Breeding rabbit breeding

Breeding rabbit involves not only the purchase of pedigree animals, but also the creation of optimal conditions for their maintenance, balanced nutrition, veterinary services and timely preventive measures. We will describe the subtleties of breeding rabbits, the rules of feeding and care, further in the article.

Why breed tribal rabbits

Zoologists distinguish about 70 breeds of meat, down and fur breeds of rabbits, but most of them are well known not more than 20 of them. Moreover, many experts point out a small proportion of rabbit varieties, which in fact are of practical value. It is from these circumstances that the acute need for breeding for eared breeding follows. Today, rabbit breeders are particularly interested in animals from meat and meat-and-selfish directions, brought from the United States of America, Europe, and New Zealand. High productivity and excellent preservation of the herd is observed in the following breeds:

• Californian;
• New Zealand;
• White giant;
• French ram;
• Soviet chinchilla;
• White downy;
• Belgian giant.

Did you know? Rabbit back left foot in many cultures of the world, including in Europe, North and South America, Africa and China, is revered as a talisman of happiness. Most likely, the belief in the magical power of this subject dates back to the 600s. BC from the Celtic peoples who lived in European countries.

A characteristic feature of these varieties is a rapid increase. The weight of adults varies from 5 to 10 kg. However, in the absence of breeding, there is a shrinking population.

How to select rabbits on the tribe

For the further selection of rabbits, it is important to choose the right parental pair. At this stage, many newcomers are guided only by the external signs of animal breeding. However, according to experts, this is not enough to identify decent females and males.

In fact, there are mutually exclusive indicators. Therefore, it is important to know the nature of their relationship, as well as be able to calculate the priority characteristics. Let's talk more about some of them.

Important! The most common mistake in the selection of the parental pair of rabbits is the long one-sided superiority of the increment value. While disease resistance, fertility, milkiness and maternal instincts are economically more important than weight gain in eared wards.

Age

This is the first stage of selection of breeding young animals, which is carried out at the age of 60-90 days. Depending on the characteristics of the breed, two or three months baby rabbits are deposited from the mother. At the same time, individuals with body structure defects, rare fur, physical weakness, apathy and poor appetite are immediately rejected. In addition, experts advise to pay attention to the related signs, which the rabbit inherited from their ancestors. It is important to immediately take into account the indicators of survival and milkiness of the parent generation, as well as their predecessors.

In order to better manifest hereditary qualities, it was recommended to carry out the breeding of rabbits from the winter-spring okrolov, since they develop in the most favorable season.

It will be useful for you to find out how many years live and how to determine the age of the rabbits, as well as what influences the lifespan of rabbits.

At this stage, it is still too early to judge the forecasts of the productivity and fecundity of selected individuals, therefore, when choosing worthy candidates, many difficulties arise. Experienced breeders advise to give preference to young animals from fertile rabbits from the first or second round. In addition, parents must be thoroughbred.

Usually sexually mature females and males use no more than 2 years, but if their reproductive mission satisfies you, this period can be extended by a year. To make the right choice, observe the efficiency of the parental line, occasionally removing individuals older than 3 years, as well as little rabbits that gave small offspring, after mating, turned out to be unfertilized several times or aborted.

Did you know? Rabbits from other female mammals have a unique structure of the genitals. They have a forked uterus. Therefore, the animal can simultaneously wear two litters conceived at different times from different males.

Individual qualities of individuals

At the second stage of selection, the rabbit breeder should monitor the pace of development of breeding individuals, their growth, health, activity and signs of the exterior.

It is important to consider the number of rabbits in the vicinity. After all, the smaller they are, the larger they will be. Therefore, in the pursuit of good growth, you can create heavy, but small animals. In addition to gaining weight from selected youngsters, it is important to pay attention to the sanitary condition of the livestock and the nutritious diet. After all, these conditions will fully manifest the inherited makings of selected females and males. Otherwise, natural selection will take effect.

Did you know? The rabbit has 28 teeth, and tiny teeth grow behind its front incisors. These animals boast an enviable appetite and eat everything that grows, and in large quantities. In one sitting, an adult rabbit can eat as much grass as is enough to fill a large pillow..

Not suitable for further breeding work individuals who have:

• thin, dull and wavy fur;
• narrow chest;
• poorly developed muscles;
• there is a depression between the shoulder blades;
• large chopstick;
• strongly sagging belly;
• arched back;
• narrow loin;
• incorrect setting of the front or hind legs;
• there are nodules and tubercles on the skin, eyelids;
• drooping, thin ears (apply to all breeds, with the exception of rams);
• deteriorated product quality;
• there are any deformities;
• reduced vital activity;
• poor appetite;
• infectious, viral and other diseases were found.

