Many homeowners would like to know if rabbit breeding is profitable or not. These animals breed, as you know, very quickly. In addition, their meat is quite expensive. Therefore, the business of breeding them can become really profitable enough. However, it will be possible, of course, to get a stable, good income from a rabbit farm only if the animals are properly looked after.
Rabbits multiply rapidly, but at the same time they die from various diseases, they are also very common. Therefore, one of the conditions for the success of the business of breeding these animals is vaccination. What and when vaccinations for rabbits should be done - we will talk about this later.
Most common diseases
Even with the exact observance of the content technology, these furry animals can become infected with a wide variety of infections. But still, the most common diseases of rabbits are myxomatosis and HBV. Vaccinations against these two infections should be given to animals. Both myxomatosis and HBVC are actually very dangerous diseases. If at least one animal is infected in the herd, the farmer may soon lose the entire population. Unfortunately, neither myxomatosis nor viral hemorrhagic disease of rabbits can be treated.
Need for vaccination
Some farmers living in remote areas and containing not too many animals consider vaccination against myxomatosis and HBVC for rabbits a completely optional procedure . And absolutely in vain. The remoteness and lack of nearby other rabbit farms, unfortunately, is not a guarantee of animal safety. Hemorrhagic fever is often imported into the household by the owner or staff. The virus of this disease is able to remain viable for a long time in the air.
In some cases, it is carried by the wind. Also very often, rabbits are infected with HBVC through feed purchased from private traders or even at the enterprise. Moreover , diarrhea usually develops in rabbits. An inexperienced farmer can attribute this symptom to a low-quality crusher. However, diarrhea, unfortunately, is one of the main signs of hemorrhagic fever.
Myxomatosis virus is also quite resistant to the external environment. In addition, it is very easily tolerated by all kinds of blood-sucking insects. So in this case, there is no guarantee that rabbits will remain healthy in a remote farm. Therefore, the only way to protect animals from death due to infection is vaccination.
Dates
Most often, young animals, unfortunately, become ill in the herd. Therefore, vaccination of rabbits against myxomatosis or HBV should be carried out as soon as possible. Very small sucker animals rarely get sick. The fact is that rabbit milk contains special substances that strengthen and very strongly support the immunity of young. However, when transferring young animals to self-feeding, the risk of contracting them with myxomatosis or HBV is very high . Such animals can quickly catch an infection and die.
Inoculate rabbits from myxomatosis and HBV immediately after they are torn from the rabbit, however, unfortunately, it is impossible. The farmer must wait a while. The body of rabbits must adapt to new varieties of feed and develop their own mechanisms of protection against infections.
It is believed that young animals should be vaccinated for the first time from myxomatosis and HBV at the age of 48 days. Repeat the procedure for reliability, usually after three months. In the future, rabbits are supposed to be vaccinated against these two dangerous diseases every six months to a year, depending on the type of drug used.
What types of vaccines are there?
In farms for rabbit vaccination, three main types of drugs are used:
The first type of drug is used only against HBV. Dry medicine from strain B-82 is used to prevent the development of myxomatosis in rabbits. The associated vaccine is the most popular among farmers. With its use, animals can be protected simultaneously from myxomatosis and HBVC.
Tissue inactivated vaccine against HBVC: description and composition
This drug is a colorless (or pink) suspension with loose sediment. It is available in ready-to-use form in bottles of 20, 40, 100 or 400 doses. Hemorrhagic fever immunity, when used in rabbits, develops around the third day after injection. Stability is maintained thereafter for 12 months.
The inactivated tissue vaccine can be used for rabbits from the age of 1.5 months. This drug is administered intramuscularly in a volume of 0.5 cm 3 . The injection is supposed to be done in the middle third of the thigh. The vaccine injection site must first be disinfected with alcohol 70%. In this case, reusable syringes for vaccination are allowed. However, in this case, for each animal, it is necessary to take a new needle.
At the same time as vaccination against myxomatosis, this drug is not allowed to be used. If rabbits have already been vaccinated against this disease, it is recommended to wait two weeks. It is allowed to be vaccinated against myxomatosis not earlier than 10 days after injection with an inactivated vaccine.
This drug usually does not cause side effects. The only thing - in animals the appetite may decrease. Such symptoms, for example, like diarrhea in rabbits, an oppressed or, conversely, too active condition, should not be observed. And the appetite of vaccinated animals is usually restored on the second day.
Myxomatosis dry culture vaccine
This drug for vaccination in rabbit farms is also used quite often. The advantage of the culture vaccine with strain B-82, among other things, is that it can be used for animals from the age of 28 days. This becomes especially relevant in the summer period - in the presence of a large number of blood-sucking insects.
This preparation is a porous, dry, yellowish mass. It is made from an attenuated strain B-82. Use the tool is allowed at any time of the year. For vaccination, the powder is diluted with a solvent in a ratio of 1: 1. Most often, an injection is done intramuscularly. However, in some cases, intradermal injection can also be used (with an ear puncture using an injector).
Immunity to myxomatosis in animals develops on the 9th day after an injection. It persists for nine months.
Associated vaccine: release form and composition
It is this drug that is used in farms, as already mentioned, the most popular. Using this vaccine, rabbits can be vaccinated against myxomatosis and HBV at the same time . This product is a dry porous mass, packaged in bottles of 10-20 cm 3 each . Each such container can be designed for 5-120 doses.
This vaccine is produced on the basis of strains B-87 of VGBK and B-82 myxoma. During vaccination, the powder is diluted with saline.
How to use
The vaccine is usually given to rabbits using the associated vaccine by a veterinarian. But if necessary, you can carry out this procedure yourself. Instead of saline, distilled water may be used. The dosage for vaccination against myxomatosis and HBV for rabbits is usually 0.5 cm 3. An injection is made in 1/3 of the thigh. You can also apply the method of intradermal injection (in the ear or under the caudal mirror).
Be sure to wipe the injection site with alcohol. At the same time, it is allowed to use one needle on several animals. Store this vaccine is allowed no more than 18 months in a dark place. After opening it should be used for a maximum of a week. Immunity in rabbits develops on the third day of the use of this vaccine. It is stored thereafter for 12 months.
Vaccination rules
Vaccinations against myxomatosis and HBV, so the procedure is absolutely necessary. However, vaccination in the rabbit farm is not always possible. As already mentioned, do not vaccinate too young animals. It is also forbidden to vaccinate survivors or weakened rabbits. It is not allowed to vaccinate those animals in which worms have been detected. In this case, it is preliminary supposed to carry out deworming.
The therapeutic properties of the vaccines discussed above do not differ. And therefore, after an inoculation made already in the incubation period of the development of the disease, the animal will most likely die anyway.
In any case, when vaccinating rabbits from myxomatosis and HBV, the dosage should be observed exactly. Too much drug should not be used. A small dose will not give any result.