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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
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.
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
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 the space.
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.
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.)
NUTRIENTS
Balanced feed can be found in a proportional mixture of the following feed
DISEASE MANAGEMENT.
As said earlier, good hygiene practice reduces the risk of disease outbreak
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.