2011 - DEC - 19       Rabbits are GREEN!
Green rabbits?!  Sure.  They are likely the greenest creatures you can put on your table.  Mulling it over the other day, I was thinking that the only by-product of rabbits that aren't very green are the bags that the feed comes in.  They aren't very biodegradable but they are re-usable.  Sky Island Livestock, LLC packs them full of bunny berries for use as bagged manure for local gardeners who like to use bunny berries on their gardens.  Here is the green breakdown of rabbits:

Cages:  Wire cages, built to last.  A cage that is well-maintained will last 20+ years.  After that, the floor may need replacing but the sides and top are still usable long after the original floor wears out.

Accessories:  This includes watering devices, feeders, etc.  These are purchased one time and reused for long, long periods before wearing out.  Made of plastic(s), ceramics, metal(s).  With proper use and care they can be used for decades.

Waste products:  In general we create the following waste:  packaging from the accessories (all paper and cardboard from such goes into the bunny berry bags for composting).  Paper towels or newspaper used for wiping surfaces and drying accessories (these items go into the bunny berry bags for composting).  Water may be our most wasted product, especially in the winter.  Warm water is still used to thaw out frozen crocks.  Frozen water removed from the bowls is placed in the bunny berry bag to melt making a perfect environment for composting and red worms.  We currently use 15 gallons of water per day including waste water.  On cleaning and sanitizing days we may use an additional 20 gallons (twice per month).  That water is used for irrigation on our lawns that feed our rabbits.  The highest volume waste product that we produce is rabbit pellets/droppings, or what we like to call Bunny Berries, Bunny Pearls, or Rabbit Treasures.  These are all collected and placed in the feed bags.  They are marketed locally to farmers and gardeners and those wishing to start their own red worms.  The bags contain all organic waste from the rabbits; paper towels, newspaper, straw bedding/nesting materials, biodegradable packaging, waste water, etc.  The bags are a composting container ready-to-go.

See?  Rabbits are GREEN!

2011 - DEC - 12       Let it SNOW! 
Yes, winter is upon us.  Our rabbits are enjoying the cool mountain air.  We have created even more outdoor pens for our rabbits.  They are 80-100 square foot pens that house up to 10 rabbits each.  YES!!  Our rabbits are enjoying the company of their peers; being social animals they are loving it!  They also have access to no less than 10 square feet of space each!  That's considerable when compared to a cage of approximately 6 square feet each.  We are striving for cage-free rabbits.  I will be adding photos soon and perhaps a video of our rabbits romping in their new rabbit runs!

2011 - DEC - 03      The End of Fresh Greens for the Season
Sky Island Livestock, LLC is pleased to be able to offer a diet high in fresh greens for our rabbits.  Sadly, that came to an abrupt halt yesterday with the blessing of over TWO FEET of snow!  The news warned of a winter storm that would bring 9"-11" of the white stuff, but we woke up to power failures and two feet of a heavy, wet snow!  The rabbits are all inside for the winter.  They seemed completely happy in the snow, but it's just too hard to tend them, if you can imagine.  A sad end of the season.  We will let you know when they are allowed to go out and play again.  As of now, only a few will be allowed out at a time and for short periods. 

2011 - NOV - 28     The Unnecessary Use of Antibiotics in Commercial Meat
I have read online and in books that it is common practice to use preventative doses of antibiotics in the commercial production of rabbit.  I can see how this could be beneficial by keeping infectious diseases from starting, therefor, inhibiting the spread of disease.  Disease can wipe out a portion of a rabbitry.  At Sky Island Livestock, LLC, we feel that there are better methods in controlling the spread of disease without the use of antibiotics.  Daily monitoring of the rabbitry can give simple indications of rabbits that may be ill.  Some may argue that antibiotics are more reliable, but there is no guarantee by the use on antibiotics or by close monitoring.  Rabbits are typically healthy creatures requiring little maintenance.  A clean rabbitry is a healthy rabbitry and requires the use of antibiotics only for rabbits that are sick, not the entire herd. Sick rabbits should be removed from the general population and treated individually.  When they are well, they can be returned to the rabbitry general population.  There is greater risk in over-medicating than having a few naturally-occurring rabbit illnesses.  Furthermore, the antibiotics end up on your kitchen table in doses that are uncertain and types that are unknown.  Hmmm, I think I'll pass on that.  In a well-maintained rabbity, antibiotics should be used to treat illnesses, not to prevent them.  Sky Island Livestock, LLC does not sell meat, only rabbits intended for the purpose of home production.   

2011 - NOV - 21     Rabbit Meat; No Hormones Required
The greatest benefit to raising rabbits for meat is their great natural ability to procreate at rate rate greater than most mammals.  In a season, a doe, in the wild, can produce offspring in the numbers of 800 or more including children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  It is not uncommon for commercial or home breeders of meat rabbits to allow their does to reproduce on the same scale as seen in the wild.  This should not be considered cruel, and definitely not unusual, treatment of rabbits in captivity.  Rabbits are reproducing machines; all without the use of hormones.  Don't be fooled by "activists" who claim that a domesticated rabbit is subject to inhumane treatment by alleged "over breeding".  Does will not breed if they don't want to.  At Sky Island Livestock, LLC we do not "force" breeding.  There simply isn't time to do what should happen naturally in 90 seconds or less.  We use no hormones, artificial insemination, or any other unnatural methods of rabbit breeding.  The end result is a healthy herd of rabbits that are producing the healthiest form of hormone-free meat!

