HOW TO BREED A GRASS CUTTER

HOW START BREEDING GRASS CUTTER

ORIGIN AND PHYSICAL FEATURES

The grass cutter belongs to the order Rodent and family Thryonomidae which
contains only genus Thryonomys. Dorst and Dandelete (1979) recognized only
two species which they describe as greater grasscutter
Thryonomys swinderianus Temminck and the lesser grass cutter Thryonomys
gregorianus Temminck. This rodent is widely known through Africa south of
Sahara and it is commonly referred as the grass cutter, cane-rat or Cutting
grass.
They are heavily built, thick set with animals with rounded muzzle, small
round ears, short tails and harsh bristly fur. They have a peculiar bristle
tail which readily fractures near the base if seized, much like the easily
atomized tail of the lizard, a phenomenon that is of tremendous protective
value. The coarse bristly coat has no under-fur, though under magnification
some sparsely scattered extremely fine straight under-fur are visible.
The overall appearance is usually dark brown, speckled with yellow or grey
above butty white below. The chin and throat appear white. The head is a bit
small for the size of the body. The small circular ear is covered strong and

well padded and are armed with powerful straight claws. There are five
digits on the fore feet and four on the hind feet. Females have three pairs
of mammary glands on the belly, while the male testes are not visible
externally like other rodents.
The total body length (head to end tail) ranged from 35 to 60cm and its tail
length ranges from 7 cm to 25cm. Grass cutter grows to a considerable
weight. The mature male sometimes reach more than 9kg while females can
attain between 5-7kg body weight. Its growth rate is less than that of
rabbit of an improved breed and more than that of the local rabbit in a
tropical environment.
The animal has many predators including leopards, mongoose and python, in
addition to man.

MEAT QUALITIES AND USES

The meat qualities of the grass cutter compare favorably with those of
domesticated livestock species. Mature live weight ranges from 5 to 8kg. It
has an average dressing percentage of 65%. However with the consumption of
the head an entrails this can reach 80%.
The nutritional value of grass cutter meat is as good as those from domestic
animals. Beef, Lamb and pork also contain higher fat percentage than meat
from the grass cutter.In fact grass cutter meat is nutritionally superior to
some domestic meat because of its high protein to fat ratio and higher
mineral contents. The meat quality is also leaner and non-cholestrogenic.
The meat is very tasty when compared to both domestic and familiar game
species. The grass cutter also play an important role in traditional African

medicine for preparation of concoctions for fertility etc. In Ghana, the

hair of the grass cutter is used to season food just as much as its stomach
and intestinal contents. Also, the pancreas of the grass cutter contains a
high concentration of insulin which is used in local preparation for the
treatment of diabetes.
Pix of a matured grasscutter (thryonomys swinderianus temminck) as seen in the
image below:-

SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE:
In Ghana it has been ascertained that grass cutter contributes to both local
and export earnings. About 73 tonnes of animals are sold in a year and
recent surveys show that is is the Grass cutter that dominates the bush meat
trade.
Most of this quantity is traded locally as fresh or smoked form. Smoked
grass cutter is exported to US and Europe.
Grass cutter can be reared with minimal capital outlay as inputs required
are very low.
Feed requirements for grass cutter in captivity are low and it does not
compete with man for feedstuffs. It can therefore serve as a considerable
income earner for the small scale Peri-urban or rural livestock producer. A
farmer can also integrate grass cutter rearing with other livestock farming
such as pigs, rabbits, sheep, ducks and poultry.

GRASS CUTTER HOUSING:

Grass cutter housing comprised of a stable and cages/pens. stable is the
main building which houses the cages/pens. It is a normal building

constructed in such a way to allow enough light and ventilation (air).

The type of material for its construction depends on the capital available
to the farmer/breeder. cement block, wood, mud, brick, bamboo etc are some
of materials for construction grass cutter house (stable).

Basically there are two rearing methods:

1.Rearing on the floor (floor hutch)
2.Rearing above the floor. (in meshed cages).

