Ventilation in Rabbitry

The proper ventilation of the rabbi try is essential, for upon it rests the prevention of numerous troubles. Signs of in-adequate ventilation are a smell of ammonia, condensation,too high a temperature or relative humidity compared with the outside air, and a marked difference in the temperatures recorded by a maximum-minimum thermometer. This latter indication shows that the insulation of the building is poor.The ideal humidity (the amount of moisture va pour in the air) of an indoor rabbi try is about 75% at a temperature of about 6o° F. It is of course impossible to maintain such relative humidity, or the ideal temperature of about 50 to 55°F. unless there is special control, and it would be rare, outs idea laboratory, for such control to be incorporated in a rabbitry.Thus the next best alternative is to ensure that the relative humidity should not be higher than that of the outside air by more than about 5%, and the temperature should not differ from that outside by more than to°. Usually it is preferable to have both temperature arid humidity lower inside the rabbi try than outside except in very cold weather. A large rabbit will, during 24 hours, produce and give offal large amount of heat, and will excrete a large amount of moisture va pour by sway of its breathing. This heat and moisture must be removed. Good ventilation assists the removal of the heat and water, and also of course the smells which may arise. Ventilation must however be under control,for, depending on the outside conditions, a varying amount of inlet and outlet space will be desirable.

As warm air rises, the inlets of the ventilation system should be low and the outlets high. If the inlets are too high the cold air entering the rabbi try prevents the escape of the foul ai rand condensation occurs. It is essential that the air inlets should be well distributed, and a cross section oft square inch per rabbit should be regarded as the absolute minimum. The outlets should have a capacity, that is, a cross section, rather greater than the total of the inlets. As an example, suppose that a rabbi try with twenty hutches is maintained. The maximum number of rabbits at any one time would probably not exceed about So, but allowance must be made for these 8o,hence the necessity for control. In the rabbi try, a cross section of inlets of at minimum So square inches should be allowed, but the outlets should have a total cross section of say90 square inches.

Inlets may consist of porous bricks, grills, piping let into walls, and windows. The outlets may be ridge openings(either fixed or adjustable), louvre boxes, ventilation cowls, or high windows. There should be periodical inspection of both inlets and outlets to ensure that they do not become blocked.In some rabbi tries, at certain times of the year the temperature may become so high as to affect the stock. Apart from ensuring that the ventilation is adequate, and using a form of construction (e.g. a double roof )that will insulate the rabbit the sun's rays, the only method of lowering the temperature is by sprinkling water on the walls, floor and roof of the buildings and or hutches. In a badly ventilated rabbi try this procedure would however only make matters worse, but under good ventilation conditions the temperature may be reduced by as much as to° F.