How to Raise Nutria? A Complete Guide to Practical Farming Techniques

The nutria looks a bit like a rat, but it is much larger than a rat; it is the largest rodent. Many people raise it now. It eats relatively little, is easy to feed, and every part of it is useful. So how exactly is it raised?

Nutria farming techniques

Enclosure construction

The nutria is best raised around lakes and rivers and in places rich in water sources. The nutria house is generally built from potash mica and asbestos tiles, and should have an open-air exercise yard, with an area designed at 1 sq m per animal. At one end, build a nest chamber, occupying about 0.5 sq m per animal. Around the entire enclosure, build an 80 cm high wall, and also build a pool for the nutria to play in the water.

Daily feeding and management

The nutria likes to eat root tubers, tubers and plants rich in starch, such as carrots, beet, Chinese cabbage, alfalfa, clover, peas, green corn, and the tender branches and leaves of various trees. Barley, corn, soybean cake and wheat bran can serve as concentrated feed for captive raising. A certain amount of animal feed, such as fish meal and bone meal, should also be added to the concentrated feed, but the total amount must not exceed 10%. The daily ration of mixed concentrated feed for female nutria during pregnancy is 150—200 g per animal, during lactation 25-275 g per animal, and in other periods 50-100 g per animal. Generally feed twice a day, with 50% given in the morning and 50% in the evening.

In summer, the water in the pool is for drinking and swimming, and it must be changed frequently, once every 2 - 3 days. The pool and exercise yard should be disinfected 1-2 times per week. In summer, take care to sprinkle water to lower the temperature; in winter, take care to add bedding straw and cover the top of the nest with plastic film for insulation. In winter, if it freezes, stop putting water in the pool to prevent the nutria's tail and feet from freezing. At this time, feed more green, juicy roots and stems and leaves, or provide drinking water in a basin 1-2 times at midday when the temperature is relatively high.

Nutria mating methods

Mating is mainly done by placing pairs together for free mating. According to the number placed together each time, there are three methods: one-to-one mating, one male with multiple females group mating, and multiple males with multiple females group mating.

1. One male and one female pair mating: move a female nutria in heat into the enclosure of a selected male breeding nutria, and let the pair mate freely one to one. After mating is complete, the female should be moved back to her original house, and placed together again the next day, repeating this 2-3 times. After the male rests for 1-2 hours, place a second female in for free mating, and return her to her original house afterward. After another 1-2 hours of rest, place the third and fourth females. A male mates about 4 times a day; even strong, highly sexed ones do not exceed 5 times, and those with poorer condition can be arranged for 3 times. The general male-to-female mating ratio is 1:4. During the pairing process, if some females are found not to be in heat or to have passed their heat period, they should be returned to their original house and raised for more than 20 days until the next heat period before being paired again. The advantage of this method is that the pedigree is clear and selective mating can be achieved, but it is rather troublesome and laborious and prone to missed matings; it is suitable for breeding farms.

2. One male with multiple females group mating

According to the mating plan, raise 4-5 females together with 1 male in the same enclosure and let them mate freely. Check conception regularly every month; when a pregnant female is found, immediately remove her from the large group and raise her separately. Those not pregnant remain in the large group and continue mating with the male until conception. After giving birth, the female should be promptly returned to the large group for postpartum mating with the male, and after mating is complete, moved back to the litter house to nurse. Production practice shows that this method has a relatively good breeding effect; it not only reduces the empty pregnancy rate of females but also makes full use of the enclosure. At the same time, the pedigree is not confused, and clear pedigree records can still be established.

3. Multiple males and multiple females group mating

Raise 3-4 breeding males with 1520 females in the same enclosure and let them choose mates freely. Check the females' conception once every 15 days; those confirmed pregnant are removed for separate raising, and after giving birth are promptly sent back for postpartum mating. The advantages of this method are that it saves facilities and equipment, increases the mating rate, and reduces the empty pregnancy rate. But the disadvantages are also prominent, mainly that the offspring pedigree is unclear and blood relationships cannot be determined. At the same time, because the males mate frequently, semen quality and health are affected, and if there is disease, it will also spread among them. This method is only suitable for commercial nutria farms, and specialized breeding farms should not use it.

4. Manual assisted mating

If an individual female does not accept mating during her heat period, manual assisted mating should be used so as not to miss the heat period. The specific method is to move the female into the male's exercise yard, support her abdomen with the left hand and lift it slightly upward, then use the right hand to pull the tail to one side, expose the vulva and bring it to the male's nose to let him sniff it, stimulating the male's sex drive and prompting mating.

Selection of breeding nutria

The quality of breeding nutria selection directly affects the number and quality of offspring, and further affects the economic benefits of production and operation. For this reason, breeding nutria should meet the following requirements.

1. Fine, dense down and pure color

Fur is the main product of the nutria, and its quality directly affects economic benefits. Excellent breeding nutria should have even, fine, dense, glossy short down, and the down on the back and abdomen should be equally thick and even; dark brown coat color is best.

2. Strong physique and strong sex drive

Males should be gentle in temperament, have a strong sex drive, be full of energy, and mate well.

3. Large body size and well-proportioned appearance

Breeding nutria should have a broad abdominal circumference and a straight back and waist; thick, short, strong, powerful limbs; a large head and broad forehead, and be lively; a well-proportioned appearance, healthy and free of disease; well developed, with medium fatness. Adult males weighing more than 7 kg and females more than 5 kg can be kept for breeding. First-litter females generally reaching more than 4 kg can be selected.

4. Strong reproductive ability and high survival rate

Multiparous females should conceive 2 litters per year, with more than 6 young per litter, and have strong maternal instincts, sufficient milk, and a litter survival rate of more than 90%.

Morphological characteristics of the nutria

The nutria is a large rodent, with a body length of 430-635 mm, a tail length of 225-425 mm, and a body weight of 5-10 kg, with large ones reaching 17 kg. The head is relatively large, the nostrils are small and can close in water. The ears are small and have valves, and the ear openings have hair with a waterproof effect. The incisors are large and long and are orange-red. The four feet are black, the forechest has no callus, and the hind feet have webbing. The penis of the male is 4-5 cm from the anus, the vagina of the female is very close to the anus, there are 4 pairs of nipples on the abdomen, and there are guard hairs and down on the back; the abdominal hair is more abundant and thicker than the back hair. The back is black, the sides of the body are orange-yellow, and the abdomen is earthy yellow.

Nutria farming first requires building an enclosure, and the enclosure should be chosen in a place with a water source, because nutria like to play in the water. Next is daily management; you must understand its feeding habits and feed it a fixed amount every day. The breeding situation of the nutria also cannot be ignored.