According to the results of the first okrolov

The final stage of selection of breeding livestock is based on its reproductive capabilities. It is relevant when the rabbits are 6-8 months old. It should be noted that the reproductive value of the animals becomes obvious as a result of 3-4 acrols.

Consider how long the rabbit's pregnancy lasts and how to determine it, and also read all about the winter season with street content.

For breeding experiments, the valuable female is capable of stably transferring its main qualities to the new generation - high productivity, fecundity and excellent endurance to adverse environmental factors. Individuals that possess the following set of external and physical characteristics fully comply with these requirements:

• breed characteristic build and weight;
• high-quality fur;
• tendency to fertilization at any time of the year;
• brood from 8 to 14 rabbits;
• safety of the factory condition in the lactation period;
• uniform development of the young and 90-100% of its preservation until weaning;
• rapid adaptation to new conditions, including unfavorable ones;
• elastic, elastic skin with thick down without scuffs;
• the uniformity and regularity of ocroles (attention should be paid to the number of offspring, as well as the intervals between fertilization);
• high sexual activity.

The selection of males is carried out taking into account the intervals between the first and second cages, and the breath of the animal is taken into account. Breeding advantage remains with those who possess:

• strong broad-chest body of the correct constitution;
• large muscular croup (individuals with an angular projecting bone structure are not allowed);
• moderate fatness (too thin animals will give painful offspring with low vitality).

Maintenance and care

Breeding couple can be kept both in closed premises and in street cages. The main thing is that the rabbit dwelling should be located on a flat and protected from drafts surface with natural or artificial shading, because direct sunlight is absolutely contraindicated in animals.

We advise you to familiarize yourself with the features of breeding rabbits at home, as well as learn all about breeding rabbits as a business.

Advance should take care of free access to the rabbit, which will facilitate its maintenance and distribution of food. The female and the male should live apart. It is important for a breeder to protect his charges from overheating, overcooling and dampness. Let's elaborate on the necessary conditions and key rules of care.

Conditions of detention

Depending on the specification of use, the rabbitries make different, but they all must meet the following requirements:

1. Located on dry and elevated areas, away from sources of moisture and water, in the shade of trees. This is due to intolerance to eared direct sunlight.
2. Have high-quality ventilation. In the houses of the wards air movement is undesirable, which exceeds the speed of 30 m / s.
3. Year-round to keep the air temperature in the range of + 15 ... +20 ° C (for this, the structure must be warmed in the cold).
4. In winter, covered at least 10 hours a day. Ideally, a window installed on the entire wall on the east side of the structure can solve this problem.
5. Located at an altitude of 80-100 cm from the ground. It is necessary to protect the wards from rats, and this solution will greatly facilitate maintenance.
6. Indicators of humidity in the rabbit house should correspond to 60-70%.
7. The classic version of the rabbit queen cell has dimensions of 70 x 100 x 60 cm. For young stock, the structure may be slightly shorter. The size of the cells depends largely on the breed of the wards and the way they are maintained. For example, bunnies require about 0.5-0.7 square meters of area, adult males need 0.17 m2, and young animals need 0.12 m2.
8. The best are cells made of metal mesh and wood. The floor is usually made of slats, but in order to avoid the development of poddermatit, it must be covered with a soft mat and straw bedding.

Care and hygiene

Breeding livestock is important to protect against possible diseases, so care for the rabbit must be approached with the utmost responsibility. All rabbits react very painfully to dirt in their abode and ammonia fumes. Therefore, the breeder needs:

• clean the pallets daily from manure (animal feces must be properly disposed of, it is unacceptable to be near the cells);
• change the litter inside the structure every day (otherwise, the animal will fall ill due to increased dampness);
• before each feeding, clean the feeders from the remnants of feed (rabbits are distinguished by increased sensitivity of the gastrointestinal tract);
• before each watering change the water in the drinkers and monitor their cleanliness;
• each semester conduct a general cleaning in a rabbit house with its complete disinfection.

Getting rid of the pathogenic environment in rabbit cages is not so easy. Therefore, you cannot start this process. The rabbit breeder must understand that the infection and viruses have an extraordinary survivability, infecting each new generation of animals that is displayed in these conditions. Consequently, it is by timely disinfecting the cages and the entire inventory to prevent the livestock from falling.

Important! In the warm season, the disinfection solution can be cold, and during the autumn-winter period it is better to prepare it using hot water..

