Raising rabbits in homesteads is quite profitable. These animals breed and gain weight very quickly. However, in order for the rabbits to develop well and not get sick, they, of course, should be properly fed.
The diet of these animals should include foods containing a sufficient amount of protein, vitamins and minerals needed by the body of animals. In the menu of rabbits bred on farms and in private farms, feeds are mandatory included:
The answer to the question of what rabbits love is, among other things, dried white bread. Such a product is usually placed in the cages of both decorative and domestic eared animals.
What juicy feed to give
Breeding rabbits as a business will be successful, of course, only if the animals grow and develop well. And for this, root crops and vegetables should be included in the diet of animals. From succulent feeds, the rabbits menu usually includes:
carrot;
potatoes;
beet;
watermelon peels;
squash and pumpkin;
cabbage.
Carrots to rabbits of absolutely any breed, including decorative, are allowed to be given in unlimited quantities. This root crop, among other things, contains a lot of vitamins useful for rabbits. Carrots also increase the appetite of these animals, as a result of which they begin to gain weight faster.
Carrots are given to such animals usually only in raw form. At the same time, it is allowed to put in the cells both whole root crops of this variety, and chopped ones. Baby rabbits can be offered carrots immediately after they start trying to eat food on their own. Moreover, for furry babies, such food is considered very useful and even necessary.
When feeding rabbits with potatoes, animals begin to gain weight very quickly. This is explained by the fact that such tubers contain a lot of easily digestible nutrients. It is possible to give potatoes to rabbits, however, only in boiled form. At the same time, green tubers should be carefully selected beforehand.
Beets for such animals can also be very beneficial. However, rabbits should be fed only in very small quantities and with caution. Beetroot is a pretty strong laxative, and therefore, babies can get stomach aches from it.
The same rules should be observed when feeding animals cabbage. Sheets of this vegetable are usually offered to rabbits only in very small quantities. Watermelon peels to these animals most often also do not give too much.
Many experienced farmers believe that zucchini and pumpkin for rabbits can be offered without fear. The only thing is, the rabbits themselves do not like such food too much. They usually eat it reluctantly. And so too many zucchini and pumpkins in cages, animals should not be put. Otherwise, these vegetables will begin to rot in the corners and become a source of some kind of infection.
In addition to vegetables and root crops, fruits are sometimes also offered to such animals. However, rabbits can only be given food of this kind with great care. In any case, fresh fruit is not usually offered to these animals. The only thing is, farmers often give their eared wards dried chopped apples and pears.
Features of feeding rabbits: rough food
This category of rabbit food includes:
Considered to be excellent food for such animals and tree branches with green foliage. Their rabbits must also be given without fail.
What kind of grass can be given
This type of food for rabbits is the main one. Grass for such animals should be mowed in dry areas - on the field or in the forest. Wetland vegetation for feeding rabbits is never used. If such grass is included in the diet of animals, this can lead to the development of various infectious diseases.
Before you start mowing grass for rabbits, you should make sure, among other things, that they do not grow in the selected area:
There are other types of herbs that can harm the health of rabbits or even lead to the death of animals. The list of such plants is quite wide and you can familiarize yourself with it, for example, in specialized literature.
Rabbits should not be given freshly cut grass immediately. From raw green mass in such animals, and especially in small ones, indigestion can occur. Any grass for rabbits must be dried for at least one day before laying in the feeders.
The tops of garden plants
Domestic rabbits love this kind of food and eat it with pleasure. Most often, however, rabbits are offered only carrot and beet tops. In any case, the green mass of tomatoes, eggplant, pepper can not be fed to these animals in any case.
The same goes for potato tops. All these plants belong to the nightshade family. And therefore, their eating can lead to an upset gastrointestinal tract in animals. In addition to carrot and beetroot, rabbits sometimes get radish tops. Such a green mass does not harm the stomachs of these animals.
What you can feed rabbits yet: tree branches
In addition to grass, these animals are supposed to feed another type of roughage. When given on a farm or in a homestead, rabbits are given leafy branches. These animals, of course, do not eat wood. But at the same time, the bark of branches for them can be very useful.
In any case, eating green branches has a beneficial effect on the digestive tract of animals. It is believed that it is very useful to give rabbits, for example, branches:
At the same time, one cannot feed shoots to such animals:
wolf bast;
elderberries;
bird cherry;
Ledum.
