home Calculators How to breed rabbits and what to feed them. What meat breeds. Video - the diet of rabbits in winter and summer

How to breed rabbits and what to feed them. What meat breeds. Video - the diet of rabbits in winter and summer

Wild rabbits are well known for their fertility. Since in nature they are the object of prey hunting, it is extremely important for them to have a large offspring in order to survive. However, breeding domestic rabbits requires a lot of effort and is therefore not suitable for everyone. If you look at rabbits solely as pets, then breeding them may not be the best idea for you. However, if you want to raise rabbits for meat, or if you want to become a breeder of a particular breed, then you will need a good breeding pair, the morale to succeed (or fail), and an understanding of all the work that you have to do.

Steps

Part 1

Preparation for breeding rabbits

Decide why you chose to breed rabbits. Breeding rabbits is a huge responsibility and requires a lot of time, effort and patience. Before embarking on this business, you need to understand why you need it. Will you sell rabbits? Do you want to keep them as pets? Or will you raise them for meat? Try to understand whether you are really ready to devote yourself to this cause. If you don't have enough time, if you can get bored with all this, and you subsequently allow yourself the opportunity to give your rabbits to an animal shelter, reconsider your plans.

Learn about the different breeds of rabbits. Rabbit breeders have a wide variety of breeds to choose from. Before you decide to buy a rabbit because of the appearance you like, make sure that its breed is right for you. The following is information on several fairly common breeds of rabbits (but the complete list of breeds is by no means limited to them).

Select suitable rabbits for breeding. The breed of rabbits will depend on its availability, cost and your preferences. The purpose of breeding rabbits will also influence the breed you choose. Some people want to raise rabbits for sale and show, while others prefer to keep them at home as pets, and still others plan to raise them for meat.

Use for breeding rabbits of suitable age. Use for breeding females must begin from the moment they reach puberty. For rabbits of small breeds, this age is 5-6 months. Larger breeds can be bred from 8-9 months. Males usually become breedingable at about 6 months for small breeds, 7 months for medium breeds, and 9 months for large breeds.

Even before breeding, take care of the selection of future owners for your rabbits. Make sure that you have enough cages to keep the rabbits from the moment they are weaned, and that you are able to bear all the expenses that will accompany the process of breeding rabbits. Decide what you will do with the rabbits after weaning.

Part 2

Mating rabbits

Allow only healthy and prosperous rabbits to breed. The physical condition of mated rabbits is extremely important. Have your rabbits checked by a veterinarian first to make sure they are in optimal breeding condition.

Place the female next to the male. If you plant a male with a female, then her scent will be present everywhere on her territory, which will distract the male and may make him start marking the territory. Because of this, rabbits can fight. Therefore, always seat the female with the male.

Leave the breeding couple alone for half an hour. You need to give the rabbits time for 2-3 matings. Several matings will contribute to the numerical increase in offspring, as well as increase the chances of a successful outcome.

Feel the female's belly to establish the fact of pregnancy. The best method for determining the pregnancy of a rabbit is palpation. At the same time, the belly of the female is felt with fingers for the presence of embryos inside. If you are pregnant, you will be able to feel embryos the size of grapes in the rabbit's belly. It is best for beginner breeders to resort to this method 10-14 days after mating animals.
- Pregnancy lasts about 28-33 days, depending on the specific breed. After 34 days of pregnancy, the offspring is usually born dead, however, there are cases when live rabbits were born on the 40th day of pregnancy.
- If the fact of pregnancy is not confirmed, then the rabbit can be immediately mated again.

Part 3

Caring for a pregnant rabbit

Provide the rabbit with extra hay and bedding. By about the 22nd day of pregnancy, a nest box must be placed in the female's cage. In it she will make her nest. The nest should contain soft straw, hay or pine shavings. Leave some extra building material next to the nest box so that the female rabbit can build the nest of her choice. To fill the nest, the rabbit will also pluck the fur from her chest and abdomen.

