O level Notes : Agriculture - Small livestock production - Rabbits
The final stages of livestock production involve processing of the animals and products into an attractive and acceptable packaged product on the market. Farmers’ income is generated from the sale of value added products through processing.
The final stages of livestock production involve processing of the animals and products into an attractive and acceptable packaged product on the market. Farmers’ income is generated from the sale of value added products through processing. When small livestock such as rabbits, indigenous chicken breeds and off layers are slaughtered, the carcasses are dressed, cleaned and packaged. Rabbit skins are also processed for the jacket industries as fur for coats.
Eggs are important products from layers. Before they are sold or supplied to the market, the eggs are picked, cleaned, graded according to colour or size and packed in crates and packaged in boxes for transportation. Careful and correct handling of animal products such as eggs, pelts and meat is very important in maintaining quality products that fetch better prices. It is important for the farmer to keep and maintain physical and financial records for livestock production. These records will help in decision making and in making necessary adjustments in management of production.
Rabbits
Rabbits are small livestock kept by farmers mainly for their cholesterol-free meat and pelts (skins). Slaughtering and dressing of the rabbits should be done in such a way that the final product is attractive and presentable.
Slaughtering of rabbits
When killing a rabbit, you should not subject it to pain and suffering. The rabbit should be killed quickly so that it does not experience pain. The rabbit to be slaughtered should not be given food for twelve hours before being killed to prevent spoiling the carcass with undigested food in the stomach. The rabbits to be killed should be given water only so that they do not lose weight nor suffer from dehydration.
Methods of slaughtering rabbits
There are three methods of stunning rabbits, namely stunning, neck dislocation by hand twisting and electric stunning.
Stunning methods
Animals are life forms and should be killed in a humane way. Stunning is a process that makes an animal lose consciousness and is brought into a state of shock. Stunning is done so that livestock animals can be killed calmly without experiencing much pain and making any sounds.
Hitting back of head with a heavy stick
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Stunning of rabbit by hitting the back of the head This stunning method is done by hitting the rabbit behind the head with a heavy stick so that it dies without experiencing much pain. Hold the rabbit comfortably and place it on a hard surface, such as a table or on the floor. The ears are held forward by one hand and then it is struck heavily once on the head behind ears. Once the rabbit is struck, it suddenly loses consciousness, therefore it can be killed without struggling or experiencing any pain.Then cut off the head of the rabbit to allow bleeding to occur. Suspend the dead rabbit with the neck down so that blood drains down.
Stunning through neck dislocation by hand
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Stunning rabbit through neck dislocation by hand The rabbit is held comfortably and kept calm. Place it on the table. Hold both hindquarters legs and neck.
The neck is pulled and twisted. This makes killing the rabbit humane. The rabbit dies without struggling and squealing.After stunning the rabbit, cut the throat and hang the rabbit with the head downwards to allow bleeding and blood to drain out.
Stunning by electrocution
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Stunning rabbit by electrocution
The rabbit is brought into a state of shock by using electricity. Electric current flow is put to the rabbit. This will shock the rabbit. The rabbit is then killed quickly by cuuting of the jagualar vein on the neck using a sharp knife. This stunning method requires well trained personnel with technical knowledge of how to stun and kill rabbits. After killing, the throat of the rabbit should be cut off completely and the rabbit should be hung by its back legs with the neck downwards so that blood drains out. The skin should be peeled off, from the hind down to the neck, while the carcass is still warm.
Dressing a rabbit
The slaughtered rabbit should be skinned immediately after bleeding when the body is still warm.
•• Make two cuts inside each hind leg then pull and peel off the skin starting from rear legs.
•• Skinning is done using a knife. Make a slit 10cm to 15cm long at the belly of the skinned rabbit and
•• Remove the entrails, heart and the gall bladder from the meat because bile makes meat bitter.
•• Wash the dressed rabbit and hang it so that water drains from it.
•• Stretch the pelt (rabbit skin) on a flat surface to dry.
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Evisceration of a rabbit
Weighing of the carcass
After the water has dripped down, the carcass is weighed to get the killing out percentage. The killing out percentage is the difference between the live weights of the rabbit and the weight of the carcass which is expressed as a percentage.
Killing weight percentage = weight of carcass x 100 live weight of rabbit. A good size carcass weighs between 1, 25kg to 1, 6kg and this is obtained from a rabbit with a weight of 2kg to 2, 5kg. The carcass is packed in a clean transparent plastic bag and is refrigerated. The meat is ready for market.
Marketing
Rabbit meat is sold to individual consumers, butcheries and retail shops.
Preparations of pelts for marketing
Pelts are rabbit skins. After slaughtering of the rabbits, the rabbit skins should be processed so that they can be used to make leather products such as bags, jackets and wallets. The processing of the animal skin or hide is known as tanning.
Rabbit pelt preparation process
Soaking in water
Soak the pelts in clean water for 3 to 4 hours.
Pinning the pelt on a flat board
Pin the pelt on a flat board. Stretch it lightly. The fur should be downwards on the board. This quickens the drying process and prevents twisting of the pelt.
Removing fats and meat from the pelt
Remove fats and any meat left on the pelt by scrapping off with a blunt knife.
Treating the pelts with salt and chrome alum
Dissolve two spoonful of coarse or fine salt and mix it with chrome alum and apply it on the pelt. Salt and chrome alum prevent rotting of the pelts as these deter flies from the pelt. Leave the pelt to dry for three to four days.
Drying
Brush off the pelts on both side and then dry it off in a cool dry and well-ventilated place, not in the sun. The pelts are then taken to the market for processing and making of jackets.
Marketing
Pelts are sold to companies which make jackets, bags as well as wallets.