What hay to give
Breeding rabbits as a business or keeping these animals in small household farms involves the use of roughage, of course, not only in summer but also in winter. Instead of grass in the cold season, farmers give their fluffy wards hay. Harvesting such food for rabbits is subject to the same rules as grass in summer. That is, they choose well-ventilated, dry areas without poisonous and harmful to animal plants for mowing.
Sometimes hay for such animals, of course, and just buy. In this case, experienced farmers are advised to pre-check the supplier. Hay for rabbits is suitable only the highest quality.
It is also necessary to store such food correctly. They store hay for rabbits usually in the shade under awnings. The roughage of this species in winter is also the main diet of such animals. And of course, only high-quality, non-rotten hay should be given to rabbits.
Guidelines for Harvesting Branches
In winter, animals should be fed and dried branches - apple, willow, birch, etc. Prepare such coarse food for rabbits as follows:
cut not too thick enough young branches;
bind them in brooms with a stalk thickness of 2.5-3 cm;
hang branches for drying in the attic or in any other suitable room.
In winter and summer, rabbits should receive branches for food daily.
What are concentrates
This type of feed contains a very large amount of protein. Without concentrates, even if there is enough other food, rabbits will gain weight very slowly. These feeds are cereal crops. Also, concentrates in agriculture include mixed feed specially developed for a particular group of animals.
Rabbits can be given almost any grain. However, in most cases, these animals are fed only with crushed barley. It is such cereals that rabbits eat most willingly and are best absorbed by their body. Also a very useful type of concentrate for these animals is considered oats. But such a grain is usually mixed with barley in not too large quantities.
In principle, rabbits can survive without concentrates - on the same grass. However, in this case, the animals will often hurt and, of course, will not gain marketable weight. High-quality concentrates are especially important when keeping rabbits outdoors in winter.
Concentrates are usually poured into animal feeders 1-2 times a day. Although rabbits are rodents, they are still offered a crushed version of the grain.
If desired, these animals, of course, can be given feed. For rabbits, this type of food is considered very suitable. However, in this case, you should choose the type of product intended specifically for these animals.
Compound feed for rabbits, unlike other agricultural animals, is usually prepared also on the basis of barley and oat groats. In addition, legume and various vitamin complexes can be added to such mixtures in small amounts.
Recommendations for the use of concentrates
Owners of household plots usually mow grass for rabbits in their plots. The same goes for vegetables or root vegetables. They are collected in their own garden. Concentrates for these animals in most cases are acquired on the side. And it is through them that the infection is often brought to the farm. Therefore, the choice of a supplier of such feed to owners of rabbit farms should be approached as responsibly as possible.
Unfortunately, barley and oats are often infected with dangerous viruses or bacteria that can cause severe, often fatal, diseases of rabbits. Before purchasing such food from a supplier, it is worth at least asking where it came from. You should only purchase a product that comes from areas that are favorable in terms of infectious rabbit diseases in this particular season.
Do I need vitamin supplements
Most modern rabbit breeds are distinguished by endurance. A properly designed diet for these animals will be the key to their rapid growth and development. However, to prevent, for example, an attack of young animals or an outbreak of morbidity, vitamins are often additionally offered to such animals. Also, such mixtures are usually given to animals in the winter season.
Vitamins for rabbits in most cases are added a little to the food. The best reviews from farmers at the same time earned complexes:
"Chiktonik" containing vitamins of group B, D3, A, K.
"Proditevit", which includes vitamins A, D3 and E.
"E-Selenium" containing selenium and vitamin E.
It is believed that it is very useful to mix in food for rabbits and the additive "Ushastik". The composition of this mixture includes not only various kinds of vitamins, but also minerals useful for the animal organism.
The daily dosages of various types of supplements for eared animals may vary. In order to determine the amount of the mixture fed to the animal in this particular situation, you should first familiarize yourself with the instructions for use provided by the manufacturer on the packaging of the selected product.
Feed ratio
So, what can feed rabbits, we found out. The main food for these animals, therefore, are grass and hay. Also eared puffers offer vegetables and concentrates. But in what quantities should such animals receive food?