Provide the rabbit with peace and quiet. A pregnant rabbit needs to provide a calm environment. Do not take it into your hands without a real need. Otherwise, you may harm the developing embryos in her belly. If you need to lift the rabbit, then in no case do not lift it by the stomach.

Expect labor to occur 32-33 days after mating. The rabbit will begin to prepare the nest around the 29th-32nd day of pregnancy, and will give birth on the 32nd-33rd day. If you find her in labor, give her the opportunity to cope on her own. It is highly likely that the birth will occur at night, while you are still sleeping. Rabbits tend to give birth before dawn.

Use the services of a veterinarian. At your discretion, you can provide a pregnant rabbit with regular veterinary check-ups. The veterinarian will be able to assess her health and the progress of her pregnancy.

Part 4

Caring for a rabbit and her offspring after childbirth

Feed your rabbit more than usual. After giving birth, provide the rabbit with dry food in unlimited quantities, as feeding rabbits will deprive her of nutrients very much. Do not stop giving her vegetables, but do not increase their volume. If you increased the volume of vegetables in feeding immediately before childbirth, then a second increase in the volume of vegetables given can be made no earlier than 3-4 days after childbirth. If the rabbit's feces begin to liquefy, immediately stop giving vegetables.

Learn how to properly handle a rabbit after giving birth. If the rabbit doesn't mind being stroked and reacts well to it, if you have a good relationship with her, then it's a good idea to let her out of the cage for a little workout. If the rabbit is accustomed to walking, then you should let her walk for about an hour every day. This will give you the opportunity to check the nest and remove dead young from it.

For additional income, many people choose an area such as rabbit breeding. This is not so surprising, because the rabbit business is a very affordable and simple type of subsidiary farm that does not require a large investment of material resources. In addition, breeding pets does not take much time and effort.

How to breed rabbits

The choice of breed and the purpose of rearing play an important role in the early stages of the rabbit breeding process, so it is necessary to start from this step. There are three main areas into which all possible breeds can be divided: meat, meat-skin and downy. Profit and resources can be obtained only if healthy, thoroughbred young animals are bred. You can check the "quality" of adults according to the following criteria:

fatness;
condition of the trunk, pile, eyes;
mobility;
color;

The selected copy for breeding must have all the necessary characteristics that are inherent in the breed of interest. In no case do not buy sick, malnourished or obese animals: with their help it will not be possible to breed healthy offspring and get high-quality rabbit meat. Pay attention to the shape of the ears, paws and head, check the condition of the pile, otherwise breeding rabbits at home will not bring you profit.

Breeding rabbits as a business

It is very profitable to raise individuals as the main source of income, but you will have to spend a lot of time on preliminary calculations, preparation and purchase. Hints:

First you need to build a rabbit farm or purchase ready-made systems.
You can find a ready-made business plan with accurate calculations of cost, profitability, expenses and attached photos, technical diagrams.
Rabbit breeding as a business requires structuring available resources, foresight and a willingness to constantly learn, change the process, taking into account mistakes.
For breeding for the first time, choose only meat breeds, they will provide you with a decent level of income.

Rabbits for myself

Ornamental breeds can be grown for your own needs, because small animals grow quickly and are the most prolific creatures among the rest of the fauna. During the year, one rabbit gives an average of six births - brings about 25 young animals. Breeding rabbits for yourself is a profitable activity that regularly provides healthy dietary meat, fur and skins. Slaughter is carried out several times a year, the average weight of one animal is 4 kg.

Individuals should be kept in comfort, providing all the necessary conditions. This:

cages for maintenance;
auxiliary inventory;
drinker;
feeder;
nesting department.

Breeds of rabbits for breeding

Rabbit meat is known for its beneficial properties, it is recommended to be consumed at any age. You can raise rabbits in a subsidiary plot, a village or a farm. According to the purpose of cultivation, a special category of individuals is selected. They make a good profit from the sale and marketing of carcasses, so they buy meat breeds of rabbits for home breeding, there are a large number of them:

How to start breeding rabbits

Such activities will bring results only if the rules of content are strictly observed and there are no errors. The beginning of rabbit breeding includes several stages, the first of which is the acquisition of young animals. The rabbit must be completely healthy, it is recommended to buy females at farm shows, where there is a lower probability of running into “defective” goods (genetically or with latent hemorrhagic diseases). Rabbits should be at least two to three months old.

