How much will a rabbit eat before slaughter. The daily norm of feeding rabbits How much feed is needed to raise a rabbit
When breeding rabbits, one of the most important aspects, of course, is the preparation of a daily diet. A properly developed daily norm for rabbits will ensure the health of animals, their fertility and, as a result, the success of the rabbit breeder himself, even in the conditions of a personal farm. Compound feed, greens, branches, even water, or rather, its absence or presence, as well as quality - all this greatly affects the degree of efficiency of the rabbit farm.
Rabbits are rodents, and this simple and obvious fact should be remembered by every rabbit breeder. After all, it is rodents who need to grind down their constantly growing front incisors, eat very often and, in particular, absorb a lot of fiber. All these qualities are characteristic of rabbits to the fullest. They invariably need branches to grind their teeth, adults eat at least 25-30 times a day, and fiber is simply vital for these animals throughout their lives.
A very valuable feature of rabbits is their innate cleanliness. Experienced rabbit breeders appreciate this trait and try to follow it in every possible way. The reason for this is simple - rabbits are unlikely to eat spoiled food, and if such a misunderstanding does happen, serious health problems for a careless rodent are possible.
Among the features of the digestion of these animals, one cannot fail to note coprophagia. This unsightly process is actually very important for rabbits, since it is it that allows them to digest indigestible foods and, accordingly, enrich the body with fiber and other useful substances that are so important for it. Therefore, depriving a rabbit of the opportunity to carry out the coprophagy procedure is not only undesirable, but also very harmful to the health of the animal.
Also, one cannot fail to note the innate ability of rabbits to regulate their own nutritional needs. For example, a female during lactation consumes 3-4 times more food than when she is overexposure (during the dormant period). This control occurs not only at the psychological, but also at the physiological level, since even the mass of the gastrointestinal tract changes within 25-30%. It also depends on the reproductive cycle the rabbit is in.
Components of the diet
Rabbits, by virtue of their physiology, are in great need of a sufficiently varied diet that can satisfy all their needs. The need for such a variety may even scare a beginner rabbit breeder a little, but it should be noted here that rabbits do not eat anything exotic and expensive, and all the necessary components of their diet can be easily purchased or even grown. And the norms of feeding rabbits are not colossal.
Green feed
Rabbits are herbivores, and, naturally, a variety of herbs should be present in their diet. Under natural conditions, they themselves choose what to eat, but with home breeding, the choice falls entirely on the shoulders of the rabbit breeder, and there is no room for error.
The fact is that even grass served incorrectly can cause serious damage to the health of rabbits. Take at least their favorite clover. This plant has a lot of advantages: nutritional value, the presence of nutrients, ease of harvesting. But, there is one big and serious "but". Fresh clover should not be given to domestic rabbits, as it can cause bloating or even diarrhea (if consumed in large quantities), and females may have reproductive problems. Grass should be served only slightly dried, or even as hay if it occurs in winter. The same is true for all other green fodder.
Also, sainfoin is highly desirable in the diet of feeding rabbits. In terms of the spectrum of substances, it is approximately similar to clover, only everything is present in it in a more concentrated form, due to which sainfoin should be given in slightly smaller quantities than clover. The same applies to alfalfa, which is very rich in fiber, which is so important for rabbits. It is quite useful to give bitter and aromatic plants to rabbits. These include the following: yarrow, chicory, wormwood, wild rowan, dill and much more. All these herbs are useful to add to the general diet of rabbits, since they protect animals from helminthic diseases, and also improve the functioning of the digestive glands.
Tree branches are an important component of the "green" feeding ration. Rabbits gnaw on them with great eagerness and not without reason. First of all, in this way they grind down the front incisors, which grow throughout the life of the animal and can lead to the fact that the rabbit will not be able to close the mouth opening normally (in the event of such a problem, they will have to be bitten with forceps). Well, now it's time to bring specific daily norms of green fodder in different periods of animal life.
First, the daily norm of feeding rabbits in the summer, at which green food is given in a slightly dried form:
- for suckling young animals (over 18 days old) - 100 g;
- for young animals from 1 to 3 months - 400 g;
- for young animals older than 3 months - 600 g;
- for adults during the dormant period - 800 g;
- for adults during mating - 1000 g;
- for females during pregnancy - 1500 g;
- for females during lactation - 2000
And the norms for issuing hay per head, when feeding rabbits in winter:
- for suckling young animals (over 18 days old) - 20 g;
- for young animals from 1 to 3 months - 150 g;
- for young animals older than 3 months - 200 g;
- for adults during the rest period - 300 g;
- for adults during mating - 300 g;
- for females during pregnancy - 300 g;
By the way, it is desirable to give hay to rabbits in the summer, just in extremely small quantities. This will prevent bloating in animals.
