It has long been known that "rabbits are not only valuable fur, but also 3-5 kilograms of dietary meat." Perhaps this is all that most know about rabbits. Although these useful farm animals should learn more. For example, there is a breed of rabbit gray giant.
Breed history
The first rabbits of the final version of the breeding breed were obtained at the Petrovsky fur farm in the Poltava region. The long selection work was completed in 1952. Work was carried out with flanders and outbred local rabbits. In the process, rabbits were rejected, which did not have the desired characteristics. Only those animals were left for breeding that could pass on to the next generation the necessary characteristics of the breed. A large mass and size were transmitted from the flanders. Good adaptability and high fecundity - from purebred animals.
Features
The breed of gray giant is large in size. The weight of an adult animal is 4-7 kg, but individuals of 5-6 kilograms are still more common. The body of the rabbit is about 56-66 cm long. In principle, it is an animal of medium size with a massive skeleton. The rabbit has a large head, large ears, large legs. The legs of rabbits of this breed are long and straight. The chest can be up to 40 cm in diameter.
The gray giant rabbit has not too thick, but rather strong and warm coat. The quality of the undercoat is lower than that of animals that are bred for their fur (such breeds of domestic rabbits as Soviet chinchilla, black-brown or Viennese blue).
Inside the breed of these rabbits, several colors are distinguished. The most common is dark gray. But there is a gray-hare and iron-gray color. In addition, despite the name, rabbits of this breed can have white or black colors. In a situation when rabbits of a standard color appear cubs of other colors, do not pay attention to this. The breed characteristics of these animals will be fully present.
In rabbits with a gray-hare color, the paws on the inside and the abdomen will be completely white, and the axial hairs will have a heterogeneous color.
Rabbit food
Like other rabbits of meat breeds, these animals need fresh food. Fresh grass and vegetables play a very important role in the proper breeding of animals. For proper digestion, it is necessary to avoid overfeeding the animals with herbs such as alfalfa or field clover. In young animals, an abundance of such food causes bloating. To avoid such problems, these herbs must be dried before being fed. To do this, let the grass lie down in the shade for two days.
Rabbits will be very happy with fresh vegetables, such as carrots, cabbage, zucchini, pumpkin, squash, radishes. They eat corn and peas well, but these crops should be given in very limited quantities, as they can damage digestion.
Separately, it should be noted that feeding these (as well as all other) rabbits with wet grass is strictly prohibited. The grass must be dried during rain. If this is not possible, it is better to give hay than to feed with wet grass. Of course, animals should not be given spoiled, rotten food.
In addition to grass and fresh vegetables, rabbits are also fed grain. Animals love this food, eat it well, but even then you should not make concessions to them and feed them with grain all day.
Whatever the rabbits are fed, they need clean water to drink. It is better not to put the liquid in the public domain, but to equip the housing of animals with special drinking bowls. Then the water will remain clean, and the health of the rabbits will not be affected.
The breed is a gray giant (like other rabbits) - rodents, their incisors are constantly growing. To give animals the opportunity to grind their teeth correctly, it is necessary to ensure that they always have plant branches in the aviary. If animals are raised in wooden cages, they will nibble the cages - this is the nature of rabbits.
Care
The breed of rabbits gray giant feels great in different climatic conditions. Animals easily adapt to both the mild climate of the south and the harsh winters in the north. There is no need to create special conditions for keeping rabbits in the north. There is no need to insulate the cells. A warm wooden dwelling is perfect for winter.
The gray giant rabbit is quite a companionable and friendly animal, therefore it is possible to keep them not in single cells, but in aviaries in whole groups.
The main conditions for keeping rabbits healthy are cleanliness. You need to clean the cage from litter regularly. At least twice a year, it must be disinfected with bleach, slaked lime or a blowtorch. It is especially important to monitor purity when the rabbit prepares for the birth of babies. Before the settlement of a new animal, it is also worth disinfecting.