It is believed that the most appropriate ratio of feed intake for rabbits is the following:
concentrates - 50 g per head in summer and 60 g in winter;
herbs - 400-500 g in the summer;
hay - 120-150 g in winter;
succulent feed - 150-200 g.
Such standards for feeding rabbits are provided for ordinary animals raised for meat. For manufacturers, slightly different ratios are considered more appropriate. In preparation for mating, for example, females and males per day are given:
concentrated feed - 70 g in summer and 100 g in winter;
herbs - 500-600 g in the summer;
hay - 150-200 g in the winter;
succulent feed - 150-200 g.
Feeding rates for rabbits on farms must be followed. This is especially true, of course, for pregnant females. Such rabbits are usually offered:
concentrates - 70-90 g in the summer and 100-130 g in the winter;
herbs - 550-750 g in the summer;
hay - 150-200 g in the winter;
succulent feed - 200-250 g.
Lactating uterus is given:
Juicy foods, both when feeding rabbits in winter and in summer, usually use the same amount.
What can not be given
Above in the article, we found out that certain types of herbs should not be offered to rabbits. Also, such animals are forbidden to give such juicy feed, such as:
eggplant;
Tomatoes
red cabbage;
onion.
Beetroot rabbits are usually offered only fodder.
Fruits, in addition to dried pears and apples, should not be given to such animals. It concerns:
Unsuitable rough and concentrated feed
Certain types of herbs, as we have found, can cause poisoning in rabbits. This also applies to some garden plants. In addition to nightshade, rabbits are also forbidden to feed green peas and its tops. Eating such food leads to bloating of the animals, and sometimes to their death.
Of the concentrates, rabbits are not given:
rice
millet or millet;
rye.
These types of cereals are practically not digested in the stomachs of animals and only contribute to the formation of unnecessary mucus in the digestive tract.
Is it possible to give human food
It is known that, for example, to pigs, ducks and even hens, homestead owners often offer leftovers from their table. For such an economic living creature, such food can actually be quite useful. However, rabbits usually never get leftovers from the table. The exception in this case are only boiled vegetables. But even such food can be given to these animals only in very small quantities.
The following types of human food are absolutely not suitable for rabbits:
dairy products, including kefir, cottage cheese, cheese and whey;
meat products, including offal, heads, legs.
Also, rabbits should never be given sweets - chocolate, sweets, butterscotch, candy. Actually, the natural ingredients themselves used in the preparation of such products may not be harmful to animals. However, in sweets, unfortunately, various toxic additives are often mixed in to improve their appearance, smell and taste.
Baking can also be quite dangerous for rabbits. The use of such products causes bloating in animals, leads to obesity, a decrease in disease resistance, etc. Of the baked rabbits, as already mentioned, you can offer only crackers of white bread. Such a product is usually given to these animals once every few days as a treat.
Is it possible to use feed intended for other domestic and agricultural animals
Hookahs intended for geese, ducks, chickens should not be given to rabbits. Such a ban applies to feed intended for other animals, including domestic ones. For example, rabbits absolutely do not fit food purchased for:
This food usually contains very little calcium and fiber. In principle, he cannot bring special harm to rabbits. But with constant feeding of animals with such food, they may begin to have health problems. Also, in rabbits that have consumed such food for a long time, obesity and even edema of the internal organs can be observed.
When keeping as pets, it is necessary to use only special regular or granular food for rabbits. You can buy such a product in almost any pet store.
In household plots, rabbits are also usually not given grain that was once bought for chickens and ducks. Owners of farmsteads often store such concentrates directly in their houses. Infectious diseases, however, rabbits and poultry usually suffer the same. And if chickens, ducks or geese of various kinds of infection do not occur very often, then rabbits are susceptible to them to a fairly serious degree. Cereals for these animals should be stored separately.
How many times a day to feed rabbits
Food for these animals is usually offered three times a day. They do this in this case both in summer and in winter. Most often, owners of suburban areas use this scheme for feeding rabbits:
in the morning - half the daily dose of coarse and concentrated feed;
at lunch - the whole daily intake of juicy food;
in the evening - the second half of the daily dose of grass (hay) and cereals.
In the summer, for the first time, rabbits are usually fed at 6-7 in the morning. In winter, this period is postponed for 8 hours. 12 . 7 , — 5 .
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