Cereals, legumes and root vegetables
It is impossible to exclude rabbits and various grain crops from the daily diet. Each for a separate reason. The most useful for animals are oats, barley, wheat and peas. Oats improve the function of reproduction, are highly nutritious, and at the same time do not cause obesity. Wheat is best given in small amounts, otherwise it can cause bloating. The common thing for all these crops is that they should be given only in mixture with other feeds. As a mono-feed, grains are too heavy a feed for rabbits.
By mixing legume grains with cereals, you can get a protein-rich food mixture. If you add more sainfoin seeds to it, then when feeding, a special enthusiasm of rabbits will be noted. That is why it is undesirable to give it in large quantities on the head. Protein overfeeding is an extremely undesirable thing, especially for females. It leads to abortions, paralysis and, accordingly, the death of rabbits.
Root crops, such as sugar and fodder beets, carrots and rutabaga, make up for a possible lack of fluid in the body of rabbits, simultaneously nourishing it with useful substances. At the same time, beets are more desirable when feeding in winter, when there are problems with rabbits' watering. Rutabaga, due to its rarity, is used infrequently, but it is a more nutritious food, and it is much better stored, especially in comparison with other root crops. Pumpkin, when it is raw, is not eaten by rabbits, but as part of boiled mash, they are consumed quite willingly. In addition, rabbits are very willing to consume watermelon rinds and seeds in summer. The latter are quite good antihelminthic.
Now about the daily consumption of root crops for the winter, since it is during this period that they are most important for the body of rabbits. Head rules:
- for suckling young animals (over 18 days old) - 30 g;
- for young animals from 1 to 3 months - 60 g;
- for young animals older than 3 months - 100 g;
- for adults during the dormant period - 100 g;
- for adults during mating - 150 g;
- for females during pregnancy - 200 g;
- for females during lactation - 400 g.
Before giving root crops to rabbits, they must be washed, moldy or rotten parts removed, and then cut into small pieces, about 100 g in size (for young animals, 1.5-2 times less).
Cakes, table waste, mineral additives
Now about additives to the basic diet of rabbits. These are foods that should be given in small amounts, but can be a valuable addition. These include wheat and hemp cakes, dry bread crusts and various cereals, as well as fishmeal and table salt.
In terms of nutrients, each of the above supplements has its own advantages. For example, sunflower cake contains a very impressive amount of sodium (9.4 milligrams per gram), table salt - and even more, but it is too concentrated, so it should be given simply in scanty amounts. Porridges are very nutritious in general terms, but mineral supplements, such as chalk or bone meal, are used to avoid vitamin deficiency.
In terms of daily norms, supplements (except for cereals and bread crusts) are distributed only when necessary, while the same salt or bone meal is given in the amount of 1-2 g for adults and 0.2-0.3 g for young animals. The daily norm for cakes is 100 g for adults and 20-30 g for young animals.
Compound feed
In rabbit breeding, one should not forget about feeding rabbits with compound feed. The task of any compound feed is the complex filling of the rabbit's body with various nutrients and vitamins. And their difference lies not so much in the composition (it is approximately the same), but in the purpose, which is dictated by the ratio of the elements. The composition of compound feeds includes all of the above products in granulated mixed form.
The most used are complete mixed feeds. It is, so to speak, the main dish, which has a little bit of everything. The main emphasis here is on grain and protein products, with a small admixture of mineral additives.
Now to the question of how much feed a rabbit eats per day. Usually, full-feed mixed feed is given daily to all adults in the amount of 110-120 g, to young animals - 2 times less.
Concentrated feeds are characterized by an increased presence of any components. Usually these are seeds, cakes or mineral supplements. It is usually given during mating or lactation, when animals especially need to make up for the lack of certain substances. In complementary feeds, most often, the percentage of the main components is reduced, due to specific vitamin supplements.
All of the above refers to the so-called "working" diets, which ensure the stable functioning of the rabbit's digestion from month to month. Greens replenish protein reserves, compound feed - roughage with heavy components, and tree branches play the role of a mineral supplement and allow you to grind your teeth.
But there are some additional points that ensure more efficient use of the diet, as well as better health of rabbits. These include, for example, infusion of needles. It is done by steaming small branches of needles with boiling water for several hours. After that, the resulting infusion is added to boiled potatoes, bran is moistened with it or hay is sprayed.
Nettle hay, harvested from nettles before flowering, is also very valuable. In particular, it can, during the winter period, to some extent replace concentrates, providing the body of rabbits with vitamins.
However, a pupa of a mulberry or oak silkworm will be a particularly valuable addition to the diet of rabbits. It is not very easy to get them, unless there is a silk-spinning production nearby. These pupae are a waste of this production, and therefore, without much chagrin, they are given out by the owners. And the benefits of them for rabbits are simply colossal. The fact is that they contain 60% of digestible protein, which is an incredibly high percentage. Also, the juice of pupae contributes to a better absorption of all other feeds by the body of rabbits. Before being given to rabbits, the pupae are steamed in salted water and only then are they given out. Animals eat them very willingly, including rabbits, for whom such an addition to the diet is incredibly useful.
