Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1528159
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 OCTOBER 2024 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR RETIRED PUBLIC EMPLOYEES IN MALTA AND GOZO TO PERFORM DUTIES RELATED TO THE NATIONAL EXERCISE OF RENEWING IDENTITY CARDS ON A FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME BASIS WITH IDENTITÀ. Nomenclatures importing the male gender also include the female gender In Malta the working hours will be between 0700 and 1430 Monday to Friday, & between 1500 and 1800 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and Saturday between 0700 and 1130. In Gozo, the working hours will be between 1500 and 2000. Identità invites applications from retired or soon-to-retire public employees (by 31st December 2024, to work on full-time/part-time basis with the Identity Cards Unit during the national Identity Card renewal exercise for Maltese citizens. Candidates must possess the same requisites as is usually required for such grades within the Public Service of Malta. In the case of applicants who are still in the Malta Public Service, the GP47 is to be requested by the HR Unit of the ministry/department issuing the call for application from the Director responsible for HR where the applicants are serving while those applying from outside the Public Service must produce a Certificate of Conduct issued by the Police. Eligible applicants will be assessed by a Selection Board to determine their suitability for the post. The selected candidates will undergo training given by Identità. Applications are to be submitted to Identità's Chief Human Resources Officer at recruitment.identita@gov.mt by not later than 31st October 2024. The selected persons will be employed on a six-month contract which may be renewable for another six months. The selected candidates will be paid at the rate of €12 an hour. They will abide by the Policies and procedures of Identità. RISING temperatures caused by climate change are posing a signif- icant threat to Malta commercial rabbit farming, leading to reduced growth rates. Lower growth rates have in turn impacted both production effi- ciency and the health of rabbits. A study published in the scien- tific journal Xjenza, conducted by Francesco Luca Alexander under the supervision of George Attard from the University of Malta's De- partment of Rural Sciences and Food Systems, surveyed commer- cial rabbit producers, veterinary surgeons, pharmacists, breeding stock suppliers, and feed suppliers between December 2022 and Feb- ruary 2023. It called for modernised farm infrastructure and improved bios- ecurity measures, or the industry would face productivity losses due to heat stress, amateurish feeding practices, and risks of disease out- breaks. Farmers report that during the hot summer months, ambient temperatures inside barns have risen significantly, leading to heat stress in the animals. This stress profoundly impacts the reproduc- tive performance of the breeding stock and compromises the growth performance of market rabbits. Farmers also observed that rab- bits consume less feed during the summer months. Studies show that when temperatures exceed 30°C, rabbits will reduce their food intake and adopt specific behav- ioural patterns to dissipate heat, such as increased respiration rate and stretching to expose more of their body surface to cooler air. This decrease in productivity has financial implications for farmers, as rabbits take longer to reach market weight, and reproductive cycles go out of synchrony. Heat stress also affects the male studs, known as bucks, in that the quality and quantity of semen is compromised, further impacting reproduction efficiency. Barn and feeding costs Despite efforts by local farmers to mitigate heat effects by insu- lating barns, most facilities have proven to be inadequately de- signed nor properly equipped to mitigate against rising tempera- tures. The current structures are often repurposed from other uses and lack purposely installed venti- lation or cooling systems. While producers claim to mon- itor temperature and humidity, they need to be trained on how to manage and maintain optimal barn environmental conditions. The ideal temperature range for rabbits is 15-20°C, with humidi- ty levels around 50%. Exceeding these conditions, especially in summer, severely affects rabbit growth and reproduction. Feed costs, which cover around 75% of production expenses, are highly volatile due to Malta's re- liance on imported grains. This dependence on external supplies makes local livestock production, including rabbit farming, high- ly susceptible and vulnerable to price fluctuations in the interna- tional markets. Additionally, the report points to the need for improvement in farmers' technical knowledge. Many rely on outdated feeding re- gimes, and few follow professional recommendations for feeding the right type of formulations to meet the requirements at the different stages of the rabbit's life cycle. This mismatch in feeding strate- gies, especially during the delicate weaning phase, results in higher morbidity and mortality rates, further straining farm productivi- ty and economic sustainability. Some of the feed suppliers op- erate on a purely commission ba- sis, acting as middlemen between overseas feed manufacturers and local rabbit producers. "Hence, their sole interest is selling feed without necessarily having suf- ficient knowledge of rabbit nu- trition, making them inept of recommending appropriate for- mulations," the report states. This issue also applies to those local feed mills that do not have an in-house nutritionist, and who just compound rabbit feed based on formulations made available by their foreign supplier. Biosecurity issues The study notes that there is room for improvement in the bi- osecurity measures applied on Maltese rabbit farms. Experts in animal health con- firmed that producers underes- timate the importance of some aspects of on-farm biosecurity. While most producers implement a pest control programme, basic measures such as having disinfect- ant pits at each entry point to the farm are often ignored. Other essential practices, like showering before contact with the rabbits and using clothing exclusively worn on the farm, are not always followed. Only 44% of farms have toilet facilities on-site, some of which include showers, while 22% rely on toilet and show- er facilities located in their nearby homes. This oversight puts farms at a higher risk for disease out- breaks particularly in a country where farms are near each other. The report calls for better tech- nical support for farmers, mod- ernised farm infrastructure, and improved biosecurity measures. It warns that without significant intervention, the industry will continue to face productivity loss- es due to heat stress, amateurish feeding practices, and risks of dis- ease outbreaks. The report emphasises the need for more research and investment in sustainable, climate-resilient farming practices to secure the future of rabbit farming in Malta. Rising temperatures threaten Malta's rabbit farms