Examine the rabbits for imperfections. Pedigree animals must fully comply with the specified standards for external parameters. Further, it is necessary to provide the animals with everything necessary, for which enclosures, cages are built in advance, holes are dug, and so on. The choice of how to keep rabbits lies entirely on the shoulders of the entrepreneur, the decision must be carefully considered. Choosing the optimal diet for individuals is the next stage of productive breeding, so it is necessary to ensure that the diet is balanced and varied.

Traditionally keeping rabbits in a limited space. However, rabbit breeders around the world have a division: free breeding and cage breeding. Each type has its pros and cons. The choice of content method directly depends on the available resources. For example, the cage method is more suitable for people who breed a small number of rabbits in a limited area. It can be a yard, cottage, garage, barn or even a balcony.

Free maintenance can only be afforded by large landowners, for whom this activity is the main type of income. Rabbit breeding at home implies maximum care for animals, they are protected from all kinds of diseases. Giving preference to the cellular content, it is possible not only to control the well-being of females, their selection and crossing, but also to regulate other important activities - veterinary, feeding.

Breeding rabbits in a pit

One of the oldest ways of free breeding is keeping rabbits in a pit. Now this method is rarely used due to the large number of inconveniences, however, some people adhere to this natural method of breeding. The main advantage of the method is its simplicity and the almost complete absence of the need to use additional devices.

Rabbits in cages

Keeping breeding rabbits in cages can be dangerous for their health, because purebred individuals need room for movement. To provide them with this opportunity, many people build special enclosures. The size of the fence depends on the number of young, but experts advise keeping the male separately to control the breeding process. Breeding rabbits in aviaries is considered a more economical option, because much less materials are required to build a structure.

Using modern methods of keeping animals, you can achieve excellent results, because raising rabbits in cages is not the only way. When building special walking areas, there is no need to keep individuals locked up around the clock. It is only necessary to release them in time to prevent diseases or obesity. The cellular content of rabbits includes many advantages, the most important of which is the condition of the meat. The more tender it is, the more willingly it is purchased on the market.

rabbit farm

For particularly large agricultural structures, an entire rabbit farm may be needed. Keeping and breeding individuals on sheds should be automated and not require frequent human intervention. Modern technologies help to reach a stable income with minimal investment, but for a start, experts recommend purchasing an already patented system. It will minimize the risks at the initial stages, because animals grown on mini-farms are practically not susceptible to the development of diseases.

How to care for rabbits

Breeding rabbits is not at all difficult. It is more important to know how to properly care for them. Regular care of rabbits is the key to success, so you should always follow the rules:

Individuals should always be provided with sufficient fresh food and clean water for active growth.
The aviary or cage must be kept clean.
Do not ignore the vaccination of rabbits, because due to the lack of vaccinations, animals can start to get sick, which for a large accumulation of them is fraught with the rapid transmission of viral and other pathogens.

How to feed rabbits at home

A properly formulated diet for animals helps to quickly get good meat, so this task should be approached with special responsibility. The norms of feeding rabbits in winter and summer differ, because each season is rich in healthy products. In the spring, for successful breeding of rabbits, they are fed with green grass, which is alternated with other ingredients. Giving one nettle or wormwood all the time is not very reasonable, so the optimal diet for animals should include:

vegetables;
cereal crops;
branches.

What can you feed a decorative rabbit

Decorative breeds require more thorough care than industrial ones. Feeding decorative rabbits at home must necessarily include components such as hay, dry food, greens and root crops. Animal nutrition should be not only varied, but also balanced. Some vegetables, such as potatoes, are best excluded from their diet due to possible intestinal problems. But crackers are very useful for ornamental breeds: they sometimes replace morning or evening feeding.