A complete and balanced diet of a rabbit is the key to its health, beautiful coat and good weight. At the same time, the best diet for the animal, of course, will be food as close as possible to life in the wild: meadow grasses and fresh hay, grains and root crops, bark and young shoots of trees - all that the rabbit's digestion has adapted to over the centuries of evolution. However, it is not always possible to provide the fluffy glutton with the necessary amount of fresh food, given its 40-80 meals a day; most often this problem is faced by owners of large rabbit farms, where it would take more than one stack of hay a day to feed the entire livestock. In addition, owners are often interested in the fastest weight gain of the animal, and grass and hay are very problematic.
In this case, the optimal solution is a balanced compound feed for rabbits, the use of which significantly reduces the labor and material costs of feeding them, and also provides a faster weight gain for the rabbit while consuming less food.
This is what industrial feed for rabbits looks like.
Advantages and disadvantages of feed
It is a completely balanced composition, including all the components necessary for the life of the animal, which, depending on the situation, can be supplemented with vitamins, microelements and other preventive supplements.
The advantages of dry feeding include:
- the balance of the rabbit's diet in terms of fiber content, energy-protein ratio and a complex of essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals;
- fast fattening of rabbits when they are grown for meat;
- minimum service time for animals;
- ease of storage and transportation of feed;
- reducing feed costs when maintaining a farm.
In addition, feeding rabbits with industrial compound feed reduces the risk of developing gastrointestinal diseases in them resulting from poisoning with toxic fungi, which often affect other types of feed.
As a disadvantage of this method of feeding a rabbit, it should be noted that it is necessary to experimentally select the type of feed that is most suitable for your animal. At the same time, the choice should be based on the personal taste preferences of the rabbit, as well as take into account its physiological state and the characteristics of its content; if necessary, ready-made feeds can be supplemented with vitamins and a complex of macro- and microelements.
Main Components
The basis of compound feed for rabbits of all ages is ground cereals, of which wheat, oats, barley and corn are most preferred. The grain group makes up 30 to 45 percent of the feed mass; its greatest amount is in feed for lactating females and young animals.
The components of the second group of compound feed components are distinguished by a high content of protein, which is necessary for the rapid growth and weight gain of the rabbit. Such ingredients include: soybean and sunflower cake, wheat bran, soybean meal, hydrolyzed yeast, meat and bone meal. In addition, this group of components necessarily includes vitamin-herbal flour, which, in the absence of fresh hay in the rabbit's diet, should make up half of the total feed volume.
Also, the composition of feed for rabbits may include meat meal and flour from non-food fish in an amount not exceeding 5 percent of the feed weight.
The third mandatory component of industrial compound feed for rabbits is a balanced vitamin and mineral complex, which includes chalk, table salt tricalcium phosphate, and a premix for rabbits.
When feeding rabbits with compound feed, it is also necessary to ensure that the animals always have clean fresh water; and finely crushed grain is desirable to be slightly moistened for better absorption by the rabbit's body.
Video about the best feed for rabbits
How to make compound feed with your own hands
If for some reason the feed produced by the industry is not acceptable to you, it is possible to prepare a complete diet for rabbits at home.
Since the basis of the rabbit's diet in any case is hay and grass, for the preparation of compound feed you should stock up in advance with a sufficient amount of grass hay, preferably shade-drying, as well as dried leaves of various plants: hardwood trees, currants, raspberries, nettles, etc. Well dried the workpiece should be carefully ground to a powdery state, preparing hay flour.
Finely crushed grain, salt, fodder yeast and other additives are added to the prepared mass, depending on the recipe. For stickiness and nutritional value, a little flour is also added to the composition, poured with warm water and thoroughly mixed until the consistency of a thick dough. To obtain granules, the mass is passed through a colander or meat grinder, after which the food is thoroughly dried in a natural way.
Feed preparation should be carried out in a warm, well-ventilated room with the lowest possible humidity so that the prepared mixture does not sour.
The recipe for compound feed for rabbits must be selected depending on the age and physiological state of the animal.
For lactating rabbits and weaned young, a more nutritious formulation is needed. Grass flour in such feed is about 30%, ground oats and barley - a little less than 40%, wheat bran 15%, cake or meal - 13%, fish or meat meal - 2%, yeast, meat and bone meal and evils - 1%, and 0.5% salt. You can also add 0.5% bone meal.