Floor hutch is the of rearing cage constructed with either cement block,
brick or mud on the floor. Meshed cage on the other hand is the type of
rearing cage made from combination of wood and wired-mesh.
Both of them however comprised of two compartments which permit easy
movement of animal.
They can also be made into two three tiers (layers) system in order to optimize
space.
The hutches are placed within the building, and the dimension with other features
can be length can be 2.0 m X 1.5 m width X height 0.75 meters.
COMPARTMENT:-this must be two compartment each of 1.0 meters X 1.5 meters X
0.75 meters, it must have a small opening way of Cm X Cm and must be made at
the bottom of the partitioning wall between both compartments.This allows for easy
movement of the grass cutters from one room to the other.And the top must be
covered with a wire mesh or bamboo with an opening (entrance of 30cm X 25cm).

CAGE HOUSING SYSTEM

A farmer can also rear a grasscutter in a well covered wood wire cage, the designs
of cages for grasscutter are different with purposes.The cages dimension and
features are:length x width x height i.e 1.6 meters x 0.6 meters x 0.45 meters, it
can also be in these ranges 1.5 meters x 1.0 meters x 0.4 meters, and it must have
two longitudinal side: lenght x width: 30 cm x 25 cm, you can see the image of the

wood wire cage system for grass cutter housing (3 steps: upstair wood wire cage
system.

STANDARD CAGE HOUSING SYSTEM

The dimension of the standard individual cages are length x width x height: 0.5 m x
0.5 m x 0.4 m and the entrance must be: 18 cm x 18 cm which must be one on one
side only.
here is a sample picture of a standard cage housing system:-

A RETENTION CAGES:
i. Grasscutter above 5 kg: 38 cm x 14cm x 14 cm.
ii. Grasscutter between 1 and 3kg: 30 cm x 10 cm.
iii.Grasscutter between 3 and 5 kgs: 33cm x 13 cm x 13 cm.
In Hutches, 8 grasscutter are kept inside the house, in colony cages we can put
between 18 to 24 grasscutters together and same also adult castrated males can be
put in the colony cages, and they may be up to 12 per cage.

Image of animal population for one cage floor weaners (between two to four month
old).

REPRODUCTION AND BREEDING.

A male and female grass cutters attains their sexual maturity at 5 and 7
months respectively. A male grass cutter can be paired with 3-5
females.There are two methods of mating -permanent and controlled mating
methods. The gestation period is 5 months, meaning that with good
management, the animal an litter twice in a year.
The average litter size is always four. They young ones can be weaned in
about 4-6 weeks, after a resting period of about 10 days mother can be

paired with the male again.

HANDLING.
Grass cutter can be handled either by tails or by the limb. For easy
handling, wire mesh cage can be used to move animal from one place to other.

FEEDS AND FEEDING OF GRASS CUTTER COLONIES.

Whatever be the choice of grass cutter farming embarked upon by farmer
(breeding or fattening), provision of quality and adequate nutrition is
essential to the success of each grass cutter rearing. Balanced feeding that
takes into consideration nutritional requirements and regularity of feeding
are essential factors responsible for the animals' good growth, health and
reproduction.

FEED INGREDIENTS

1)FORAGE
Grass cutters normally prefer grass with succulent stalk and such quality
can be found in the following wild or cultivated grasses among others.
.Elephant grass (pennisetum purpureum)
.Sugar cane (Saccharum spp)
.Guinea grass (Panicum maximum)
.Giant star grass(Andropogon gayanus)
.Maize stem (zea mays)

.Rice stalks (Oryza spp.)

ii)FOOD CROP CULTIVATED/PRODUCTS

.Rice
.Maize
.Guinea Corn
.Millet
.Cassava

NUTRIENTS
Balanced feed can be found in a proportional mixture of the following feed
ingredients that are used in preparing the supplementary feed. Examples of
feed ingredients include:
.Maize/millet------------------ cassava
.Brewers dried grain (BDG)-----Leucaena leucocephala
.Corn bran/wheat offal---------Oyster/snail shell
.Palm kernel cake (PKC)--------Bone meal
.Soyabean cake (SBC)-----------Salt
.Groundnut cake(GNC)-----------Vitamin -mineral premix

DISEASE MANAGEMENT.
As said earlier, good hygiene practice reduces the risk of disease outbreak
in grass cutters rearing. The most important disease in grass cutter rearing
include the following:
1.ENTEROTOXAEMIA: This is caused by a bacterium clostridium perfringens. The
organism produces toxins which are absorbed into the circulatory system of

the grass cutters thereby causing moralities.

