Records Keeping In Rabbitry By DavBoat

 As part of the efforts of the Greater Accra Rabbit Farmers Association (GARFA) to educate its members, the executives of GARFA introduced a series of lectures on our WhatsApp platform.

Below is an excerpt of one of the lectures delivered by Farmer David Agyinim Boateng a.k.a Rabbit Bawumia, the C.E.O of DavBoat Farms in the Eastern Region of Ghana. His presentation is centered on the importance of Records keeping in Rabbitry. Find below the presentation and do not forget to leave a comment after reading.

Farmer DaveBoat is the man with the earpiece

RECORDS TAKING IN RABBITRY

Record keeping is a critical part of managing a rabbit farm due to the prolific nature of rabbits. 

Depending on the size of your farm, you may find that you need to update your records a couple of times a week or even daily. These records may include, Production/Breeding Records, Weight Records, Financial Records, Health Records etc.

This is advisable to have only 1 or 2 persons in charge of keeping the records up to date, so as not to have duplicate records or misunderstandings

We will look at the common records needed on our farms and talk about their respective importance.

Doe/Buck Breeding Card/Record: This record sheet is for recording all production by a particular Doe/Buck. 

Each breeding Doe/Buck in the farm should have one, on which you record, date bred, Buck/Doe bred with, Expected Kindle Date, Actual Kindle Date, Number Born (Alive/Dead) among other important record/information

This record will help the farmer know his/her most productive breeding Does/Bucks, those who need to be replaced, when a Doe’s production declines, how good a doe is, whether to retained Doe from that particular Doe because of certain factors you may want to replicate on your farm.

1. Average Litter Size: Total number of bunnies from all Kindles by number of times kindled

2. Conception Rate: How often the Doe conceive/kindles after mating

3. Born Alive Rate: How many of the bunnies are born alive as compare to the total number born

4. Weaning Rate: How many of the live bunnies make it to weaning

5. Average Weight: The average weight of bunnies in a litter at certain ages.

This information can easily be known on the Doe/Buck Card and will guide the farmer in future planning. For instance, if a particular doe has a higher Average weight of bunnies, you may decide to retain some bunnies from her for replacement of non performing Does.

You will also know the Does with Good Motherly abilities from the Weaning rate and Born Alive Rate.You will know the Bucks with Good conception rate and good liter size.

LITER CARDS/RECORDS: 

This record sheet is mainly for a set of liter from a Doe. 

For a purely meat production farm with numerous births, this record will be difficult to keep. 

Sample of Litter card

For farmers breeding animals as breeding stock for other farmers or for yourself, this record is also very vital. Is basically a record to know the best performing bunnies from a litter in order to decide which to retain or sell as good breeding stock for other farmers.

HEALTH RECORDS: This record will help the farmer track the kind of disease/illness occurring on his/her farm and the treatments that worked, the reason for the disease/illness occurring on the farm and how to prevent them. It should tell you, the kind of medication used in treating a particular disease, the outcome of treated and the reason for using the medication/drug.

DEATH RECORDS: An important record to keep on our farms. This will tell you the causes of death on your farm and help you prevent them in the future. It will give you a clue as to what you should be doing to prevent further deaths on your farm. Whether bunnies are dying before they turn a week, if deaths occur after weaning, if they die due to cocci, diarrhea etc.

Now to the most important but also the most neglected record on our farms.

FINANCIAL RECORDS: Undoubtedly, the most important record but the most neglected record on our farms. 

Financial records should be kept in order to determine costs of production. If one knows the cost of production (feed, cages, medication, etc), the market price for rabbit meat, and any incidental expenses then you can determine your profit or loss on your farm. This record should have details of very transaction you make in the name of your farm, the capital you invest, the feed, drugs, sales, withdrawals and anything involving money made with respect to your farming activities.

This spreadsheet has the various records. Some of them have examples. 

You can edit, replicate and use as appropriate

 End of lectures