The following recipe is suitable for fattening rabbits “for meat”: 40% grass meal, 30% barley, 10% sunflower cake, 5% wheat bran, 8% peas, 2% hydrolyzed yeast, 2.5% molasses, 1.4% meat and bone flour, 0.3% salt and, if available, 0.5% feed phosphate.
Consumption rate
With compound feed and mixed types of feeding, adult rabbits are fed 2-3 times a day, and young rabbits are fed 5-6 times a day in small portions.
The daily intake of feed depends on the age, sex and body weight of the animal: an adult rabbit needs 100-110 g of feed per day, a young rabbit needs about 50 g per day. With a mixed type of feeding, in the morning the rabbits are given half the daily allowance of compound feed, in the afternoon - hay or grass, and in the evening - the rest of the feed. An adult rabbit needs 70-100 g of dry food and 70-80 g of hay per day, young rabbits: 50-79 g of feed and 30-50 g of hay per day.
Attention, only TODAY!
200?"200px":""++"px"); - young animals from about 0 to 120 days old eat 8.6 kg of hay, 8 kg of grain-mixture per rabbit
it is necessary to separate the feed intake by the female when the rabbits were sitting in the nest, by the female when the rabbits just started to emerge after 20 days. After all, the main amount of food is consumed by a lactating female up to 30-40 days old.
Then it is very difficult to separate the feed intake of the rabbit and the young. And only after 2-2.5 months the rabbits completely eat food from the feeders. An important point - when were they deposited?
I once counted the annual feed consumption for the household and divided it by the number of 3-month-old rabbits received per year.
I have mixed feed with herbal flour.
It turned out 18 kg of feed for each sold 3-month-old rabbit. This included feeding males, females on vacation or some kind of bastard, replacement young animals, and so on. So the economy is more fair. Approximately I can say - because. in compound feed 30% grass flour - it can be broken - grain mixtures 12kg, hay - 6kg.
But if you feed hay in feeders, you need to increase it for spreading. According to the old Soviet norms, 10 kg of hay was harvested per rabbit. When using hay in KK - it turns out much more economically.
Rabbits slaughtered/skinned: Rabbit slaughter time
Rabbit slaughter time
For quality skins, rabbits are slaughtered. usually in autumn and winter. Knowing the state of molting, good skins can be obtained at the end of summer. To do this, the animal is inflated or parted with fingers in the hips, back and sides, and the areas where molting usually begins are viewed.
Darkening of the skin in these areas indicates the beginning of a molt and therefore that slaughter a rabbit it is forbidden. If the previous molt ends, darkening of the skin is found only on the thighs. At the beginning of a new one, darkened areas are visible both on the neck and on the tail. Such a rabbit you can also score. If time is lost, two to three months wait for the end of the molt.
Rabbits slaughtered/skinned
Before slaughtering rabbits do not feed for 12 hours.
To Score animal, take it with your left hand by the skin closer to the neck, lift it up, and apply it with your right hand
hit with a stick on the head from the side of the nose. Then the carcass is hung upside down by the legs and the nostrils are pierced with a long awl for bleeding and the skin is removed. To do this, an incision is made along the rump from the inside of the hind legs. The skin is trimmed on the legs above the hocks and pulled together with a tube towards the head.
The hind legs are left in the fur up to the hocks, without cutting off. When removing the skin from the head, tendons and auricles are cut, cuts are made around the eye sockets and nose, and the front paws are cut off.
The skin is stretched over a wooden blank and degreased by passing the blunt part of the knife from the tail to the head. Pieces of fat and mammary glands are carefully cut off, cartilage of the auricles is removed.
After degreasing, the skin is pulled onto the rule with fur inside. So that it does not fall off, the edges are nailed to the rule with carnations. In the straightened form, the skin is placed for 2-3 days in a dry, ventilated room with a temperature of 25-30 ° C, and dried until soft areas are felt on it.
Rabbit meat- a dietary product recommended for children, the elderly, as well as those suffering from diseases of the stomach, liver and cardiovascular system. It is very juicy, lean and contains a large amount of complete protein, second only to turkey. Rabbit low-melting fat, superior in quality not only to beef and mutton, but also to pork. Meat a rabbit does not lose its nutritional value during smoking and canning.
From rabbit meat, you can cook many delicious and nutritious dishes: cold appetizers, jelly, soups, main courses. External and internal fat should be melted and used for cooking dishes from potatoes, cereals and for seasoning soups.
how much feed does a pig eat before slaughter
Weaning is probably
Weaning is probably the most critical stage in a pig's life from birth to slaughter. During the weaning period, piglets are left without warm mother's milk with almost 100% digestibility and must survive on the feed that is offered to them. Feed for weaners should be the best and freshest, containing milk protein or fishmeal in combination with vegetable protein sources. The energy content should be at least 1.4 Feed. units per 1 kg of feed, and at best more. The mass of a piglet at weaning must be at least 5 kg.
