Grasscutter Farming
Topics covered
OPERATIONAL COST FOR STOCKING 20 GRASSCUTTERS
(16FEMALES AND 4MALES)
PRE PRODUCTION FEEDING
(10 months period before mating and gestation period)
GRASSCUTTER FATTENING FOR (MEAT PRODUCTION)
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS FOR STOCKING AND FATTENING
PROFIT PROJECTION FOR 20 GRASSCUTTERS
MARKETING & PROCESSING OF GRASSCUTTERS
ALSO INCLUDED ARE
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GRASSCUTTERS
Introduction
Origin of the grasscutter
Behaviour in the wild
Behaviour in confinement
Social behaviour
Life span/longevity
ECONOMIC POTENTIALS OF THE GRASSCUTTER
Conservational Problems Associated with Grasscutter Demand
Grasscutter as Minilivestock
Scientific Potentials of the Grasscutter
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Handling Grasscutter
When catching Grasscutters with your hands, keep the following in mind
Maintaining hygiene in grasscutter farming
CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSING / CAGE
Housing
Rearing shed
Rearing pen
Feeding and drinking troughs
FEEDING
Planning
Forage and concentrates
Water and mineral supplements
Stocking food
A self-mix Grasscutter feed formula
REPRODUCTION
Sex Determination
The Male Genital Tract
The Female Genital Tract
Sexual Maturity
Mating in Grasscutter
Pregnancy and Birth
Pregnancy Diagnosis
Gestation Length
Weaning.
PRODUCTION PLANNING
HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT
Basic hygiene measures
Symptoms of sick Grasscutter
Veterinary treatment
Parasitic Diseases of the Grasscutter
RECORDKEEPING
TRANSPORTATION CAGE
MORE ON GRASSCUTTER FARMING
Feasibility reports on grasscutter farming ventures indicate that the long term profitability is
comparable to that of poultry farming and higher than cattle ranching However, the high
costs of initial inputs (cages. breeding stocks), the slow returns and the limited technical
expertise has hampered the adoption of back-yard grasscutter f arming by rural households
and the development of large scale commercial ventures. The market for both fresh and smoked grasscutter meat is effectively unlimited and there is therefore the need to invest in research to develop cheaper ways of production and extension services to enable the transfer of appropriate technologies to small scale farmers.
The grasscutter (Cane-rat) is a hystricomorphic rodent endemic to Africa. The animal occurs in savannah grasslands, forest clearings, cultivated lands and secondary forests, where it is very common and is heavily hunted as a food resource in man y areas on the continent.
Grasscutters are herbivorous, their favorite’s food being savannah grasses .In captivity; they
will also take sugar cane, corn stalks and cassava peelings. The animal is a wasteful feeder,
cutting the grass at a characteristic angle with its very powerful incisors to eat the more
nutritious, succulent inter-nodes, leaving behind scattered pieces of stem on the feeding
grounds. This characteristic feeding behavior is exploited by hunters who look for the feeding
sites, an indication of where the animals were active the previous night and concentrate
hunting efforts in such areas. The animal does not burrow? But may shelter in hollows and
burrows made by other animals. This means enclosures for captive rearing can be fenced in
by mud walls. The grasscutter has a long gestation period, about five months, a relatively
small litter size, maximum of four in the wild but up to twelve has been recorded in captivity.
The young are born with their eyes open and the coats fully developed and are able to follow
the mother immediately after birth. Females can be re-fertilized after parturition if paired with
the male, thus two litters are possible in a year. Average weight of wild Grasscutters is 4 –
5kg; males can reach up to 10 kg. Captive Grasscutters can be kept in cages or box es but are
best kept in open areas enclosed within mud walls or other fencing material where males and
females can be kept together. Depending on the size of cages used, stocking rates of one male
to five females are possible. Pregnant females must be separated at full term since
cannibalism of males on the newly born young ones is common.
Within the West African sub-region, grasscutter is the favorite bush meat species and
accounts for the greater proportion of bush meat sold in markets. In most of the countries
within the sub-region, grasscutter meat fetches higher prices than that of beef. The popularity
of grasscutter meat led to the choice of the animal as the subject of several studies during the
early 1970s, aimed at domesticating the species for large scale farming an d production of the
meat for human consumption.
