The breed of rabbits is a white giant - one of the most common and popular in our country. These animals are bred both in household plots and in large farms. The main advantages of the breed are its high weight, good maternal qualities and a thick hair coat of a pure white shade.
Breed history
Brought out white giants in Germany. The basis was taken on albino rabbits of the Belgian Flanders breed. These animals were brought to Germany in the 1920s. White flanders had a delicate constitution, a beautiful skin and very tasty meat. However, they were not particularly viable. German breeders did a great job to improve this breed. The albino flanders were crossed mainly with chinchillas and gray giants. The result is a disease-resistant breed with excellent maternal qualities, great weight and good fertility.
general description
White giants are rabbits with very beautiful, fairly thick hair. According to the product characteristics, the skins of these animals are considered one of the best to date. The color of the skin, as can already be judged by the name of the breed, is completely white, without any impurities of cream or yellow. The eyes of these rabbits are also not colored, and therefore look red (due to translucent blood vessels). The main characteristics of the breed can also include:
- strong constitution;
- thin, but at the same time strong skeleton;
- large light head;
- erect long ears;
- deep chest with a small breast
- strong thin paws.
It is not recommended to be used as producers of white giants with “puffiness” of wool, as well as with interception behind the shoulder blades.
Breed features
White giants - rabbits, characterized by very good viability and resistance to disease. In the continental climate, they feel good, and therefore are well suited for breeding in central Russia and Siberia. Females are fertile. There are usually 7–9 rabbits in a litter. But sometimes females bring up to 14 cubs. One of the main distinguishing features and advantages of these rabbits is that females never eat litter.
White giant breed rabbits gain weight very quickly. The young are sedimented from the uterus at 2 months. By this time, they already weigh about two kilograms. Three-month-old rabbits reach a weight of already 3 kg. Thus, the animal is very precocious in terms of mass gain - a white giant rabbit. The weight of adult one-year-old representatives of this breed depends on the class. Thus, animals of the elite group can reach a mass of 5.8 kg. Rabbits of the first class weigh about 5.3 kg, the second - 4.8 kg.
Content Features
The white giant rabbit (description of the breed is given above) - the animal is very hardy, and you can grow it in cages placed right on the street. These animals tolerate cold and heat well. However, installing cells in the sun itself, of course, is not recommended. Also, rabbit dwellings should not stand in a place blown by all the winds. Sometimes white giant cells set up rabbit cages in sheds, sheds or cellars. In this case, the animals will feel more comfortable, however, owners should pay maximum attention to the cleanliness of cells and aviaries. Indoors, representatives of this breed often develop such unpleasant diseases as mastitis and pododermatitis.
White giants are active rabbits, and therefore cells for them need the most spacious. Dwellings for males usually have a height of 60-80 cm, a length of 1-1.5 m, and a depth of 90 cm. For rabbits, the cages should be slightly larger, calculated on the offspring of about 10 goals. Young growth is kept in spacious enclosures. On one head they should account for about 1 m 2 area.
How to feed
In composition, the diet of these animals is practically no different from the menu of any other large breeds. The white and gray giant are rabbits that gain weight very quickly. Therefore, in feed intended for them, should contain a sufficient amount of protein. As concentrated on farms and in personal farms, oat or barley crusher is usually used. Wheat is not recommended for these animals. From it, rabbits may experience indigestion.
In winter, additional hay is given, pre-harvested brooms (usually birch and willow), root crops, boiled potatoes and dried bread. In summer, grass (quinoa, nettle, dandelions, wheat grass, plantain, wormwood, carrot tops, etc.), apples, beets and cabbage (in small quantities), young tree branches are added to the crusher. Rabbits eat carrots especially well. It is very useful for their gastrointestinal tract, and it can be given absolutely in any quantities. Branches should be fed necessarily. Especially rabbits like birch, willow, elm, elm.
It is very useful to give rabbits the so-called "vinaigrette". For its preparation, even those vegetables are used that, in raw form, these animals eat poorly (pumpkin, zucchini, potatoes). Chopped root vegetables are mixed with chopped young grass, laid in a bucket and boiled. Water is drained, and “vinaigrette” is fed to rabbits in the morning.
Diet
White giants are large rabbits, and their diet should be balanced approximately like this:
- concentrated feed - 50-70%,
- roughage (hay, grass) - 20-30%,
- root crops - 15-20%.
These figures are approximate. The diet depends on the age of the animals, time of year, gender, etc. In addition, rabbits should be fed dried crackers from time to time. In winter, pine or spruce needles will be very useful.
Herb Selection
The choice of green feed for rabbits should be approached as responsibly as possible. Many types of herbs are poisonous to them. You can not give the giants, for example, nightshade, celandine, euphorbia. Of course, you should not feed them poisonous plants, such as dope, belens, etc. Best of all, white giants eat young grass. Having plucked or mowed an armful, it needs to be dried a little. This will increase its digestibility.