Feeding rabbits. How to properly feed rabbits
Feeding rabbits.
Fattening rabbits is necessary to increase the weight of animals, their fatness, the accumulation of internal or subcutaneous fat, to improve the taste of meat, and also to improve the quality of hair.
Rabbits are fattened six weeks before slaughter. It is not recommended to keep more than six fattening animals in one cage. If there is a shortage of cages, all rooms can be temporarily adapted for these purposes.
Groups of rabbits are formed from animals that are equally developed. Otherwise, the stronger ones will drive the weaker ones away from the food and they will not achieve the necessary fatness.
When setting up for fattening, the time of seasonal and age molting should be taken into account. Therefore, animals are chosen for fattening, in which it will completely stop by the time of slaughter. Young rabbits are slaughtered at the age of 4.5 or 7.5 months.
The best time to slaughter rabbits is from November to February. At this time, the fur of animals becomes the most durable and thick, it acquires shine. This is caused primarily by physiological characteristics, and secondly by the fact that high-protein foods predominate in the diet.
Conventionally, the fattening period is divided into three periods of two weeks each.
I period - the diet for fifty percent should consist of concentrates.
II period - peas, oats, corn, barley, potatoes are introduced into the diet, i.e. those feeds that contribute to maximum fat deposition. All this is steamed together and a semi-dry mash is prepared. Salt, bone meal and chopped nettle are added to it. You can also add duckweed to the mash, which is harvested in the fall.
III period - parsley, dill, celery are added to the hay.
In order for rabbits to eat food better during the fattening period, they should be given lightly salted water, which significantly increases their appetite. When fattening in winter, they give salted ice.
In the last period of fattening, the animals become inactive and they completely lose interest in food. This serves as a signal that it is time to remove the rabbits from fattening. A well-fed rabbit has significant deposits of fat at slaughter in the groin, on the shoulder blades and in the region of the kidneys, which are barely visible in the fat layer.
Rabbit slaughter and skinning
The time of slaughter of rabbits is determined by the density of the fur, as well as its molt. They directly depend on the age of the rabbit and the season. In adult rabbits, molting occurs twice a year, namely in spring and autumn. Male rabbits begin to molt in early March, and molt ends in early August. The autumn molt begins at the end of August and ends in November or October.
Female rabbits, up to the first birth, wearing skins with a dull, brownish, sparse and stunted hairline. After the first spring birth, they begin to shed intensively, starting from the nape and the front of the ridge. Therefore, it is better to slaughter adult rabbits at the end of autumn. The first molt in rabbits occurs at the age of a month and even earlier. In rabbits born in late winter or early autumn, molting ends at three months of age, the second ends at five months, and the third ends at eight months. So the best skins will be at slaughter from late autumn to early spring.
12-18 hours before slaughter, rabbits should not be fed or given water. They kill the rabbit like this: they take it by the hind legs in one hand, and with the other, when the rabbit stretches out, they strike behind the ears, remove the eyes and cut the septum on the nose. After that, the rabbit is suspended by its hind legs so that all the blood is drained. After the rabbit has been completely bled, you can begin to remove the skin.
The skin, from a rabbit suspended by its paws, is removed with a pipe. Incisions are made around the hocks of the legs, then on the thighs to the anus. After the skin has been removed from the hind legs, the vertebrae are removed from the tail and the skin is pulled to the head, cutting the film with a knife if necessary. When the skin is removed from the body, cut off the paws on the wrists and remove the skin to the end.
The removed skin should be degreased with a knife, and it is also necessary to remove the remains of meat. The size of the skin is determined by multiplying the length by the width. On a skin with a head, the length is measured from the intereye to the tail, respectively, if the skin is headless, you need to measure from the beginning of the edge.
Skins belonging to the third and fourth grades are not distributed by size. The skin itself must be hung on a pre-prepared rule with the hair inside. Then the skins are placed to dry in a ventilated room, where the temperature is from 20 to 30 degrees.
You can not dry the skins in the open sun or near the oven, the skin may dry out and deteriorate, the skin will break. After the skin is completely dry, the skin is wiped with sawdust, and only then the skin is handed over to procurement organizations.
Sources: krol.org.ua, oleg-inform.ru, www.lynix.biz, d-givotnovodstvo.narod.ru, zoo-farm.ru
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Breeding rabbits is not only a useful, but also a profitable business. But growing a healthy and strong livestock is not an easy task. A lot in this matter depends on the feed. That is why many breeders prefer to use compound feed for rabbits, which makes it possible to make the animal's diet complete, enriched with vitamins and microelements, without which the health of the livestock will be in question. Compound feed can be bought, or you can make your own hands at home.
Breeding rabbits is not only a useful, but also a profitable business.