2011 - NOV - 16     Organic or Not
There is a lot of hype over organic goods.  I am an advocate of organic but since I have been raising rabbits, I have become a little bit of a skeptic, not just in the rabbit industry, but in the entire "organic" food industry.

I was recently asked if my rabbits are organic rabbits.  I don't know of a rabbit pellet company who offers an organic rabbit feed, so I can't feed organic pellets.  I pondered on it for a bit and realized that the fields that I graze my rabbits in have never been treated with chemical fertilizers or pesticides.  I am very grateful for that.  On the other hand, the same fields of clover, alfalfa, timothy grass, dandelion, mallow, and plantain, etc are all irrigated with water that comes from non-organic sources.

More importantly, my non organic rabbits are fed fresh greens and are given the chance to feel the grass between their toes.  They are not over crowded to live a life only knowing a wire cage floor.  This is not the case in other "organic meat industries".  Although some organic meat producers may feed all organic feed (which, in my book, is impossible if any of the feed is irrigated with municipal waters), but animal welfare is not taken into account.  Organic chickens are not certified to be of any standard at all when it comes to their living conditions.

There is a lot to be said for true organic foods.  I will remain a skeptic though and will continue to believe that there is more to responsible food growing than being able to say:  THIS IS ORGANIC RABBIT MEAT!  Do the chickens of your organic meal get to feel the grass between their toes?  Isn't their living condition a little more important than ensuring they were fed an all organic diet (which was likely irrigated by questionable water sources)?  Just some food for thought.

Do my rabbits produce organic rabbit meat?  My rabbits eat the best food that I can give them.  Is is not certified organic, nor are my standards of "organic" as low as required for certification.  It is much more important at Sky Island Livestock, LLC to provide better living conditions with the finest feed possible, which includes avoiding feed that is subject to chemicals of any sort.  Our meat rabbits will have to settle with feeling the grass between their toes as they the best selection of greens.  No, our rabbits are not organic.  Our standards are much higher!

2011 - NOV - 11     There IS a difference in taste.  Take the challenge
Sky Island Livestock, LLC has produced and perfected, what may be the most delicious meat rabbit available on the market.  Our local customers who buy fryers refuse anything but our special meat rabbits.  They are moister and sweeter than the standard meat rabbit.  We have customers that buy our special strain to serve for company and special occasions.  There is no comparison in quality and flavor than our "cottontail rabbits".  It has been difficult to convince people that our gourmet rabbit comes in more than one color.  Some customers, after experiencing our cottontail variety flat-out refused any other color.  We thought we were "just" selling meat rabbits.  Not so, after delivering several orders of cottontails and then showing up with a red-eyed white New Zealand, our customers were very disappointed.  They refused the rabbits and gave us a good talking-to.  We know that our special cross of rabbit IS the best quality that is available.  It's not just rabbit meat, it's our own gourmet rabbit blend.  You can only buy this very special strain from Sky Island Livestock, LLC.  We are pleased to be able to offer this rabbit taste sensation at prices that are comparable to other meat rabbit strains.  Don't believe it when people tell you that you need full-blooded rabbit strains for meat production; that just isn't so and you may be cheating your taste buds!

2011 - NOV - 03     Buying your bunny
Choosing a healthy rabbit is quite simple.  Barring unseen genetic deformities, etc. there are a few things that can make it a bit easier.  First, take your time with the seller.  Whether you are at the sellers rabbitry or have met somewhere else, spend several minutes listening for sneezing (see below).  A rabbit with snuffles will likely sneeze or have a sneezing fit in a 10-15 minutes period.  Look at the nose and eyes which should be clean and clear.  The ears should be observed, but before that, if the head or ears appear oily or greasy it could be an indication that the rabbit has recently been treated for ear mites.  Check the hocks for sores or unhealthy-looking pads.  Don't buy a greasy rabbit, sneezing rabbit, a rabbit with a runny nose or gunky eyes, a rabbit with audible breathing or rustling/raspy breathing, a rabbit with sore hocks, or a dirty coat.  Most rabbits that pass this quick audio/visual test should be fine quality.  Nothing can guarantee that the rabbit will be a good breeder except experience.

2011 - OCT - 27     Stop, look, and listen
One of the most important daily chores in the rabbitry is observation.  Daily observation can easily detect illness or disease in your rabbits that can be caught early and contained before all of the bunnies are affected.  While you do your daily chores, simply stop, look, and listen.  Stand quietly or listen carefully while you do your chores.  You're listening for sneezing, coughing, or labored breathing.  A few sneezes here and there are common and normal.  A rabbit that sneezes repeatedly needs closer attention.  Look closely at the face and ears of your rabbits.  Ears should be clean and free of mites.  Mites will cause the ears to fill with black crust.  It's simple to treat but only if you know it's there.  Noses and eyes should be clear and free of discharge.  It only takes a moment to check your rabbits daily for illness and it can save you lots of time treating when prevention is simple and can be done daily by taking the time to stop, look, and listen!

