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Effect of Extension Training on Farmers’ Adoption of Rabbit Weaning Practices

Abstract

Rabbit weaning is an important stage in rabbit production because appropriate weaning practices can influence the health, growth, survival, and subsequent productivity of young rabbits. Proper weaning involves determining suitable weaning age, gradually introducing solid feeds, maintaining adequate nutrition, providing clean water, reducing environmental stress, and separating kits from does appropriately. Extension training can provide farmers with the technical knowledge and practical skills required to apply recommended weaning practices. This study will examine the effect of extension training on farmers’ adoption of rabbit weaning practices. The study will assess the extent of farmers’ exposure to extension training and determine how such training influences their adoption of recommended rabbit weaning practices. It will examine farmers’ participation in training programmes, demonstrations, farm visits, and advisory activities relating to rabbit weaning. The study will also assess farmers’ adoption of practices such as determining appropriate weaning age, gradual feed transition, provision of clean water, separation of kits from does, housing management, hygiene, and monitoring of young rabbits after weaning. The study will focus on extension training, farmers, rabbit weaning, weaning age, kit management, feed transition, water provision, housing management, hygiene practices, post-weaning care, rabbit health, kit survival, rabbit growth, and rabbit production. Information will be obtained on farmers’ knowledge and application of recommended weaning procedures. The study will also identify challenges such as inadequate extension contact, limited access to quality feeds, poor housing facilities, insufficient technical knowledge, and financial constraints that may affect the adoption of recommended practices. A quantitative research approach will be adopted for the study. Data will be collected from rabbit farmers through structured questionnaires designed to obtain information on extension training exposure and adoption of rabbit weaning practices. The collected data will be analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, mean scores, and standard deviations. Inferential techniques such as correlation and regression analysis may also be used to determine the relationship between extension training and farmers’ adoption of recommended rabbit weaning practices. The study is expected to reveal that extension training may have a positive effect on farmers’ adoption of rabbit weaning practices. Farmers who receive regular and practical training may demonstrate greater knowledge and improved application of appropriate weaning age, feed transition, water provision, housing, hygiene, and post-weaning monitoring practices. The study may also reveal that inadequate extension services, limited access to suitable feeds, poor housing conditions, insufficient technical knowledge, and financial constraints could constrain the consistent adoption of recommended weaning practices. The study will be useful to rabbit farmers, agricultural extension agents, livestock development agencies, animal production professionals, policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders involved in rabbit production. It may provide useful information for strengthening extension training programmes on rabbit reproductive and young-stock management. The findings may also assist relevant organisations in designing practical training programmes that address farmers’ weaning challenges and promote improved kit survival, growth, and overall rabbit production. The study concludes that extension training is important for improving farmers’ knowledge and adoption of appropriate rabbit weaning practices. It is therefore recommended that agricultural extension agencies and livestock development organisations should provide regular practical training, demonstrations, farm visits, and advisory services on appropriate weaning age, feed transition, water provision, hygiene, housing, and post-weaning care. Extension programmes should also promote access to suitable feeds and technical support to improve the health and survival of weaned rabbits and support sustainable rabbit production.

Keywords: Extension training, farmers, rabbit production, rabbit weaning, weaning practices, rabbit kits, weaning age, feed transition, kit management, rabbit nutrition, housing management, hygiene practices, kit survival, rabbit growth, livestock extension.