No matter what kind of animal is raised, the owner's top priority will be to provide them with a complete daily diet. And his choice is not so simple. If the summer period is a little easier with this, because a wide variety of herbs and vegetables are in abundance, then in winter and in the first spring months, due to a lack of vitamins and nutrients, pestilence can begin in rabbits.
To avoid this, you need to give the animals ready-made dry food. Store products are divided into 3 types:
- Feed additive. It is not a separate food item. It must be mixed with the main feed, strictly observing certain proportions. Thanks to her, rabbits receive the necessary vitamins and minerals in the amount they need. The supplement allows you to independently control the fortification process, but there are a couple of drawbacks - the high cost and the need to always buy them.
- Concentrate feed. This is already food, but enriched with useful substances in a concentrated form. That is why it is also not given as an independent food. It is usually mixed into coarse and succulent staple foods. The constant purchase of this feed reduces the profitability of raising rabbits.
- Complete feed or regular compound feed. Feeding them is convenient and complete in itself. With it, animals receive all the necessary substances. Despite the fact that it also needs to be bought constantly, unlike the two previous options, it is much more economical, and its price is much lower. Fluffy animals eat it completely, and it is also completely absorbed, unlike, for example, whole grains. Due to the dense structure, rabbits grind their teeth on them, which is very important for rodents.
Compound feed in the diet of rabbits is:
- fast weight gain;
- prevention of many diseases;
- feed optimization;
- saving time.
Composition Requirements
It is strictly forbidden to use compound feed intended for birds for feeding rabbits.
Most breeders give their rabbits not only feed specialized for them, but also feed for cattle. Their composition is excellent for a complete diet.
It is strictly forbidden to use compound feed intended for birds for feeding rabbits, since their coarse particles adversely affect the digestive system of the animal.
The composition of compound feed can be the most diverse, but there are substances that must be in it:
- cellulose;
- a number of useful amino acids;
- vitamin and mineral complex.
It does not matter if it is ready-made food or one that is made at home - all its ingredients must be carefully crushed. Their basis is grain, which is enriched with protein products:
- sunflower cake;
- soybean meal;
- bone meal;
- herbal flour - vitamin;
- hydrolyzed yeast;
- salt;
- premix;
- tricalcium phosphate.
The animal feed ration must be provided with sufficient water, otherwise it may lead to the death of the livestock.
DIY recipes
There are 2 home recipes for making rabbit feed
There are 2 home recipes for preparing rabbit feed, and each of them has a special purpose: fattening for meat and enhanced nutritional value.
The proportions of the fattening option are as follows:
- Cereals 40%, where 10% wheat and corn and 20% barley.
- Flour, where 40% is herbal and 2.2% is meat and bone.
- Sunflower cake - 10%.
- Soybean meal - 5.5%.
- Yeast - 2%.
- Salt - 0.2%.
Nutritionally enhanced compound feed used for rabbits during pregnancy and lactation should have the following composition:
- Cereals 40%, where 20% oats and barley, as well as 12.5% wheat.
- Flour, where herbal - 30%, as well as bone and fish 2% each.
- Sunflower cake - 13%.
- Yeast - 1%.
- Salt - 0.5%.
All components are mixed in the indicated proportions. They are passed through a granulator, dried and homemade granulated feed is obtained.
Daily allowance for a rabbit
Before transferring animals to compound feed, you need to know how many grams should be given to a rabbit per day
Before transferring animals to compound feed, you need to know how many grams should be given to a rabbit per day. What will be the daily rate of combined feed for rabbits is influenced not only by their age, but also by gender and period of life:
- adult rabbit - 170 g;
- mating period - 220 g;
- pregnant females - 180 g;
- rabbit during lactation - 400-600 g;
- rabbits - 120 g.
If rabbits are bred for meat, then for young animals the norm will be 100-140 g of feed per day, and for the skin you need to increase this figure by 40 g.
Pros and cons of granules and mixers
Granules are certainly more convenient for feeding, but making them at home is quite problematic.
Granules are certainly more convenient for feeding, but making them at home is quite problematic. But store versions of the product are rightfully considered the most popular feeds. Each manufacturer has its own recipe, in which only the amount of content of certain products varies. But their main list is the same and does not differ from those listed above. It is also good because it helps rabbits grind their teeth on it, which is incredibly important. For a month, such food for the farm will take a considerable amount of money, but if the livestock is large, then it's time to buy a granulator and a dryer and make food for pets on your own.
A masher for a large livestock is, although cheap, but very troublesome feed. Therefore, it is not recommended for use in large farms. But for a small livestock it will be both useful and profitable: the rabbits will gladly eat the tidbits from the master's table.
price issue
Breeders are sure that a strong livestock is possible only if the rabbits have a complete diet, which includes both cereals and legumes, vitamins and minerals. The price of compound feed directly depends on its components and their quality. The cost on the market fluctuates in the range of 15-20 rubles per 1 kg, i.e. the retail price of a bag will vary from 550 to 720 rubles. But wholesale prices are much more attractive - 5-10 rubles per 1 kg of product.