The most obvious sign seen is the paralysis/ pedaling of the hind legs.
Other signs are seen during post mortern. vaccine against this condition is
available. Antibiotics (Ciprofloxacin, Enrofloxacin) are used in the
treatment. It is useful to sprinkle some superphosphate on pen floor
bi-monthly to break the development circle of clostridia orgamisms.
2.STAPHYLOCOCCAEMIA:-This is caused by a bacterium, staphylococcus Aurelius.
Most of the signs of this disease are seen at post mortem but discharges
from the nostrils and vagina could be seen. Antibiotics are also employed in
its treatment.
3.COCCIDIOSIS:This is caused by organism of the Eimeria family. Symptoms of
the disease include diarrhea, prostration e.t.c Drugs of the Amprolium
family are used in its treatment.
4.WORM INFECTION:-This is caused by worms and can be gotten from the cane
grass being fed to the grass cutter. This is why the cane grass must be put
in the sum before being fed to the grass cutters in order for the larvae of
the worms to destroyed. Regular deworming should be carried out.
5.ECTOPARASTES: e.g ticks. These could be introduced into the pens through
inadequately dried forage. Administration of Ivomec is used to control
ticks. Chemical bath/dipping of the grass cutters could also be useful.

NUTRITIONAL HYGIENE TIPS TO PREVENT FOOD POISONING AND DIGESTIVE ISSUES.

Do not serve ripe fruit to the animals.

Do not serve animals with grass cut the same day i.e the grass cut in late
afternoon for the next feeding day.

Remove leftover forage and concentrate before feeding fresh feed.

Do not serve supplementary feed before forage in the morning.

Avoid animals forage that is not yet mature (too young)

Clean water and feed troughs each day before feeding.

Provide enough water and feed troughs in the pen.

Do not feed mouldy forage and concentrate.

Do not source for grasses from unhygenic places where human waste is
deposited.

GRASS - CUTTER FARMING. STEP BY STEP GUIDE ON WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.

Although a relatively new aspect of animal husbandry, grass-cutter farming

Is fast growing in our society own to the large acceptance of its practice and
High consumption rate of it meat (fur)

One major advantage on grass-cutter is that, it is highly economical and pocket

Friendly to venture into however, with high economic value and profitability,
Unlike most other type of animal farming.this makes grass-cutter farming
Readily accessible to all shades of people, irrespective of social status or creed.
More so, it can be stated without fear or contradiction that grass cutter farming

Is a proven economical animal farming with about the fastest pay-back period
And huge return on investment

The history of grass-cutter farming is not different from that of other animal
Husbandry which dates back to pre-history when man, in his stone age, was
Predominantly engaged in hunting of wild animals and gathering of fruits.
No doubt, modern man passed through various evolutionary stages from the
Early age through the medieval to the present era. With all these stages mark
With different Developmental evidence, which saw man improved from hunting
Of wild life to rearing or domesticating of animals (animal husbandry).

Today, grass-cutter amongst all other animals reared for commercial purpose, is
enjoying increasing patronage and acceptability own to the fact that it is a viable,
profitable and sustainable income earner, especiAly in a third world nation like
Nigeria where poverty and lack of financial capital to start up gigantic business is
the order of the day, as average income of a grass-cutter farmer is highly
appreciable as shown below:

SMALL SCALE

1 family of grass-cutter (4 females, 1 male) cost 25,000

Housing 5,000
Feeding (annual) 3,000

Total cost of farming = 33,000

MEDIUM SCALE

3 Families 75,000
Housing 15,000
Feeding (annual) 5,000
Total cost of farming 95,000

LARGE SCALE

10 families 250,000
Housing 50,000
Feeding (annual) 10,000
Total cost of farming 310,000

An investment of 33,000 on small scale, earns a farmer 360,000 as income at the

end of the year. An investment of 95,000 earns 1, 080,000, while investment of 310
earns 3, 600,000 at the end of the year. This income tends to increase by two times
the following year following the increase in the families, and procreating grasscutters.

