mysunwolf
Herd Master
So you may have seen that we are pasturing the buns in a 2'x8' tractor. This is only used for growing them out--the breeders are kept in raised wire cages in the barn.
The first batch of 7, we had no trouble, all adjusted to pasture well, grew out well, butchered well. The second batch of 8, also no trouble (these two batches overlapped briefly, so there were 15 in the pen for a time). This third batch, we started with 18 in the pen. For the first three weeks, they did fine. Then yesterday, I found one dead. Today, I found another dead.
I did a full autopsy on the first bun and found nothing out of the ordinary: good heart and lungs (a little small, no spots, film, or discoloration), good liver (very dark red, decent size), stomach had the proper "ground up green stuff" that it should have (no spots, film, or discoloration), and so did the large intestine (no spots, film, or discoloration). No diarrhea, though the poops she expelled at death were a little moist and green. The intestines were a little full, but not stopped up.
So I have no idea why this happened, but wanted to update in case I start having even more deaths. Some of the others are becoming lethargic, but still eating and drinking. No diarrhea, which is strange because it seems like enteritis. This is all happening VERY quickly, with all the rabbits looking completely healthy 4 days ago. I'm thinking it could be cocci as well, but we have a strict rule of not medicating meat animals on our farm.
I have moved all the remaining buns (16) to a raised wire cage with hay and water in the hopes that some of them will get their systems balanced out and survive. If I find more dead, I may just butcher them all at this size (2 months) and try again later.
I'll keep everyone updated so that there's a record.
The first batch of 7, we had no trouble, all adjusted to pasture well, grew out well, butchered well. The second batch of 8, also no trouble (these two batches overlapped briefly, so there were 15 in the pen for a time). This third batch, we started with 18 in the pen. For the first three weeks, they did fine. Then yesterday, I found one dead. Today, I found another dead.
I did a full autopsy on the first bun and found nothing out of the ordinary: good heart and lungs (a little small, no spots, film, or discoloration), good liver (very dark red, decent size), stomach had the proper "ground up green stuff" that it should have (no spots, film, or discoloration), and so did the large intestine (no spots, film, or discoloration). No diarrhea, though the poops she expelled at death were a little moist and green. The intestines were a little full, but not stopped up.
So I have no idea why this happened, but wanted to update in case I start having even more deaths. Some of the others are becoming lethargic, but still eating and drinking. No diarrhea, which is strange because it seems like enteritis. This is all happening VERY quickly, with all the rabbits looking completely healthy 4 days ago. I'm thinking it could be cocci as well, but we have a strict rule of not medicating meat animals on our farm.
I have moved all the remaining buns (16) to a raised wire cage with hay and water in the hopes that some of them will get their systems balanced out and survive. If I find more dead, I may just butcher them all at this size (2 months) and try again later.
I'll keep everyone updated so that there's a record.