Prices for complete granulated feed from different manufacturers:
- LPH "Sheremetyevsky Kolkhoz", mixed fodder for adults with 15% alfalfa flour content will cost 650 rubles per bag weighing 40 kg.
- Kristall Group LLC compound feed for adults with 15% alfalfa flour will cost 694 rubles per bag weighing 40 kg.
Self-preparation of compound feed for rabbits will be a troublesome task, especially if there is no special equipment. But its purchase is not advisable if the livestock is small and not bred for sale. Buying finished products is a little more expensive than simple feed, but it will be much more useful for rabbits. Such nutrition will be complete, which means that rabbits will get sick less, which is incredibly important for these animals.
Raising rabbits for meat is implemented both on large farms and in households. The breed of animals, as well as the characteristics of keeping rabbits, are the determining factor when choosing a method of fattening.
Compliance with phased feeding gives a high-quality product at the exit.
It will become a profitable business only if you choose the right breed.
The meat type is characterized by the following features:
- rapid growth and stable weight gain;
- high net product;
- excellent taste of meat.
Not all types of young rabbits are used for breeding and subsequent slaughter.
Suitable for fattening include:
- New Zealand white. By 5-6 months, the weight of the animal is 5 kg. During birth, 9-11 cubs appear. You can keep rabbits in boxes with mesh flooring.
- New Zealand red. The female is larger than the male. Rabbits are gaining weight well. At the output, the indicator of pure meat reaches almost 60%.
- . Maximum weight - up to 6 kg. The rabbit is able to bring up to 8 cubs. The breed is characterized by precocity. Meat quality is good.
- California breed. Differs in precocity. During the year, one female brings more than 30 cubs. The taste characteristics of meat and indicators of the density and density of wool are appreciated by consumers.
- Poltava silver. The breed is valued for its fluffy fur. Animal meat is pleasant and soft in taste.
- . Weight at the time of slaughter - about 8 kg. For one round, the female brings 7-9 pieces. Rabbit meat tastes tender and light.
- Flanders. Animals in length reach 70 cm. Body weight - up to 10 kg. The meat is juicy and tasty. The breed belongs to the late-maturing breed, a wide cage and constant care are required for breeding.
Rabbit breeders prefer the New Zealand white, gray giant and Californian breed.
Fattening rabbits for weight gain
Vegetable and feed impurities are introduced into the food of rabbits from 2-3 months. The composition of feed at each age stage is different.
The process of feeding rabbits involves three stages:
- preliminary(selection of a suitable diet);
- main(set of body weight of pets);
- final(correction of weight and body fat).
The first period is characterized by increased nutrition of young animals.
In summer and in winter, it is based on combined mixtures:
- wheat;
- leguminous plants;
- oats;
- corn.
The preparation stage is 5 days.
The main stage is aimed at the formation of a fatty layer.
Animal nutrition includes products with a fat content:
- Boiled potatoes);
- flax seeds;
- cake.
Milk cereals are added to the daily diet of rabbits. The fattening period lasts 7-10 days.
The final stage involves maintaining the appetite of the animals.
The liquid is salted, seasonings from:
- dill;
- cumin;
- celery.
Constant monitoring is carried out to ensure that the pets eat the prescribed norm per day.
In the last days of feeding, hay and grass are excluded.
The amount of compound feed for fattening
The use of exclusively compound feed is typical for industrial fur farms. For a mature individual, consumption per day is 100-110 g of compound feed, in which 55% are cereals, corn, oats, 45% are cake and bran.
The nutrition of rabbits becomes complete due to the inclusion in the daily diet, in addition to compound feed, of auxiliary feeds, which are divided by type:
- green - a combined group of fresh plants (grass, tree leaves);
- juicy - represented by fruits and vegetables;
- rough - hay.
Attention! The need for concentrated feed depends on the season, sex and age of the animal.
With mixed feeding, the dosage of compound feed per day is half as much (40-50 g), with the exception of:
- female females, which are supposed to be 90 g - in summer, 100 g - in winter;
- lactating rabbits - 130 g in the summer, 150 g - in the winter.
Table 1. Annual feed requirement for mixed fattening
Feeding cages for rabbits
The dimensions of the fattening cages are due to:
- the number of young animals;
- the number of mature rodents;
- place where animals are kept.
General principles for organizing the dwelling of animals:
- Thoughtful location of the territory for maintenance (without drafts and strong winds).
- The choice of wood as a material for the frame and supports, for walls - plywood or mesh.
- Maintenance of males separately from and their joint offspring.
- Typical cage parameters for an adult are 1500x700x700 mm.
