How to include rabbits in your FFA program

  •  SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE
  • Work with your teacher to design your project
  • Suggested topics include: Nutrition, Genetics, Rabbit Husbandry, etc.

Food production, reproduction, biology, livestock husbandry, proper handling, daily responsibility. While focusing on these topics students learn math, science, business skills, accounting, marketing and graphing data to experiments in their classrooms.

  • RAISE MEAT PENS IN YOUR CLASSROOM

  • Quick Project: Meat Pens 100 Days from Breeding
  • Minimal Start-up Investment. You can begin with only 2 or 3 cages

Tony McCaul
Michigan FFA Meat Rabbit State Contest Creator
FFA Teacher Holland, Michigan

Tony McCaul believes in the 70/20/10 rule when developing content for his FFA Chapter.

He focuses 70% of his teaching on experiential learning, 20% sharing ideas and concepts with classmates and 10% in formal learning in lectures, note taking or quizzes.

“Students learn the best through experiential learning. By bringing rabbits into the classroom, I have been able to teach numerous topics that make an impact in their education. When I developed the idea of the Michigan FFA Meat Rabbit State Contest, my focus was to have my students learn animal agriculture and food production during the spring semester while having a competition at the end to compete with multiple Chapters. I was very inexperienced about rabbits so I partnered with a rabbit expert, David Moll. Together we designed the contest to fit the needs of the classroom and rabbit production. We designed two contests a Home-Grown Project (raised from birth) to Purchased Project (start at 6 weeks). The project is complete in seventy days. The first year there were over 75 pens the State Contest and it is growing. Over 30 Chapters across the state are now competing.”

Information is available online about the Michigan FFA Meat Rabbit State Contest or contact me at: association@michiganffa.org. “I highly recommend bringing rabbits into your classroom, students enjoy experiential learning, rabbits are easy to care for, are affordable and students enjoy working with them.”

Resources

Meat Pen Article: “A Cut Above”
by Master Meat Pen Judge Caleb Thomas

How to Pose Commercial Rabbits
by ARBA President and Judge – Josh Humphries

Lesson Plan for Rabbit Handling

Rabbit Handling & Observation Study Guide

Classroom Rabbit Care Guidelines
Joining the American Rabbit Breeders Association will be a great help to you in your FFA Rabbit project! Our publication, “Official Guide Book: Raising Better Rabbits & Cavies” alone is worth the cost of your initial year’s membership! Every other month you will receive a copy of our premier publication – Domestic Rabbits magazine. Each issue is full of fabulous photos and informative articles by top breeders nationwide. In addition to these publications, you will have access to the ARBA Registration System – arguably the BEST livestock and pet registration system in the world, and ARBA Grand Champion Certification. Only ARBA members can take advantage of these programs.

Our publications are fantastic, but youth members have special opportunities available only to them. Youth members are also eligible to participate in the annual Royalty Competitions, judging contests, and educational and artistic competitions all of which are held each year at the ARBA National Convention. Additionally, ARBA youth members who have been members for 3 or more years are eligible to apply for educational scholarships in their graduating high school year. For more information on our annual youth contests and scholarships, visit the Youth page on our website.

Ready to Join? Just visit our online store. During the check-out process you will have the opportunity to register so that your return visits to the store and future check-outs go much faster! The ARBA office is available for questions 8 AM – Noon and 1 PM – 4:30 PM CST Monday through Friday: 814.797.4129 or E-mail: info@arba.net