Post by Ismail AbdulAzeez on Jun 5, 2017 17:57:47 GMT 1
To achieve incredible result in grasscutter husbandry, the farmer must give pin - drop attention to the management of the farm. Management in grasscutter training covers housing, hygiene, feeding, reproduction and marketing.
Housing: When bred under the intensive system (close confinement), grasscutter as micro livestock is very profitable. This makes it expedient for appropriate housing to achieve the desired goal.
Provision of housing will protect the animals against -ain, winds, theft, predators and escapes. It also facilitates inspection, handling and maintenance of the animals. Finally, it ensures proper hygiene of both infrastructure and the flock.
Housing Types: The choice of a particular housing is determined by space available to the breeder, cost of materials and the financial .-resources. Generally there are two types of housing types:
Floor Hutches: The floor hutch housing is the concrete type with the front open to allow for light and ventilation. There is a small opening between two hutch to allow for easy movement and cleaning of the hutch. The hutch is cheaper than the cage and with good management, it makes the animal grows faster and bigger,
Cages: The cages are made from iron mesh just like the poultry battery cages if the
farmer decides to choose the battery :age and he is starting with two families, is
advisable he builds 2 three - deck cages so as to produce for the prolific production
pattern of the animal.
Unique Advantages of Battery Cages.
The animals look healthier. This is true because the droppings don't stay in the cages, they fall straight to the ground.
It also has a scientific advantage. The factors that affect the production of all rodents are the feeding and photoperiodism. The animals in the cages enjoy more lighting than those in hutches.
Feeding.
Essential grasscutter feeds on forage like guinea grass, sugar cane, congo grass,
maize etc. In addition to the forage that grasscutters are given daily a supplementary feed that is balanced in protein, carbohydrate, fat, mineral, salt, vitamins and water should be provided for the animals if they are to be in good health, maintain a steady growth rate and reproduce.
Such supplements like groundnut cake, fishmeal, corn oval, palm kernel cake, table salt e.t.c are given.
Reproduction.
The principal objective of any grasscutter breeds would be to reproduce good quality animals with very low mortality rate to both the does and their offspring. It is important therefore that the farmer be acquainted with all the factors that are involved in the production of the animals.
The Breeding Stock.
The farmer should ensure that breeding stock is sourced from well established sources. They should be healthy, standard in size, docile and free from injuries. The female should be from prolific parentage and male should be virile
Bucks selected for reproduction should be between 8-10 months and must weigh at least 2.5kg at the time of first mating while does should be six months plus and weigh at least 1.5kg at the time of first mating the buck should have a superior weight of at least 50Qg over any doe to be mated.
Provision should be made for proper ventilation and good lighting in the breeding stock pen and gestation does should be provided with feed rich in protein and vitamin
The average litter size of grasscutter is four, but some DOES could litter as many as eight or ten.
Dangers In The Business.
If the state of hygiene in the farm is high, the mortality rate in the farm is about 1-5 percent and less than 10 percent in offspring.
The main health and reproductive hazard in the business is the problem of in breeding technically called consanguinity - that is animals from the same stock mating themselves e.g having father nA" mating offspring "A", when this happens the animals will suffer reduced immunity, lower body weight and weakness.
To avoid this problem the farmer should start with at least two families. After the second litter the first litter of "A" will be made to cross the second Sitter of "B" while1 the first litter of "B” will cross the second litter of "A" from there the population will begin to grow.
Housing: When bred under the intensive system (close confinement), grasscutter as micro livestock is very profitable. This makes it expedient for appropriate housing to achieve the desired goal.
Provision of housing will protect the animals against -ain, winds, theft, predators and escapes. It also facilitates inspection, handling and maintenance of the animals. Finally, it ensures proper hygiene of both infrastructure and the flock.
Housing Types: The choice of a particular housing is determined by space available to the breeder, cost of materials and the financial .-resources. Generally there are two types of housing types:
Floor Hutches: The floor hutch housing is the concrete type with the front open to allow for light and ventilation. There is a small opening between two hutch to allow for easy movement and cleaning of the hutch. The hutch is cheaper than the cage and with good management, it makes the animal grows faster and bigger,
Cages: The cages are made from iron mesh just like the poultry battery cages if the
farmer decides to choose the battery :age and he is starting with two families, is
advisable he builds 2 three - deck cages so as to produce for the prolific production
pattern of the animal.
Unique Advantages of Battery Cages.
The animals look healthier. This is true because the droppings don't stay in the cages, they fall straight to the ground.
It also has a scientific advantage. The factors that affect the production of all rodents are the feeding and photoperiodism. The animals in the cages enjoy more lighting than those in hutches.
Feeding.
Essential grasscutter feeds on forage like guinea grass, sugar cane, congo grass,
maize etc. In addition to the forage that grasscutters are given daily a supplementary feed that is balanced in protein, carbohydrate, fat, mineral, salt, vitamins and water should be provided for the animals if they are to be in good health, maintain a steady growth rate and reproduce.
Such supplements like groundnut cake, fishmeal, corn oval, palm kernel cake, table salt e.t.c are given.
Reproduction.
The principal objective of any grasscutter breeds would be to reproduce good quality animals with very low mortality rate to both the does and their offspring. It is important therefore that the farmer be acquainted with all the factors that are involved in the production of the animals.
The Breeding Stock.
The farmer should ensure that breeding stock is sourced from well established sources. They should be healthy, standard in size, docile and free from injuries. The female should be from prolific parentage and male should be virile
Bucks selected for reproduction should be between 8-10 months and must weigh at least 2.5kg at the time of first mating while does should be six months plus and weigh at least 1.5kg at the time of first mating the buck should have a superior weight of at least 50Qg over any doe to be mated.
Provision should be made for proper ventilation and good lighting in the breeding stock pen and gestation does should be provided with feed rich in protein and vitamin
The average litter size of grasscutter is four, but some DOES could litter as many as eight or ten.
Dangers In The Business.
If the state of hygiene in the farm is high, the mortality rate in the farm is about 1-5 percent and less than 10 percent in offspring.
The main health and reproductive hazard in the business is the problem of in breeding technically called consanguinity - that is animals from the same stock mating themselves e.g having father nA" mating offspring "A", when this happens the animals will suffer reduced immunity, lower body weight and weakness.
To avoid this problem the farmer should start with at least two families. After the second litter the first litter of "A" will be made to cross the second Sitter of "B" while1 the first litter of "B” will cross the second litter of "A" from there the population will begin to grow.