The above statistic drives home the point that grass-cutter farming does not require
large capital investment and does not require imported material to succeed, and
can be farmed any where in Nigeria, both at the urban and rural areas. Grass-cutter
farming therefore, is a project which offers profitable opportunities for small and
medium scale entrepreneurs, thus a viable, acceptable means of employment
generation and economic empowerment.

IMPORTANCE OF GRASS-CUTTER FARMING

A relatively new aspect of animal husbandry like grass cutter farming does not
come without its attendant importance. Below are some of the importances:

1
Grass-cutter farming has comparative cost advantage over other animal
husbandry like cattle rearing, piggery, poultry, etc. it is economical to venture into.
2
Grass-cutter meat (fur) is white meat unlike the red meat synonymous with
beef, pork, which causes increase in body weight.
3
Its meat is low cholesterol which makes it healthy for individuals who are
conscious of their weight.
4
Its meat is also medicinal in that it helps boost mans immune system, and
cures some ailment associated with heart. etc.
5
Grass-cutter can be used for scientific researches in the laboratory to test for
the effectiveness or otherwise of vaccines.
6
It is also a reliable source of animal protein void of any complications from it s
consumption, unlike many other animals reared in farms.
7
It has no known disease, virus, etc. associated with other farm animals thus,
making it human friendly.
8
If harnessed properly, grass-cutter can be a steady and reliable source of
foreign exchange.
9

Its skin provides for hides and skins.

10 The sticky fluid between its outer skin and inner flesh provides for glue used in
holding things together.
11 Grass-cutter farming meets international standard demand to sustain wild life
and maintain the balance in the ecosystem, as the practice does not allow for the
depletion or extinction of the species.

TERMINOLOGIES AND CHARACTERISTICS

This is otherwise known as the peculiar language/ names / signs / symbols

associated with grass-cutter farming just as any other aspect of life has its own
terminologies.

1 BUCK: This is a fully grown male grass-cutter. Just as we have boar in pig
Eve in sheep, Bull in cattle, Billy goat in goat. The buck represent the
Matured male grass cutter.
2 DOE : The fully grown female grass-cutter. The doe represents the
Matured female grass-cutter.
3 DAM: This is the nursing mother grass- cutter. The matured grass-cutter
That has just given birth and is still weaning and feeding its children.
4 SIRE :

This is also known as the nursing father. It is the fully matured

Male grass-cutter that impregnated the now nursing mother.

5
KINDLING: Otherwise known as kittens, are the little children of the grasscutter that as not attained maturity.
6
SUCKLING: This is the act of breast feeding the newly born kindling of the
grass-cutter.
7
WEANING: This is the act of taking care of the kindly, otherwise known as
nursing.
8
FUR: This is the meat from grass-cutter. It is however a white meat, hence no
cholesterol that causes fat. Thus the fur is rich and healthy source of animal protein.
9
HEAT PERIOD: Otherwise known as the evolution period in matured grasscutter. At this period, the doe shows sign of restlessness indicating its readiness for
mating with a male grass-cutter.
10 FAMILY: Grass-cutters are identified by family. A family is made up of 4 male
and 1 female. It is important to identify the different families in order to avoid in
breeding

11

HUTCH: This is the house for rearing grass-cutter.

