Livestock Production – Rabbit Rearing (Primary 6)

 

AGRICULTURE  

PRE-VOCATIONAL STUDIES 

THIRD TERM 

WEEK 2

PRIMARY 6

THEME: AGRICULTURAL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

PREVIOUS LESSON – Useful and Quick Links for Second Term Plan Lesson Notes All Subjects Primary 4, Primary 5 and Primary 6

TOPIC: LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION – RABBIT REARING 

LEARNING AREA

1. Choice of rabbits

2. Housing and Hatches

3. Feeding and Drinking Equipments

4. Diseases and Pests Control

5. Record keeping

 

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES

By the end of the lesson, the pupils should have attained the following objectives (cognitive, affective and psychomotor):

1. discuss the choice of rearing of livestock,

2. housing/hatches,

3. feeding and drinking equipments,

4. disease and pests control, and

5. keeping farm record.

 

ENTRY BEHAVIOR

The pupils are required to already have learned livestock production.

 

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

The teacher will teach the lesson with the aid of:

Charts and pictures of rabbits showing in the hutches.

 

METHOD OF TEACHING – Choose a suitable and appropriate methods for the lessons.

Note – Irrespective of choosing methods of teaching, always introduce an activities that will arouse pupil’s interest or lead them to the lessons. 

 

REFERENCE MATERIALS

Scheme of Work

9 – Years Basic Education Curriculum

Course Book – Basic Agriculture for Primary Schools l

All Relevant Material

Online Information

 

Relevant link – Third Term Scheme of Work and Plan Lesson Note for Agriculture Primary 4 Primary 5 and Primary 6 Links

 

CONTENT OF THE LESSON

LESSON ONE – INTRODUCTION

Rabbits belong to the group of farm animals referred to small stock.

If raised under suitable conditions, their products can be very high.

Many people keep rabbits as a hobby while some keep them to make money.

 

 

RABBIT REARING

Male – buck

Female – doe

Baby – kit

 

CHOICE OF RABBIT FOR REARING

1. Ability to grow rapidly,

2. A good converter of food into body weight. 

3. Ability to resist diseases (disease resistant),

4. Ability to give birth to many young ones in a litter,

5. Good quality hides and skin.

 

LESSON TWO – HOUSING/HUTCHES

Rabbits are kept in cages for safety from harsh weather and predictors. Mature rabbits are kept singly in HUTCHES (cages), usually made of wooden or metal materials.

The type of housing for rabbits and guinea pigs will depend on the following factors:

1. Availability of local housing materials;

2. The condition of environment;

3. The size of the enterprise;

4. The amount of money the farmer has for the enterprise.

 

 

FEEDING AND DRINKING EQUIPMENTS

1. Hays

2. Grasses

3. Cereal grains

4. Leaf

5. Vegetables

6. Dry bread

7. Pelleted ration

Kitchen waste

8. Mineral salt

9. Clean, cool water

10. Concentrates (groundnut, palm kernel, soybean and cotton seed)

 

LESSON THREE – DISEASE CONTROL 

Rabbits suffer from the following diseases:

1. Sore back

2. Mange

3. Coccidiosis 

4. Bloat

 

Bloat is the swelling of the stomach of the animals as a result of overreacting of green succulent vegetables.

Care should be taken to prevent disease attacks on animals.

 

FARM RECORDS

Simple records should be kept in the pen to show the following:

1. The breed of rabbit kept;

2. The mating or breeding date;

3. Birth dates;

4. Number of litters at kindling;

5. Size of litter at weaning;

6. Number of rabbit sold. 

 

 

REVISION AND WEEK 2 LESSON ASSESSMENT 

As stated in performance objectives or lesson evaluation. 

 

PRESENTATION

To deliver the lesson, the teacher adopts the following steps:

1. To introduce the lesson, the teacher revises the previous lesson. Based on this, he/she asks the pupils some questions;

2. Shows pupils charts or posters of farm rabbits;

3. Guides class discussion;

Pupils’ activities – participate actively in class discussion on choice of rabbit for rearing, housing/hatches, diseases and pests control, and record keeping. 

4. Teacher’s/Pupil’s Activities – Excursion to the nearest rabbits farm.

 

CONCLUSION

  • To conclude the lesson for the week, the teacher revises the entire lesson and links it to the following week’s lesson –

 

LESSON EVALUATION

Pupils to –

1. List 4 choice of rabbit for rearing;

2. State 3 qualities of a rabbits;

3. Mention 3 diseases of rabbit and how to control them;

4. List 5 records of rabbit keeping.