top.
    • Liquid manure and dry manure processing methods are also viable options for utilizing rabbit manure effectively.
  • Grading of Wool

    Wool from rabbits is graded based on quality parameters:

    • Quality assessment involves parameters like softness, loftiness, bulkiness, and yield.
    • Precise evaluation requires measuring physical properties such as fiber diameter, guard hair content, and mechanical properties like texture and breaking load.

Summary and Elaboration of Textile Fibre Properties

1. Total Wool Weight and Yield

• Total weight of wool: 215 grams
• Yield

2. Guard Hair Characteristics

• Guard hair length: 98 centimeters
• Guard hair diameter: 59.26 microns
• Staple length: 5.06-6.75 centimeters
• Medullation percentage: 70-90%
• Pure fiber percentage

3. Mechanical Properties of Angora Fiber

• Fiber breaking strength: 4.9 to 5.9 grams
• Fiber elasticity: 26.2-31.6%
• Linear density texture: 0.15 to 0.92 grams
• Fiber breaking load: 1.92-10.7 grams (dry), 1.4-7.2 grams (wet)
• Tenacity/Texture: 7.8-8.7 grams (wet), 11.6-12.5 grams (dry)
• Percentage elongation: 3.8 to 5.24% (dry), 6.5-54% (wet)

Textile fibers have varying characteristics that impact their quality and utility in different applications. For instance, the total weight of wool, along with its yield, determines the efficiency of wool production. Guard hair, with its specific length and diameter, plays a crucial role in the overall texture and quality of the fiber. Additionally, mechanical properties such as breaking strength, elasticity, and tenacity are vital considerations for assessing the durability and performance of fibers like Angora.

Understanding these properties is essential for textile practitioners to select the most suitable fibers for specific products. For example, fibers with higher breaking strength are preferred for applications requiring robustness, while those with greater elasticity are ideal for stretchable fabrics. These characteristics directly influence the end product's quality and performance in various scenarios.