What to feed rabbits for meat

Some specialists are faced with the problem of fattening animals, because sometimes even with good breeding, they subsequently refuse food. The best solution is to stick to a phased feeding regimen that will help the animals gain weight quickly. Feeding rabbits for meat implies compliance with a special diet:

The preparatory stage consists of the transfer of individuals to grain, feed or bran.
At the second stage, high-calorie porridge and mash become the main component of nutrition.
The stage of enhanced feeding includes the addition of chicory, cumin or dill.

Reproduction of rabbits at home

Planning mating when breeding rabbits will allow you to get offspring throughout the year. It is better to use several individuals at once due to the different degree of milk production in females. With a lack of milk in one of her cubs, you can transplant to another. Before mating, you need to delve into the features of rabbit breeding in order to prevent missteps when breeding. It is not recommended to cross animals that are related: the possible negative impact on the offspring is taken into account.

The main rule is the correct podsidka - the rabbit is launched into the cage to the male during the hunt, but not vice versa. This is due to the fact that the male, once in a new territory, will be busy developing it, so the process of mating for the sake of breeding may be delayed. The duration of the hunt for females is 3-5 days, the break can last from 8 to 9 days. One or two matings are enough to fertilize the female, after which the rabbit is again placed in a separate cage or aviary. The gestation period is 30 days, during which the animal needs special care.

Video: Rabbit breeding for beginners

Breeding rabbits is quite an interesting and profitable activity. This type of activity is very popular in the household.

Rabbits are characterized by high growth intensity, the ability to breed throughout the year, as well as increased fertility.

In addition, rabbits are quite unpretentious to keeping in cages, they are able to perfectly adapt to changing conditions, while fully paying for the feed spent on them. Breeding rabbits at home is an easy task for beginners if you learn the features of rabbit breeding.

Physiological and biological features

Speaking about keeping rabbits at home, it will be useful for beginners to know that rabbits are born completely blind, naked and completely dependent on their mother. They only eat milk. The eyes of small rabbits open only on the 10-14th day. After another week, they leave their nest and taste food for adult rabbits.

At the age of 1 month, the children of the rabbit can do without it. By this time, they have a primary hairline, and milk teeth are replaced by molars. As a rule, 16 temporary teeth. But after 3 weeks, their gradual replacement with permanent ones begins. Baby teeth begin to fall out around day 25. After the change of teeth, rabbits have 28 teeth.

Rabbits are true vegetarians. They eat green grass, prefer to eat high-quality hay in winter. These animals are happy to absorb branches of trees and shrubs, grain, fruits and vegetables. When kept at home, the diet of animals should include feed of animal origin in the form of mineral and nutritional supplements.

How to start breeding rabbits

These animals are bred at home, as a rule, for the sake of skins and meat. Downy rabbit breeding is a less common occupation. Rabbit meat is very tasty, healthy and nutritious. It contains a large amount of easily digestible proteins, 90% of which are easily digested in the human body. Lean meat does not leave an unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth. Meat is used in medical and dietary nutrition. Dishes based on rabbit meat are considered delicacies, they are worthy of the attention of real gourmets.

Breed selection

The following breeds of rabbits are suitable for meat breeding for slaughter:

Flanders.
French ram.
Californian.
White New Zealand.
Red New Zealand.

All of the above breeds of rabbits are distinguished by the rapid growth of young animals, a good set of live weight, and optimal feed costs. Marketable products can be obtained by the fourth month. The weight of the rabbit by this time can reach 5 kg.

As mentioned earlier, rabbits are bred for the purpose of obtaining skins. It is used in the light industry for the manufacture of hats, fur coats, and is also used as a trim for hoods of products made from natural and synthetic materials. And also shoes can be decorated with rabbit fur. Rabbit fur is used as an imitation of more expensive fur: mink, sable, arctic fox, seal and others.

Quality fur can be obtained from rabbits of the following breeds:

These animals are distinguished by soft, thick and beautiful fur with a short axis and strong down. Slaughter can be carried out already at the age of 6 months, when the first adult molt ends in animals.

