- - AGRICULTURE CORE CURRICULUM - - (CLF3000) Advanced Core Cluster: ANIMAL SCIENCE (CLF3450) Unit Title: SMALL ANIMAL PRODUCTION ____________________________________________________________________________ (CLF3452) Topic: SMALL ANIMAL PRODUCTION. Time Year(s) AND MARKETING 3 hours 3/4 ____________________________________________________________________________ Topic Objectives: Upon completion of this lesson, the student will be able to: Learning Outcome #: (H-2) - Understand the relationship of small animals to agriculture and related industries. (H-3) - Describe and participate in the marketing of small animals in two occupational areas (e.g. sale of replacement stock and sale of meat animals) and list the advantages and disadvantages of each of the occupational areas/related to small animal production. Special Materials and Equipment: VEP filmstrips included in "The Small Animal Care Kit", equipment such as water bottles, cages, bedding, feed, and small animals. References: VEP, "The Small Animal Care Kit" series of filmstrips. Cheeke, Peter R. RABBIT PRODUCTION. Fox, Michael W. LABORATORY ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. Mosesson, Gloria R. and Scher, Sheldon. BREEDING LABORATORY ANIMALS. Tavernor, W.D. NUTRITION AND DISEASE IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS. Evaluation: Quiz by instructor. TOPIC PRESENTATION: SMALL ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND MARKETING A. Small Animals and Agriculture 1. As SOE projects, small animals provide excellent experience in animal production since: a. they require minimal financial involvement. 1) A market steer, lamb, or swine project will cost several hundred dollars from purchase until it is marketed. 2) A rabbit project can be started for less than $100 and students may generate income in 30 - 60 days depending on the quality and volume of the breeding stock. b. they provide marketing experience for the student. 1) Students raising small animals must find a market and produce good quality and healthy animals. 2) Once the market is identified, the student must plan and manage supply of the products. c. they provide management experience. 1) Since the animals are small, they may be kept in residential areas where other types of livestock are not permitted. 2) Students must learn to select good breeding stock, identify sexes and feed and care for animals daily. 2. Small animals are vital to the production of biologicals such as antiserum, modified live viral vaccines, and other preparations used in drugs administered to humans and livestock. 3. Hormones and growth stimulants are first tested on laboratory animals such as mice before they are tested on large animals. 4. Studies on toxicity levels of new drugs and/or feed additives are completed using lab animals such as rabbits. 5. Domestic rabbits have the potential to become one of world's major meat producing species. They possess many attributes that make them advantageous in comparison to other species of livestock, including: a. Minimal dietary grain requirementsÑ rabbits can be raised on diets low in grain and high in roughage, in comparison to swine and poultry, whose diets are composed mainly of grain. b. Efficient conversion of feedÑ rabbits convert forage more efficiently into meat than ruminant animals such as cattle and sheep. From a given amount of alfalfa, rabbits can produce about 5 times as much meat as beef cattle. c. High rate of fertilityÑ Rabbits have a rapid growth rate, a short gestation period, and have the ability to rebreed immediately after parturition. d. Pharmaceutical importanceÑ 1) rabbits are very important in the production of pharmaceutical products. Examples include: a) thromboplast in (from the brain) which is used to prevent heart attacks and other abnormal clotting conditions of the human body, b) "complement", which is a preparation of rabbit blood used in biomedical programs, and c) various enzymes for research that isolated from rabbit tissues. B. Production of Small Animals **************************************************************************** IT IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS CLUSTER TO OUTLINE PRODUCTION PRACTICES FOR EACH SPECIES OF THE SMALL ANIMALS DISCUSSED. HOWEVER, BY USING THE VEP FILMSTRIPS AND THE RESOURCES LISTED, A SMALL ANIMAL PROJECT COULD EASILY BE STARTED AS A STUDENT'S SOE OR AS A CLASS PROJECT. **************************************************************************** __________________________________________________________ ACTIVITY: 1. Observe VEP filmstrips "The Small Animal Care Kit." 2. Using resources listed, begin a small animal production project. __________________________________________________________ C. Marketing Small Animals 1. Types of markets depend on the type of animal raised. The most common markets are listed below. a. Laboratories: 1) often raise their own animals in a pathogen free environment, 2) usually prefer to purchase large quantities of animals, and 3) prefer albino animals (mice, rats, and rabbits). a) Most research and medical labs in the U.S. will only buy lab animals from producers who have a federal license. b) Licensing procedures are available from the United States Department of Agriculture. c) The best approach to market lab animals is to contact the technician in charge, determine the type of animal preferred, the number used, the price, and set up a contract. b. Pet Stores: 1) Will often buy small quantities of animals. Arrangements may be made to supply a certain quantity of animal at a specific time. 2) have a demand for certain animals which is seasonal. (e.g., there is a great demand for young rabbits before Easter.) 3) Prefer colorful, gentle animals which command a premium price as compared to the lower price which people are willing to pay for brown or black animals. c. Zoos, raptor, and reptile centers: 1) demand live rodents in a continuous supply for predacious birds and reptiles, but 2) are not always located in areas convenient to market and supply small animals. d. Newspaper Advertising: 1) is surprisingly effective, especially when prices are competitive with pet store prices; 2) is good for selling rabbit meat or fryer rabbits (ready for butcher); and 3) is good for selling breeding stock. __________________________________________________________ ACTIVITY: 1. Have students list the advantages and the disadvantages of each type of market discussed. __________________________________________________________ 5/4/90 sg #%&C