Since the microbes living in the eared monastery are very resistant to high and low temperatures, they quickly get used to toxic chemicals, they can only be destroyed by special disinfection methods. All planes (both internal and external) of the rabbitry, all inventory involved in the care, as well as the walls, floor and ceiling of the room in which the cage is located should be treated. First, rabbits are transplanted from the construction, and only after that they clear the space of faeces, bedding and dirt. Then remove all removable elements and with a hose with a jet of hot water wash the cage from the inside. Repeat this procedure with any detergent and brush. The same is done with inventory, feeders and drinkers.

You must agree that disinfection of cells for rabbits is not just a necessity, but an extremely important and mandatory procedure. Consider methods for treating rabbit cages at home.

After the done manipulations, the rabbit housing is left to dry and only then it is treated with disinfectants: Virocid, Ash liquor, Ecocide C, Formalin, Glutex, Virosan, Whiteness, Virkon C, formaldehyde solution, soda ash or Bromosept-50. Alternatively, you can burn the structure with a blowtorch.

The diet and feeding rates of breeding rabbits

In the rabbit menu must contain various ingredients, including cereals, juicy, roughage, as well as concentrates and vitamin-mineral supplements. In this case, malnutrition or overeating will adversely affect the reproductive functions of the breeding stock.

Did you know? The smallest rabbits are the representatives of Little Idahoor or, as they are called, the pygmies. The maximum weight of adult animals reaches only 450 g, and the body length ranges from 22 to 35 cm.

It is categorically unacceptable to feed animals only with grass or vegetables. The following foods should be in turn in their diet:

1. Hay. It can be given to pets at each feeding. The main thing - to monitor its dryness and freshness, as indicated by a pleasant aroma and greenish herbal color. In the summer you can feed dried plants. For harvesting hay is best suited: stinging nettle, calendula, clover, yarrow, burdock, seeded grass, star sprout, knotweed, asparagus stalks, hogweed, hop, dandelion, rhubarb.
2. Straw. Pea, lentil, millet and oat are characterized by the highest nutritional value. It is given to rabbits once a day in the form of steamed chop, which is mixed with compound feed in a 5: 1 ratio. Such an ingredient may be present in the rabbit menu, when there is no other coarse feed.
3. Leaves and branches of trees. In terms of nutritional value, this type of food is equivalent to meadow grasses. Best suited: birch, linden, ash, willow, aspen, maple, silver poplar, hornbeam, elm, pear, acacia, apple. It is desirable that this kind of food was always in the zone of availability eared.
4. Fresh herbs and greens. It is very useful to give the breeding couple: scalded young nettles, dioecious, carrot tops, celery, dandelions, parsley, dill, plantain, yarrow, young burdock leaves, wild clover, thistle, tansy, strawberry foliage, basil, topinambura stalks.
5. Vegetables. In the list of allowed: carrots, turnips, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, pea pods, beans, pumpkin, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, Jerusalem artichoke fruits. It is important that the pulp that has been removed from the seeds is placed in the animal feeders.
6. Fruits and berries. Give in small quantities: pears, apples, watermelons and melons (you can give a peel), gooseberries (it is recommended to give in 2-3 days); strawberries, cranberries, blueberries, sea buckthorn, wild rose, freshly picked figs, black and red currants, grapes.
7. Silage. Relevant in winter. Prepared from substandard fruit.
8. Cereals, which are limited to barley, oats, wheat and corn.
9. Feed and concentrates. Ideally, preference is given to formulations that include: 28% grass meal, 20% wheat-oatmeal and corn-barley mixtures, 13% sunflower meal, 15% wheat bran, 2-4% edible yeast, salt, fish and meat and bone flour.
10. Vitamin and mineral supplements in the form of granulated potassium-calcium supplements, special salt blocks, chalky stones.

Feeding rates are largely dependent on the season and age category of eared pets. Remember that in case of malnutrition or overeating, you should not expect good breeding results. In order to guess the number of the desired type of food in a particular case, follow the data in the table below.

The most important rule in the breeding of rabbits is good nutrition of eared pets with the most balanced daily diet. Read about all the eating habits of rabbits, in particular in winter, and also find out the list of prohibited and permitted products for rabbits.

Breeding experiments with rabbits require certain knowledge and experience in the breeding of these animals. Even the slightest mistake in choosing or maintaining a breeding livestock can ruin all the work done earlier. We hope our article will help you in breeding strong thoroughbred rabbits.

Video: Breeding Rabbit

Watch the video: Rabbits from Start To Finish: Breeding (December 2024).