When choosing rabbits for a tribe, it is necessary to pay attention to the constitution and health of the animals. Appearance must conform to all descriptions of the breed. Males should be well developed, strong, energetic, with a pronounced male type. Do not pick up lethargic, small, retarded, passive animals.

But the criteria for choosing a female are more diverse. The expectant mother should have a light head, a strong but not coarse frame, a wide butt, a straight back, strong legs and an elastic, not pendulous belly. At the same time, you should pay attention to the nipples, there should be at least four pairs of them, evenly spaced and well developed. This is a guarantee that the female will be able to successfully raise and feed large offspring.

Home keeping conditions

Under the conditions of keeping in a personal household, it is possible to practice raising rabbits in a barn, but street cage keeping of animals can also be used. The place for rabbit houses should be flat, protected from drafts, have natural or artificial shading. Rabbits do not tolerate overheating quite well, they do not like moisture and drafts, so it is necessary to immediately create all comfortable conditions for the livestock to live. At the same time, the approach to the site must be organized freely, so that unimpeded distribution of feed and cleaning of cages is ensured.

Productive young stock and breeding backbone should be kept in separate sections, although on small farms this separation is arbitrary. Separately, there is a cage for quarantine and a cage for sick animals. It is worth paying attention to the fact that recently purchased animals cannot be immediately placed with the main herd.

Cages for rabbits can be made different, but the specifics of the use of the premises and the needs of the animals must be taken into account.

Quality feeding

A good forage base is the key to the prosperity of your rabbit farm. As mentioned earlier, these animals prefer to eat a variety of plant foods. The following plants can be attributed to green fodder:

Green mass before distribution need to dry, and wet from rain should never be given to rabbits. Such food can cause indigestion in rabbits, and sometimes lead to death.

The roughage includes the following:

Dry leaves of fruit trees.
Hay.
Branch feed.
Herbal flour.

Hay needed harvest during budding, the best ones in terms of composition are: forbs and legume crops. If we talk about branch food, then rabbits prefer to eat aspen, maple, mountain ash, acacia. From the branches of horticultural crops, it is recommended to use apple, raspberry, pear, cherry.

Juicy foods include:

Sugar beets should be fed strictly in limited quantities mixed with bran. Vegetables are a seasonal crop, so the diet can be varied throughout the year.

In addition, rabbits also need grain feed, for example:

Peas.
Oats.
Corn.
Barley.
Wheat.

Additionally, cake and bran can be included in the diet.

Do not forget about top dressing. The following products can serve as top dressings:

For a complete diet, you can use granulated food. It can be purchased ready-made in the markets or in specialized stores. Such pressed lumps contain a large number of useful trace elements.

If you periodically feed rabbits with garlic and onions, this will provide animals with an additional intake of vitamins, and the phytoncides contained in these products will prevent the development of viral and infectious diseases.

In one year, a female rabbit with an average brood eats up to about 1 ton of grass, 200 kg of succulent feed, 150 kg of hay, 200 kg of concentrates, 12 kg of mineral feed. These data may differ, depending on the breed of animals, the menu of the diet and the climatic conditions of the region.

Reproduction features

Before you breed rabbits, you need to know some of the nuances of this process. It is recommended to mate breeding animals for the first time at the age of 5 to 11 months. If we talk about disposable females, then they can be mated already at the age of 5 months. In a strong, healthy, well-fed female, the desire to mate will appear, as a rule, every 5-6 days, a little less often in winter, so it will be quite easy for the farmer to plan the time of birth of the offspring. A few weeks before the start of mating, it is necessary to strengthen the diet with vitamins and protein feeds.

At the same time, males are given: oats, eggs, milk, which are able to increase spermatogenesis, and also increase the activity of animals. During mating periods, males should be strong, knocked down in the body, but at the same time not greasy.

Mating in rabbits is known to be fairly quick. For one cage, the male is able to excrete up to 2 ml of sperm. 20 minutes after mating, spermatozoa begin to enter the female's oviducts. Fertilization occurs after 10 hours.

The rabbit's pregnancy lasts for 26-35 days. And the cubs at the time of birth reach a weight of 50 to 90 g. Their weight will depend on the breed and the number of rabbits in the offspring.