Table 2. Minimum sizes for keeping pets
During the birth period, the cubs are kept together with the rabbit until they get stronger. For easy cleaning, feeding boxes are made retractable or hanging.
Finished cells are placed at a distance of 20-50 cm from the floor. This will protect young rabbits from rodents.
How long to fatten rabbits
The acceptable age of the animal for slaughter is 84-90 days
The technology for breeding rabbits for meat provides for three types of fattening from birth to slaughter:
- prolonged feeding (120 days);
- optimal fattening (90 days);
- early fattening (less than 70 days).
The first option applies to . A short-term approach is bad for the quality of the product. Animals should be fed for 3 months.
From birth to 4 weeks there is an intensive growth of rabbits. Body weight increases from 40-80 g to 500-700 g. Starting from the 5th week and within 1.5-2 months, rabbits gain weight.
After 50 days, a gradual slowdown in the growth of animals occurs. The acceptable age of the animal for slaughter is 84-90 days.
Methods for breeding rabbits for meat
Animal nutrition is the basis of rabbit breeding.
Two methods are used for:
- broiler;
- ordinary.
In large and medium-sized farms containing 200 heads and more, both technologies are being introduced simultaneously. At home farmsteads, the usual method of feeding is used.
The peculiarity of the method lies in the short terms of rearing the young and saving on cells. One fattening cycle takes 90 days.
During feeding, the rabbits remain with their mother. After finishing fattening, the female is transferred to the male for mating. For a year, a rabbit brings up to 24 cubs.
It is interesting! The skin of broiler rabbits is inexpensive, but the meat is in great demand due to its nutritional value and taste characteristics.
Advantages of the broiler method:
- there is no need to equip group cages;
- the concentration of livestock in one place allows you to quickly care for rodents;
- with a constant supply of mother's milk, by the third month, the rabbits reach a weight of 3-4 kg;
- the cultivation of two hundred females at the same time gives about 8 centners of pure meat per year.
An intensive breeding method depletes the immunity of females, reduces milk production. The lack of sanitary standards during feeding leads to a disease of the mammary glands in a rabbit.
The percentage of concentrated impurities for a lactating female is 45-50% in summer and 65% in winter. For the growth of young animals, 155 g of protein is added at each feeding. Water in the diet is included in unlimited quantities.
Common method for fattening young rabbits
The use of conventional fattening involves jigging the young from the mother after two months. While the cubs are on suction feeding, the rabbit is provided with intensive 5 meals a day.
The basis of the nutrition of rabbits is concentrates. In the first week, at least 500 g of feed is consumed per pet, of which 450 g is a bean-cereal mixture, 50 g is grain.
By the third and fourth months, the volume of feed increases by one and a half, two times. By slaughter, the norm per day (800-950 g) is maintained.
It is interesting! The meat of rabbits on conventional feeding does not have a high nutritional value. The sale of fluffy skins of animals brings a big profit for breeders.
At the age of five months or six months, the animal is slaughtered. By this time, body weight reaches 4-5 kg.
Increasing the weight of rabbits in additional ways
Rabbit breeders with extensive experience use auxiliary methods to activate weight gain in pets.
Additional productive methods that provide weight gain in animals include:
- Rational seating of rabbits. In the herd, animals are divided into stronger and weaker ones. All pets need to receive food in equal portions. To do this, you need to group the rabbits, taking into account their temperament.
- Limited space. The mobility of rabbits is constrained by a small area. With minimal movement, rabbits can quickly gain mass.
- Control over the filling of the feeder. After each feeding (4-5 times a day), the food container is cleaned. The empty food boxes are being filled up again.
Breeders successfully use another feature of rodents - activity at night. Shielding the cage from daylight increases the rabbit's need for food. But regular overexposure of animals in semi-darkness is contraindicated.
Nutritional supplements for artificial weight gain
To improve appetite, breeders introduce vitamins into pet food. Useful substances of groups A and E are used together with fats, vitamin D is added to thick and mushy food. The drink is diluted with vitamin C.
After consulting a veterinarian, animals are prescribed vitamin and mineral supplements, as well as protein-vitamin-mineral supplements (PVMD).
They strengthen the body of animals with useful microelements: manganese, calcium, phosphorus. Protein-containing variants provide animal muscles with protein.
Vitamin and protein supplements have no contraindications. The correct dosage is calculated taking into account the body weight and age of the pet. The use of additives above the norm worsens the taste characteristics of rabbit meat.
Conclusion
Broiler and conventional methods are used to breed rabbits for meat. . The duration and methods of feeding animals depend on the breed and conditions of detention.
Up to 3-5 kg is carried out for 4-5 months. A complete diet of animals is made up of 4 types of feed. Additionally, vitamin and protein complexes are introduced into the food for pets.
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