2011 - OCT - 14     That's a lot of rabbit droppings
Maintaining a commercial rabbitry means dealing with a lot of rabbit droppings.  I read somewhere once that a breeding pair of rabbits and their offspring will produce 1000 pounds of rabbit droppings in one year.  I don't know who did that research or if it's even accurate, but I know from experience we deal with a lot of poo.  Rabbit manure is not a bad thing to have too much of as long as it is well-managed.  This means daily removal of droppings and putting where it can be reused.  Failing to remove droppings creates a breeding ground for flies,  Within days, standing manure will be a host for maggots. 

There are many options for the responsible management of rabbit manure.  Sky Island Livestock, LLC chooses to use the manure for vermicomposting.  We have established quite a colony of red worms who break down the manure in quick order.  The manure is removed from the rabbitry and transported to the red worms.  We do not add the red worms to the rabbit droppings in the rabbitry.  I have seen methods where people do this, but this leaves too much standing waste too close to the rabbits.

Keeping a rabbitry clean, no matter how big or small an operation is, is vital to the good health of rabbits.  Make it a point to remove waste in a timely fashion.
 

2011 - OCT - 10     Fresh Pineapple and the Rabbit
There is controversy on the web about the benefits of feeding rabbits fresh pineapple and/or fresh pineapple juice.  To set part of the record straight, the purpose of this once-monthly, recommended preventative measure is because of the bromelain that is found in fresh pineapple.  Bromelain is allegedly destroyed by processing so canned varieties of pineapple and pineapple juice are not included as a form of bromelain.  In humans, bromelain is said to help reduce inflammation, especially in the nose and sinus.  It is also touted as being effective in the treatment of some bowel conditions and the associated bowel inflammation of such conditions.  Fresh pineapple also contains the digestive enzymes pepin and trypsin.  Such enzymes are said to help reduce or prevent problems of hairballs in rabbits.

As far as setting all of the record straight for feeding rabbits fresh pineapple is likely a topic that will continue to be disputed.  At Sky Island Livestock, LLC we do feed all of our rabbits fresh pineapple once a month.  We do not use it as a treatment for diarrhea or as a miracle cure for any other problems that a person may encounter with rabbit rearing.  We feel that if it does help with digestion that it's worth the once-a-month preventative care.  We mix it up in a cocktail of equal parts:  fresh pineapple with the juice, plain yogurt with active cultures, and carrot tops.  Most of our rabbits enjoy this monthly smoothie and it does them no harm.  With confidence, we can attest that there has not been any negative side-effects to a monthly pineapple/yogurt/carrot top smoothie.  As a commercial rabbitry, it is not feasible to feed treats on a regular basis, but this is a monthly treat that we enjoy feeding and hope that is does help improve natural digestive enzymes in our rabbits.  The people at our rabbitry have also been known to sneak some of the smoothie for themselves...shhhhhhh!

2011 - OCT - 07     They reproduce like, er, rabbits
If you have never stopped to consider the saying, "reproducing like rabbits", here is a chance to ponder it a bit.  If you start out with a just-weaned pair of kits, about 4-5 weeks old, you can expect to breed them at six months of age.  By seven months you now have your first litter.  It is not uncommon for a good meat rabbit to produce 10-12 kits in her first litter.  When the first litter is weaned (the does will be eight months old by now) you can re-breed her.  At nine months of age she has her second litter of 10 kits; you now have approximately 20 kits.  Breed her again at ten months old and at 11 months she has another litter which brings her up to 30 kits in her first year.  From her 12th month on, you can plan to breed her safely six or seven times per year.  Not to mention at her 13-month birthday her first litter of kits are ready to breed, assuming that half of that litter are does, that's an additional 50 kits at the mother doe's 14-month birthday.  Those kits aside, six litters per year at ten kits per litter (6 x 10 = 60 kits) multiplied by 4-6 pounds of meat, you can plan on 250 pounds of meat every year from one good doe and a buck!  Not a bad meat plan for your family!  Fresh, organic meat, without having to rely on the supermarket.  What are you waiting for?

2011 - OCT - 05     'Tis the Season
Don't let the harvest season pass you by.  It's a great time to get out in the garden or help your neighbors who have gardens get rid of all the parts of their plants that they don't intend to use.  Our rabbits had a feast today on the leaves off the corn plants.  In the coming days they will have broccoli leaves, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, carrot tops, and many more greens that would otherwise end up discarded.  It's great free food!  Make sure to introduce it slowly if they aren't accustomed to fresh feed, but I bet they will love you for it!  If you can't find anyone with a garden run an ad on Craigslist; I'm sure there is someone out there willing to part with garden greens that aren't typically used as human food.  Many greens, especially corn, will dry well for feeding throughout the winter so pick extra!  Get all the free stuff you can!