FEATURES OF GRASS-CUTTER

1 NON RUMINANT: Grass-cutter unlike cows, sheep, and goat does not have complex
stomach and does not chew its cord.
2 HERBIVORES: Since they feed mainly on grass and little on other supplement,
grass-cutters are thus, herbivorous in nature.
3 AVERAGE BODY SIZE: The grass-cutter is neither too big nor too small. At maturity,
it has an average body size of about 1.5 ft in length, 0.7ft in height with body
weight of about 7kg
4 WARM ENVIRONMENT: Grass-cutter lives and procreates well in a warm
environment than in extreme cold or hot environment.
5 NOON VICIOUS: Grass-cutter is not cruel, predatory, or harmful which makes it
human friendly and easy to train/farm
6 COPRA PHAGES: This is the act of feeding on their first farces. Grass cutter unlike
other rodents has the peculiar nature of feeding on their first farces.
7 ACTIVE AT NIGHT: Unlike other animals, grass-cutter is very active at night. It is
discovered that it eats, plays mates and exercises very well at night.
10 Grass-cutter does not allow in-breeding, which is the act of mating a male and
female from the same family. This leads to the death of the kindling. Hence, a male
and female from different family are allowed to mate for reproduction.

HOUSING OF GRASS-CUTTER.

Grass-cutters stay in hutches. A is a single (double-cubicle) apartment for a family

of grass-cutter. Grass-cutter hutches can either be in wooden or brick form.
However, the brick form is more permanent and enduring hence, recommended.

Large space is not required to build hutches or rear grass-cutter as earlier stated.
The backyard, side-wall, or any little space within the compound is enough to rear
grass-cutter on a commercial base. For example, a land space of 2m x 0.5 x 4m (for
height, width, length, respectively) is adequate for grass-cutter rearing on a
medium scale.

A typical hutch is made up of two cubicles (in a room and parlor arrangement) the
height of the hutch is 1.5ft. The length is measured in the region of 4ft divided into
two equal parts 2ft each. It then means that a typical hutch is demarcated at the
center into two equal cubicles, while the width of the hutch is 1ft.

FEEDING AND NUTRITION

For optimum result, grass-cutters should be fed with adequate

Grass (their major feed) while the recommended concentrates are supplements for
additional minerals and vitamins necessary for their healthy growth and survival.

TYPES OF GRASSES FOR FEEDING GRASS-CUTTER

Grass-cutters feed mainly on three different grasses namely:

1 Elephant grass

2 Guinea grass

3 Maize grass

SUPPLEMENTS.

These are processed type of food to provide for additional vitamins and minerals for
healthy and maximum growth of the grass-cutter.
1 pellet

80%

2 maize

17%

3 Soya beans

2%

4 Oyster shell
5 Salt

=
=

0.5%
0.5%

PATTERN OF FEEDING

The grass-cutter can be fed twice a day. Any of the aforementioned grass should be
used to feed the grass-cutter in the mornings and the supplement in the afternoons.
The grass should be enough to last till the following morning.
To feed the grass-cutter with supplement, fresh cassava chips (white) are mixed
with just a handful of the concentrates. The combination of Soya-beans, oyster shell
and salt mixed in powder form should be half tea-spoon full. All these are combined
together and feed to grass-cutter in the afternoon.
Water can be administered once in two days during dry seasons or once in a week
during rainy seasons.
To know if the grass-cutters are adequately fed, little or no grasses are left by the
next morning and vise-versa. The hutches should be swept every morning before
another set of feed is introduced.

PRODUCTION/REPRODUCTION

The grass-cutter becomes fully matured at 7 months old and can be kept for
another 1 year. However, it becomes mature for consumption from 2-3 months old.

MATING: at seven months old, the female grass-cutter is ready for mating. It shows
this sign (heat) by it restlessness at this point a mature male is introduced to her.
Dont forget both should not be of the same family. Also important is the fact that,
the male should be a month or two older than the female to allow for easy mating.
The four females must have attained maturity in a hutch. When the male is
introduced, it is left until the first female gives birth before the male is removed and
kept in its own hutch. It is important to note that, from three months, the male is
kept alone in its own hutch. This is to boost its sexual prowess, unlike the females
which grow in a set of four in a hutch from three months.

The gestation period of the grass-cutter is 5 months. After the last of the four
females have given birth. The kindling are left with the mother for 5 weeks after
which they are separated from their mothers, and the matured male is introduced
again for another round of mating. At three months, the male are from the female
Kindling, while the males are kept singularly, in hutches, the females are kept in a
set of four which make a family.

I believe this article will be of help to you if you were intending to run a grass-cutter
farm business. In next article, Im going to tell you how to market you grass-cutter
and how to process it for export.