ORIGIN OF THE GRASSCUTTER
Grasscutter is a wild herbivorous rodent found in the sub-Saharan region of Africa. It is the
biggest after porcupine in the rodent class. It is referred to as Cane rat or cutting grass by
many. Scientifically, it is referred to as
Thryonomys swinderianus
. Its sub-order is that of
Hystricomorpha (porcupine relatives) and the super family is Petromuroidea (Rock rat- like),
with genus
Thryonomys.
Kingdom :
Animalia
Phylum :
Chordata
Vertebrata
Subphylum :
Class :
Mammalia
Order
: Rodentia
Suborder :
Hystricomorpha
Family :
Thryonomyidae
Genus
:
Thryonomys
Species
:
Thryonomys swinderianus
The Species Are of Two Types
Thryonomys swinderianus
Temminck which is the giant breed and
Thryonomys gregorianus
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF GRASSCUTTERS
The body length of
Thryonomys swinderianus
varies from 25-70 cm, with an average of 48
cm and their tail reaches 0.65-26 cm in length The total body weight of adult ranges between
4-12 kg. The h eaviest bodies have an average weight in males of 4.5 and 3.5 kg in females
which looks like a giant guinea pig with a short tail. The body is heavily built, small round
with bristle fur and coat and a circular ear. The fur reflects the general co lour of the animal,
with brownish colour from the base to the middle of the fur, while the upp er fur appears light
yellow to reddish. The combination of these colors gives the animal brownish yellow/red
colour. Besides these, common colors that range f rom grayish black to brown ex ist.
The Grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus), matured adult measures 40-60 cm long;
weighs 2-6 kg; mixture of reddish brown and grey fur; monogastric herbivore; quick
runner; skilled swimmer; poor vision; good sense of smell; lives up to 4 years in captivity;
Induced ovulator; Gestation period 150-156 days; litter size up to 6.
GRASSCUTTER BEHAVIOR IN THE WILD
Grasscutters are more active during the night and at dawn, as compared to daytime. The
grasscutter does not dig holes or burrows, nor does it live in tunnels. Depending on the
ambient temperature, they rest either on top of or under a heap of dry grass. When in danger,
however, they hide wherever they can find shelter. The grasscutter is an excellent swimmer,
has good eyesight, a delicate ear and a sharp scent. It also has a good sense of orientation.
Usually, they live in small groups of family colonies, comprising a buck, one or more does
and their offspring. Only males live solitarily.
Grasscutters feed on vegetation, and are able to convert the highly cellulotic material into
valuable animal protein. This is of particular importance with regard to supply o f protein of
animal origin for the poor, who may not afford sheep, goat or cattle. The animal meets its
mineral requirements by eating soil.
GRASSCUTTER BEHAVIOR IN CONFINEMENT
Grasscutters can be subdivided into 2 categories, the docile and indocile grasscutter. The
docile grasscutter adapts well to life in confinement and becomes accustomed to man quickly,
whereas the indocile grasscutter panics when people approach and tries to escape from its
cage or pen. Grasscutters easily recognize their cage or pen and the individual who takes care
of them. The animals communicate with each other and produce different sounds that indicate
well-being, warnings as well as submission.
Phases of activity and rest in the animals alternate. Generally, they tend to rest during the hot
o
hours of the day. If environmental temperatures fall below 18
C, Grasscutters activity is also
severely decreased.
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR OF GRASSCUTTERS
Thryonomys swinderianus
is a semi nocturnal animal and they live in colonies comprising of
one male and several females in each colony and the young ones from more than one
generation. Even though it possesses digits equipped with power and sharp claws, it does not
crawl on vertically erect wall or object unlike African giant rat. It burrows into the ground,
but can temporarily shelter in hollow made by other animals. It is sensitive to noise and
almost very frightened when it senses danger.
The animal always shelters itself with dry grass to provide warmth since the animals is
allergic to cold weather. Grasscutter cannot jump any obstacle above 3 ft. Many of the
animal’s weaknesses make it prone to easy capture when spotted b y hunters, capture team or
predators. Nevertheless, grasscutter has the ability of freezing up while hiding under grasses without being d etected when it is being hunted. That is why hunters usually adopt the heavy use of fiend dogs to flush it out during hunting. The animal tends to always protect its home range (feeding, nestin g and mating territory) against another animal of their kind. That is whyglasscutter’s house and enclosure are divided into many partitions suitable for easy grouping
of the animals to avoid cannibalism and fighting among animals, more especially during mating.