A few days before the birth, the rabbit becomes restless, begins to run around the cage, arranges a nest, lining it with fluff. Before giving birth, the female's stomach drops, the nipples swell, into which milk arrives. At this time, it is necessary to limit the issuance of succulent feed and offer hay to the animal. A few days after birth, nutrition is restored. If the female does not have milk, then it can be stimulated with the help of fruits and vegetables.

Raising and breeding rabbits is a business that will captivate you. This is quite interesting and instructive to do. For many, rabbit breeding becomes a lifelong hobby.

Attention, only TODAY!

Breeding rabbits at home is a promising source of income in the family budget. Starting from scratch, a year later you can have a rabbit farm, which has become an uninterrupted source: dietary tasty meat, skins and valuable fur. This is due to the increased reproductive capacity of animals.

Rabbit breeding does not require large financial investments. With a competent and responsible approach, you can not only get a solid profit, but also provide your family with food.

Show all

The choice of breed for breeding

Beginning rabbit breeders should decide on the ultimate goal of the lesson and build on this when choosing a breed. There are about 200 types of rabbits, which are divided into 3 categories:

Meat. Give a large amount of meat products.
Meat-skin. A versatile option for obtaining high-quality meat and skins.
Fur. Bred for beautiful fur.

When breeding, only healthy young animals can bring a stable profit. Therefore, when buying individuals, you should contact special farms. When purchasing animals, it is recommended:

visually assess their condition;
clarify in detail the important nuances of the breeders;
learn the characteristics of each breed.

As a result of long selection work, a large number of various breeds have been bred. The most popular are: Flanders, Riesen, New Zealand Red, Californian, Rex, European Silver. From the skin category, such species as Viennese blue, Angora, white downy, silver are especially distinguished.

Novice farmers are advised to purchase representatives of the breed: white or gray giant, New Zealand white and Russian ermine. This is due to easy care and good productive returns in a short time. After 4 months, rabbits are able to gain up to 3-4 kg of live weight.

A standard set of requirements will help to assess the health status and compliance with the breed of the acquired young animals:

smooth and even fur cover, without bald patches and tangles;
strong and well-fed physique;
activity;
clean eyes and ears;
the back is straight, without deformation;
the abdomen is soft, the genitals are pinkish;
ears are even, covered with hairs on the outside;
wet nose;
the upper row of teeth is powerful, pushed forward.

Selected individuals must satisfy the declared thoroughbred characteristics: size, body weight, skin color.

Before you start pets, you should create comfortable conditions for their breeding. There are 2 types of content:

open - in specialized rabbitries;
closed - in cells.

The latter option is more common. Cages are placed on the street or in a barn. Rabbits are fairly cold hardy animals. They can easily withstand temperatures as low as -20°C. Sometimes content methods are combined. In the summer they keep the animals outdoors, and in the winter they bring them into the heat.

In cages

Cell culture is convenient in terms of controlling the behavior of pets, and also facilitates care. Being constantly in the fresh air, rabbits gain weight better, their skin becomes glossy and silky. There is an increase in reproductive capacity. Few cases of illness.

To create the best environment for active breeding, rabbit houses must be built correctly. They adhere to certain rules:

Make sure there are no holes or crevices. They can become a source of drafts, as well as ingress of precipitation.
The floor is constructed from a material that prevents the accumulation of feces. Mesh or wooden flooring is used.
It is controlled that the size of the cage per individual is at least 73x60x43 cm.
Feeders and drinkers are fixed on the walls. This prevents dirt from entering food and water.
Due to the increased desire of rabbits to gnaw everything, the walls of the dwelling are made thicker (at least 1.5 cm).

Stationary rabbitries are erected in several tiers. This saves space. Each floor includes 2-3 cells.

Rabbits do not tolerate dampness and darkness. This must be taken into account when choosing the location of the cells.

Young animals up to three months old can be kept in groups. The animals are then housed separately. This is due to the occurrence of increased aggressiveness during puberty.

