The Sunday News
Sunday News Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Commercial Rabbit Breeders Association (Zicorba) says it has amplified its breeding stock by over 1 000 pure breeds in the past 10 months, setting a strong foundation for sustained growth of the country’s cuniculture sector.
In a statement, the association said an additional 6 000 breeders would be realised from the ongoing national rabbit pure breed rollout project.
The programme is being supported by one of Zicorba’s corporate members, Raymeg Holdings.
“Zicorba has boosted its breeding stock by more than 1 000 pure breeds over the past 10 months, laying a strong foundation for sustained growth of the country’s cuniculture sector,” it said.
The association’s vice-president, Mrs Siphosethu Ncube-Moyo was quoted as saying:”We are very encouraged by the progress made since we first launched the pure rabbit breed rollout programme about 10 months ago with an initial stock of 180 imported rabbits. This is part of our strategy of ensuring that our rabbit farmers have adequate quality breeding stock to produce unencumbered.”
Under the pure breed rollout programme, Zicorba members receive breeding stock which the pass on to the next member after they rekindle twice.
One of Zicorba’s member based in Mashonaland East, Mr Tapiwa Nyagwambo who is also a beneficiary of the pure breed rollout programme, was quoted as saying: “At personal level, l believe the programme is a huge success as l received 19 kits from New Zealand White does from their first rekindling.
The does have shown a very good mothering ability after attaining a 99,9 percent survival rate at weaning and the weight gains are remarkably excellent.
“The most noticeable advantage that I saw in comparison with the hybrid rabbits is their high feed to meat the conversion ratio which was proven by weekly average weight gains of about 150 grammes reaching about 1,8 to 2 kilogrammes at eight weeks for weaners, which is very good for meat rabbits and enabling the breeder to sell at the premium age.”
Bulawayo-bases rabbit producer Mr Munyaradzi Chioto was also quoted as saying that the New Zealand breeds that he received have a high productive rate compared to the native breeds that he has been rearing.
“In the past, l used to specialize in native breeds which took six months to grow, which were very costly, however, the four pure breeds l received were a good boost to my rabbitry.
With the use of the pure breed buck, we have managed to get 65 kits which are growing fast like never before,” he said.
Another rabbit producer based in Harare, Mr Neil Francisco said the pure brees programme was a real success. He said he received New Zealand White pure breeds in February this year and started breeding them in April.
To date, Mr Francisco has 13 kits from three does and in August he expects more kits before passing on the initial breeding stock to the next farmer.
Mrs Anna Mary Gapa from Gokwe said: “The pure breed rollout programme is a huge success. My does kindled 20 kits in May 2022. They are so healthy and growing vigorously with all their traits of purity.
My intention is to phase out all my small breeds and replace them with these pure breeeds.”
A Zicorba member based in Manicaland Mr Kingstone Rakupeni echoed similar sentiments adding that he successfully managed to breed pure breeds that he received in September last year where he got 10 live kits from two does. He raised the kits before commencing breeding in March this year.
“I also managed to raise another 10 live kits and handed the initial breeding stock over to the next farmer,” he said.
Meanwhile, Zicorba has made major changes to its top level leadership as it gears to tackle the existing and future aspirations.
The changes have been effected at national and provincial structures to repurpose Zicorba and reposition Zimbabwe among the top five rabbit producers and marketers in Africa.
Mrs Ncube-Moyo has replaced Mr Obert Nyabau who stepped down last month while Matabeleland Chapter president Ms Ntokozo Sibanda has taken up the secretary-general role, the third most powerful post in the organisation.
Mr James Samhembere assumed the fourth most powerful post within Zicorba as national treasurer filling the role vacated by Mr Sijabulisiwe Mpofu who resigned on medical grounds.
Mr Rakupeni was elected Zicorba’s first inspection and certification secretary, becoming the key focal point for conceptualising, developing and implementing industry standards.
Zicorba was formed in July 2020 with a view to promote the growth and development of the country’s cuniculture industry, which I recent years had faces extinction
