Grasscutter Research Paper

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Rodents

Grasscutter

The grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus) is a wild herbivore rodent belongs to one of the two species of Cane rats, a small family of African hystricognath rodents are exploited in most areas as a source of animal protein (Asibey, 1974; NRC, 1991).

Within the West African sub-region, the grasscutter is the most preferred bushmeat species and the most bushmeat sold in markets and by most people in Ghana and other countries within the sub-region prefer grasscutter meat to beef. It is also a source of livelihood for people in the grasscutter production, hunters and market seller (Asibey, 1974; Baptist & Mensah, 1986; Ntiamoa-Baidu, 1987; Centre for Biodiversity Utilization and Development, 2004).

African giant

Because of its tasty meat – appreciated by all, regardless of ethnic inchoation or religion – grasscutters have been hunted locally to the point of extinction. For that reason, farmers have become fascinated with raising them in their backyards. Developing techniques for domestication and rearing of some of the heavily hunted wild animal species is a sensible way to engender protein-affluent victuals for incrementing human populations. Wild grasscutters bought from hunters need special care after arriving at the farm. For domestication the grasscutter farmer should provide kindred conditions as in the wild. Their immediate environment should be shaded and quiet without other animals or people around. Victualing and handling should be done on a customary substructure and by the same people, so the animals become habituated to their attendants. The cage should be plenarily stocked with grasses afore an incipiently acquired, wild animal is put into it. This obviates the animal from injury itself as a result of running and hitting its head against the sides of the cage. Truculent males should be paired with matured tamed female(s), which are yare to be crossed and vice versa. Feeding incipient, wild grasscutters with sugar cane, cube sugar and salted

Cane rat meat popularly called bush meat is highly acceptable in Nigeria, Ghana. Domestication of grasscutter is a relatively novel practice in Nigeria with its potentialities, challenges and opportunities (Owen and Dike, 2012). Grasscutter farming has gregarious acceptability, good meat quality of high biological value (high protein and low fat), inexpensive victuals and amenability to captive rearing, good litter size and short generation interval. Despite the challenges of domestication of grasscutter, non-steady supply of the meat, air pollution and ecological devastation as a result of bush burning to hunt cane rats and threat to extinction of grasscutter; the domestication and engenderment of grasscutter is another dimension in the livestock industry that has the potential to ascertain customary and sustainable animal engenderment in the nation (Owen and Dike, 2012; Aluko, et al.,