Rabbits On Pasture

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Rabbits On Pasture

Traditional livestock management has typically involved either part-time or full-time turnout on pasture. Turnout for most classes of livestock offers many advantages: distribution of manure over a wider area, self-harvest of fodder crops, time and space to engage in normal social interactions, and exposure to fresh air, sunlight and healthy environments. Rabbits, however, have always presented something of a challenge in that regard because of their tendencies to dig. Dig they can, and dig they will. Rabbits are very well known to dig into all types of ground, anything from hardscrabble and compacted gravel, to lush mature pasture. Their digging disturbs the turf and creates hills, holes and even craters. If the ground had started out flat and level, it won't stay that way very long. Worse, they very commonly tunnel out from under any kind of known fencing, thus introducing two new problems - they gain their freedom away from protected areas, and they give small predators a ready highway into the rabbit yards. So, how would a rabbit owner provide all the benefits of pasture to their rabbits, without introducing any of these disadvantages?

Mobile Pens, Horizontal Fencing

The answer is surprisingly simple. In addition to providing conventional vertical fencing, we and others have laid down fencing flat on the ground and allowed grass to grow up through it. There are several ways to do this. Mobile pens with bottoms can be used, although the movement of the pen's bottom along the ground can sometimes flatten the grasses. The fence openings will determine how easily the rabbits can eat through the openings. The larger the opening, the more easily the rabbits can eat through it. But of course the openings should not be so large that the rabbits can start to dig and then squeeze through.

We have used a slightly different approach, where we mow the grass short, lay down the fencing permanently, then let the grass grow back through the fence openings. We then either slide pens over the surface, or we simply put up additional standard fencing which is connected to the horizontal fence such that the rabbits can't squeeze out where they meet. With either approach, rabbits can graze freely on the grasses and forbs that grow through the fencing, without tunneling out.

Many, but not all, types of fencing will work for either of these approaches. We started with conventional rabbit cage material, with 1"x2" openings. It proved to be very heavy and didn't allow much grass up through the openings. Our favorite so far is a 2"x2" mesh which is woven, not welded, at the points where the horizontal and vertical wires meet. This type of fencing comes in either 3' or 4' heights, by 50' long rolls. We simply roll out the fencing on the freshly mowed ground, then either erect permanent vertical fencing around the perimeter or slide pens along the surface. I have heard of others using 2x4 welded field fence but that doesn't stand up very long because the welds break. We have also experimented with chain link, but we found it too heavy and overly expensive. We liked the larger diameter wire, but the weave pattern meant that half the fence would always stick up a little bit off the ground, creating a trip and snag hazard. One type of fencing that has been used a lot, but which does NOT work well, is either 1" or 2" chicken wire. The wire is simply too thin to last very long. It rusts out within a single season. Additionally, the thin wire seems to be small enough that the rabbits don't notice it's there, and they accidentally bite down on it. After enough of those incidents, they are not nearly as willing to graze over such fencing.

All of the Advantages, Few of the Hassles

Using any of these methods, rabbits can and have very successfully been managed long-term on pasture. We have managed whole litters on pasture, from weaning through harvest. We have also managed breeding trios on pasture, either in big permanent pens or in smaller mobile pens. As the does get ready to kindle and produce litters, we will pull them out, put them into small pens just long enough to kindle and bond with the kits, then put them outside again in separate grassy pens away from the adults. Others whom we have spoken to will put their pregnant does in mobile pens and include nesting boxes right in the pens. With either approach, the pens either need to be big enough that no one area becomes overgrazed, or the pens need to be moved to new ground before old ground becomes overgrazed and/or muddy and sodden. With both approaches, the kits then get the benefit of spending time on clean ground and eating fresh browse even before they are weaned.

Additional Considerations

One thing to remember with pastured rabbits is that, like their caged cousins, they are prone to overheating, particularly when in direct sunlight. Shade absolutely must be provided. On particularly hot, dry days, it may also be a good idea to provide fans or misters out in the pens. Or bring them into cooler indoor areas during the day and let them graze at night.

Rabbits also do not tolerate wet conditions. During our notoriously cool and damp spring and fall weather, we need to cover the pens sufficiently to provide protection against both direct and wind-driven rainfall. Pens which include wet areas need to be fenced off, or mobile pens need to be kept in well-drained areas. We do not graze in winter, because grass regrowth stops and the ground is simply too wet, too often, for rabbits to be comfortable and healthy. Also, the quality of the pasture itself may be sufficient, or it may warrant supplementation with additional nutrients. Lactating does and growing kits would demand the very highest nutrients from their pasture just as any other species would. If the pasture quality cannot meet those needs, they will weaken and die without supplementation. Conversely, non-pregnant, non-lactating does and infrequently non-breeding bucks can be maintained on less nutrient-rich pasture. So pasture resources must be assessed and monitored over time. Just as with other species, field and climate conditions must be monitored, and protection/supplementation provided as needed, before rabbits can be efficiently raised and maintained on pasture.

Live like you'll die tomorrow. Farm like you'll live forever...

SBI!

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