Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Bacteria enter the mammary glands and invade the tissues. The most common bacteria caus-
ing mastitis is
Staphylococcus aureus
, a bacterium found in the nasal passages of all rabbits.
The affected doe usually stops eating and may refuse to nurse her kits. The kits also can get
the disease through drinking infected milk. Treatment is through use of antibiotics and good
nursing care. The kits born of a doe with mastitis should be hand-fed. Do not foster them to
another doe as this can spread the disease to the doe and her young.
False pregnancy:
Does can sometimes exhibit a false pregnancy. This can occur due to mat-
ing with a buck that does not result in pregnancy or by being mounted by another doe. Even
though the doe does not conceive, she will go through all the pregnancy-related hormonal
changes. The false pregnancy will last 16 to 18 days. At the end, the doe may build a nest and
may even produce milk. She eventually will return to normal and be able to breed again.
Pregnancy toxemia:
Does in the last few days of pregnancy or during the first few days after
birth are susceptible to this condition. It is common, but little is known about how it occurs.
Does stop eating, become depressed and weak, miscarry the kits, and can die. The liver be-
comes infiltrated with fat and enlarges. This stops the normal functioning of the liver. One
major function of the liver is to remove toxins from the blood. Treatment consists of
force-feeding the doe and using steroids, which are only available from a veterinarian. Obese
does or does with hairballs from nest building are most susceptible to pregnancy toxemia.
CASE STUDY: THOSE SILLY RABBITS
Scott Marshall
Marshall Farms
9212 Neal Avenue South
Hastings, Minnesota
Scott Marshall started raising rabbits at a young age. His parents were hog and grain farm-
ers, and he received four or five pet rabbits when he was about 10. Now he raises about 150
rabbits, and it is definitely a family project. His 5-year-old daughter Rebecca helps care for
the rabbits with supervision. Marshall definitely thinks rabbits are a good family project. It
helps children learn a lot of life lessons: how to care for animals, how to follow the rules, and
that sometimes animals die.
Marshall recommends that a person interested in raising rabbits do the homework first.
Think about the worst part of the year — typically winter. A rabbit grower needs to be out
every day, in all kinds of weather, to feed and water the rabbits twice a day. Another useful