The gray giant rabbit gets along well not only in the cage, but also in the sheds and in the city apartment. The animal is well tamed, so it can become an excellent pet for any family.
Cages rabbits
A cage for outdoor use should be at least 40 cm high, 60 cm long, 36 cm wide. The roof should open for easy care and inspection. The cage should be in a bright place, but sheltered from the heat. There must be water and food. The floor needs to be upholstered with tin to protect rabbits from rats. If rabbits have a two-story cage, the walls of the second floor should also be upholstered with tin.
Aviary content
When kept in an enclosure, it is especially important to monitor cleanliness, since rabbits should never run over manure. The litter needs to be constantly changed, not allowing the material to become damp.
Keeping rabbits at home
For keeping rabbits at home, metal trellised cages with pallets are suitable for easy care. In such cells, there should also be water in the drinkers and always fresh food. The gray giant rabbit is not suitable as a toy for children. His character is quite friendly, but its size does not allow the child to cope with the animal. Therefore, the child will only be able to feed the rabbit, or it is worth considering another breed.
Breeding
A very important aspect when considering the breed of rabbit gray giant is breeding. An essential role is played by the natural fecundity of rabbits of this breed. In one round, the female gives birth to 8 rabbits. Sometimes rabbits also appear 14, but still quite rarely. The undoubted advantage of the breed - rabbits never eat newborn babies. Eared mother has enough milk, therefore it is possible to leave all born babies on natural feeding.
Rabbits can begin to produce offspring from the age of three months, but it is better to spend the first case in 5-6 months. Pregnancy lasts 28-35 days. The approach of childbirth is indicated by the movements of the rabbits - this usually happens on the 25th day of pregnancy.
When a pregnant rabbit starts tearing up her hair, it means that she began to build a nest. Most often, the gray giant rabbit begins preparation 3-4 days before giving birth, but some females can begin arranging the nest right before the birthing.
The main percentage of births occurs in the early morning, so carefully examine the place around the cage and the nest - the newborn can crawl away from the mother and die from hypothermia. Interfering in the birth process is not worth it. An exception are cases when the rabbit is clearly unable to cope and she needs the help of a specialist. The rabbit itself removes the shell on the rabbits. The placenta is also destroyed by it.
If at first it seems that the rabbit is not engaged in cubs - this impression is misleading. Rabbits are not like other animals, they can come to the offspring just a couple of times a day, and for a very short time. Rabbits begin to get out of the nest after opening their eyes - for about 12 days. If you notice a blind rabbit outside the nest, put it in place, as it may die.
During pregnancy and feeding the cubs, thorough care and additional nutrition are necessary for females of any breed of rabbits (the name does not play a special role). The gray giant will require additional cell care and more protein feed.
Growing rabbits
Newborn rabbits weigh about 80 grams. With proper feeding and care by 2 months, they weigh about 1.5 kg. By four months a healthy animal is gaining 2.6 kg. If higher levels are needed, protein-rich feeds must be added to the rabbit diet.
Rabbits can be separated from their mothers at the age of one month.
Rabbits application
Representatives of the breed gray giant are rabbits of meat breeds. The main purpose of their maintenance is meat, which has high taste and dietary qualities. Rabbit meat is classified as white meat. For people with various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, it is truly an ideal food, as it contains more protein than the meat of other animals, and much less fat.
In the treatment of cancer, it is very important to include the meat of young rabbits in the diet. This is due to its interesting and useful ability to reduce the dose received during treatment of radiation. It is curious that the body of a rabbit under the age of 7 months does not take strontium-90, which is a decay product of herbicides and pesticides.
Rabbit's interior fat is an excellent healing agent. Since such fat is also a reliable anti-allergic agent, it is used in the manufacture of cosmetics, using as a base.
The most dietary will be a three-month-old gray giant rabbit. The price of such meat is higher, but its benefits are much greater. You can buy a rabbit with live weight for about 400 rubles per kilogram.