The maximum permissible NH3 content in the air rabbits

breathe is 5 ppm.

Quantities and composition of excrement produced by different categories of rabbit

Total Release Weight Content of fresh
Body Ear
release of latent
Origintemperature temperature produced product (%)
of heat heat per day (g) N P2O5 K2O CaO
(°C) (°C)
Ambient (W/kg) (W/kg)
Faeces
temperature
Fattening
(°C) young 40-50 1.5- 2.5 0.5 0.4-
1.7 1.5
5 5.3 ± 0.54 ± 39.3 ± 0.3 9.6 ± 1.0
Nursing doe 0.93 0.16 150-200 1.2- 5-7 1-1.5 2-3
1.5
10 4.5 ± 0.57 ± 39.2 ± 0.2 14.1 ± 0.8
Resting adult 0.84 0.15 70-80 1.2- 2-4 0.5 0.4-
1.5 1.5
15 3.7 ± 0.58 + 39.1 ± 0.1 18.7 ± 0.6
Urine 0.78 0.17
Fattening
20 young 3.5 ± 0.79 ± 39.0 ± 0.3 23.2 ± 0.9 80-110 1- 0.05 0.8- 0.4-
0.76 0.22 1.3 1.2 0.6
Nursing
25 doe 3.2 ± 1.01 ± 39.1 ± 0.4 30.2 ± 2.5 250-300 1- 0.02 0.7- 0.15
0.32 0.23 1.3 0.8
Resting
30 adult 3.1 ± 1.26 ± 39.1 ± 0.3 37.2 ± 0.7 100 1- 0.08 0.9- 0.6-
0.35 0.38 1.3 1.2 0.7
35 3.7 ± 2.00 ± 40.5 ± 0.8 39.4 ± 0.47
0.35 0.38

Rabbits are sensitive to very low humidity (below 55 percent) but not to very high humidity.
This may be explained by the fact that wild rabbits spend much of their lives in underground
burrows with a humidity level near saturation point (100 percent).

The rabbit has more to fear from abrupt changes in humidity. Constant humidity is therefore the
best solution, and this will depend on the housing design. French breeders find 60 to 65 percent
humidity levels successful, using only auxiliary heating in winter.

While the humidity level does not seem to trouble the rabbit in moderate temperatures, this is not
so with temperature extremes.

When the temperature is too high (close to the rabbit's body temperature) and humidity is also
high, not much latent heat can be exported as water vapour through evaporation. The result is
discomfort which can be followed by prostration. Very hot spells with near 100 percent humidity
can cause serious problems. Unfortunately this is common in tropical climates during the rainy
season.

When the temperature is too low and humidity close to saturation point, water condenses on
poorly insulated walls, especially at so-called "heat bridges". Water is a good heat conductor and
so the cold becomes more penetrating, causing heat loss in the animals through convection and
conduction. Digestive and respiratory disorders often follow. When the surrounding air is cold,
excess humidity modifies the secretion and viscosity of the mucus protecting the upper
respiratory apparatus.

Air which is too dry (below 60 percent relative humidity) and too hot is even more dangerous.
Not only does it upset the secretion of mucus but the ensuing evaporation shrinks the size of the
droplets carrying infection agents, enabling them to penetrate more easily the respiratory
apparatus.

Ventilation. The rabbitry must have a certain minimum of ventilation to evacuate the harmful
gases given off by the rabbits (CO2), to renew the oxygen and get rid of excess humidity
(evaporation, exhalation) and excess heat given off by the rabbits.

Ventilation needs can vary enormously, depending especially on climate, cage type and
population density. Ventilation standards for temperate climates based on several French studies
are given in Table 50. This table combines the various parameters (temperature, air flow,
humidity) to determine optimum air flow per kg of rabbit live weight. If there is an imbalance,
especially between air flow and temperature, accidents like those illustrated in Figure 24 occur.

It is relatively easy and cheap to measure temperature and humidity, but exact air flow
measurement requires sophisticated, expensive, hard-to-get equipment such as a hot-wire
anemometer (a revolving-cup anemometer is not sensitive enough). However, the producer can
estimate the rate of air flow near rabbits by using a candle flame, as shown in Figure 25.

High ammonia air levels, 20 to 30 parts per million (ppm), greatly weaken the rabbits' upper
respiratory tract and open the door to bacteria such as pasteurella and bordetella. To keep NH 3
levels down, ventilation can be increased. The risk is then overventilation, with all the negative
consequences illustrated in Figure 24. A more effective solution is to limit NH3 production from
fermenting floor litter (droppings and urine) by removing the litter quickly or keeping it dry. The
maximum permissible NH3 content in the air rabbits breathe is 5 ppm.

Lighting

Few studies have been made on the influence of light on rabbits, and these are almost exclusively
concerned with the duration of lighting and seldom with light intensity. Furthermore, practical
recommendations on lighting are based more on observations in rabbitries than on experimental
findings.
Exposure to light for eight out of 24 hours favours spermatogenesis and sexual activity in bucks.
Conversely, exposure for 14 to 16 hours a day favours female sexual activity and fertilization. In
rational European production all breeding animals of both sexes get 16 hours of light. The slight
drop in male sexual activity is amply compensated by good female reproduction rates
(acceptance of the male and fertilization).

Commercial rabbit breeds

Breeds Size Use Mature Weight (lbs)
Angora medium wool; meat 9-12
American Chinchilla medium fur 9-12
Californian medium meat 8-11
Champagne d'Argent medium meat 9-12
Checkered Giants large fur 11+
Dutch small lab 3-6
English Spot medium meat; lab 9-13
Flemish Giants large meat 13+
Himalayan small lab 2-6
New Zealand medium meat 9-12
Polish small lab 3-4
Rex medium fur 8-11
Silver Martens medium fur 6-10