Breeding
The rabbit is a white giant (photo of the breed can be seen on the page), both the female and the male reach 6-7 months. Large, active animals with well-pubescent paws that do not have any defects are selected for the tribe. Mating is carried out on the territory of the male. The rabbit is planted with him for 1-2 hours. After a week, carry out a control accident. If the female does not allow the rabbit to come near her, snarls, fights and growls - it means that she will soon have cubs.
Pregnancy in rabbits of the breed white giant lasts 30-31 days. The female begins to cook the nest somewhere about 1.5 weeks before the breeze. At this time, the queen cell must be put in the cage. During the round-up, the female must have access to water.
White giant rabbits, breeding of which usually does not cause any trouble, are distinguished simply by excellent parental qualities. Newborn babies in females always lie in a heap in a nest, covered with fur. She never scatters them in a cage. In order to observe the development of the litter was easier, the roof of the dwellings of females are usually made lifting. It is best to beat the floor with tin. For little rabbits, rats are a great danger.
Baby Care
Rabbits leave the nest at the age of two to three weeks. At the same time, they eat the same thing as their mother. Young animals aged 2-3 months are sedimented from rabbits. You can feed them the same as adult rabbits. But it should be borne in mind that the gastrointestinal tract in young animals is rather weak. Therefore, add any new types of feed to their diet carefully (within two weeks, gradually increasing the dose). Experienced rabbit breeders do not recommend giving beet and cabbage in large quantities to giants. These foods weaken the intestines.
Hay for rabbits is a white giant (a photo of young animals can be seen above) harvested all summer. Mowed grass is dried right on the field - in the sun. In this case, there will be a lot of vitamin D in the hay, useful for rabbits. Next, the dried grass is folded into bales and placed in storage in a dry, ventilated room. Good hay has a nice meadow smell and a slightly greenish color. Of course, rabbits should mow grass only in those places where there are no poisonous plants.
Subdermatitis disease
Like most rabbits of large breeds, white giants very often suffer from corns. Scientifically, this disease is called pododermatitis. If the rabbit becomes lethargic and inactive, you should first examine its hind legs. There are several stages of pododermatitis:
- At first, only the skin is affected in the animal. With palpation, calluses are clearly distinguished.
- Then cracks appear, gradually increasing in size.
- Bleeding develops. It becomes painful for the rabbit to move, he begins to have diarrhea, and his appetite disappears.
- If appropriate measures are not taken, the tendons and bones of the animal are affected.
The causes of corns are usually uncomfortable, dirty floors in the cell. At the first signs of the disease, the animal should be transferred to a more comfortable home. The floor in the new cage should be solid. You can even cover it with a soft cloth. Perhaps this will complicate the cleaning, but the rabbit will probably be saved.
Treatment of advanced pododermatitis
With a serious development of the disease, the following measures should be taken:
- To diversify the diet of the animal.
- Thoroughly clean the cage.
- It is advisable to let the sick animal run on the grass several times a day.
Well, of course, you should contact your veterinarian. Usually, dodermatitis is treated with powders or ointments. Such, for example, as “Vagotil”, “Terramitsil”, “Trauma-gel”. Usually, the course of treatment lasts about a month. Very good results are also given by Levomekol ointment. She not only heals wounds on her feet, but also draws pus out of them. If even this remedy does not help, you can use the drug "Triderm".
The ointment-treated areas of the paws are necessarily bandaged. Otherwise, the rabbit will lick the product, thereby harming its digestion. Rubber bandages cannot be used. They disrupt the circulation in the paws.
White Giant Rabbits: reviews
This breed is currently one of the most popular. These rabbits are bred in almost all regions of the country. Reviews from farmers and private traders are very good. People assure that animals are highly productive and not too whimsical at the same time.
Slaughter and skinning
White giant rabbits are usually killed at the age of 3-5 months. At this time, their weight is 2.5-3.5 kg. Slaughter on personal farms is carried out in the usual way - with the help of a stick, with a piece of hose worn on its end. In this case, the rabbit is taken by the hind legs and beat with a stick on the occipital region of the head. It is impossible to chop the head of these animals. In this case, the rabbit's nervous system continues to function for some time, and the strong animal suffers.
Cutting is done by hanging the rabbit by its hind legs on a horizontal bar or branch. First remove the skin. For this:
- Two circular incisions are made along each of the hind legs.
- Cut the skin on the inside of the thighs.
- They pull it off the carcass like a stocking.
Next, carcasses are cut. Rabbit liver is considered a delicacy. Therefore, bile must be removed without fail. The liver itself is put back into the carcass. The remaining organs are best burned or buried.
As you can see, the breed is not too whimsical and very productive - a white giant rabbit. The photos on the page clearly demonstrate the "aristocratic" constitution of these animals, their heavy weight and beautiful skin.