Separately equip the premises of queen cells for rabbits waiting for offspring. In it, rabbits will be comfortable in the first month after birth.

The pet store has a huge selection of cages and aviaries. However, they are easy to make yourself. This way you can save money. This will require a little: sheets of plywood, boards, wooden slats and mesh.

The cage for outdoor maintenance must be insulated. It is advisable to lay out an acceptable alternative on a mesh floor, as the paws of animals can be injured.

Animal health is directly related to care. Every day you need to clean the cells from the inside, monitor the condition of the feeders and drinkers. Once a decade, all equipment is disinfected.

Regular examination of the wards will allow at an early stage to identify deviations, to take appropriate measures. Sick rabbits are immediately removed, a veterinarian is called. Farmers carry out timely vaccination against common diseases (myxomatosis, viral hemorrhagic pathology). If there is a vaccine, the veterinarian will vaccinate at home.

in the pits

Raising rabbits in pits was customary in the old days. Now many breeders are leaning towards this option. Only earthen cellars are used for this.

For a family of 20 heads, a pit 1 m deep and 2x2 m in size is suitable. Three walls are reinforced with wooden boards, one is left for digging holes. A layer of straw is scattered on the floor. Drinkers and feeders are located on one side. It is advisable to make lighting, in the dark animals do not mate so actively.

This option has a number of advantages:

can save on space and construction costs;
in the natural environment, offspring grow up healthier and more resilient.

However, for fur breeds, such housing is unacceptable. Constant fuss in the ground spoils the decorative performance of the fur.

The method is not suitable if groundwater is high. Because of this, moisture will accumulate, which animals do not tolerate.

In pits, it is more difficult to care for animals: clean and feed. With such a content, it is not always possible to control the process of reproduction. There are frequent cases of mating of related individuals. This leads to the loss of pure breed characteristics.

Feeding

Rabbits eat everything that grows in the garden. The traditional diet includes:

vegetables;
fresh clover, alfalfa, burdock, nettle, dandelion, sorrel;
legumes and cereals;
hay;
meat;
branches of currant, willow, birch, raspberry;
fruits.

Hay is cut for food away from the roads. This guarantees the purity of the raw material. It is not recommended to give fresh grass immediately. It needs some time to dry under the sun. From raw food in animals, the digestive tract is disturbed, diarrhea occurs.

Before mating, rabbits need to organize a balanced feeding. This helps to avoid obesity or malnutrition. Both adversely affect the mating process.

Animals are fed 2 times a day. The menu includes: silage, oats, barley, cake and bran, hay, tree branches, meat and fish meal. From vegetables, preference is given to potatoes and carrots. Fish oil, salt and chalk are added as a vitamin supplement.

Pregnant rabbits require special attention both in care and in food. The lack or excess of some elements adversely affects the cubs, reduces lactation. The composition and norm of daily consumption is as follows:

Feed 3-5 times a day. 7 days before birth, silage and hay are excluded from the diet. Carefully monitor the quality of food. Mold, rot in food can lead to miscarriage. A constant supply of water in the drinkers is required, otherwise the rabbit begins to eat rabbits.

Reproduction and breeding

For successful fertilization, the female must be in a state of hunting. Regardless of the season, it lasts 8–9 days. The first signs of readiness for mating are: restless behavior of the rabbit, loss of appetite and swelling of the genitals.

There are two options for crossing: paired and group. The latter is rarely used, since it is difficult to fix the number of covered females.

Pair mating is carried out subject to a number of conditions:

The cage is pre-cleaned and disinfected. Remove all unnecessary.
Only healthy and thoroughbred individuals who have reached puberty are selected (female - 8–9 months, male - over five months old).
The female must be ready for fertilization. Sexual activity occurs: in summer - every 7-8 days, in winter - 18-20 days. The rabbit's behavior changes dramatically. She begins to move chaotically, plucks her hair, and when stroking, stretches her upper body.
For mating, only well-fed and mobile males are selected, capable of fully coping with the task. The optimal number of daily coatings is no more than two.
The female is placed in a cage with the male. On the contrary, it will take a lot of time to adapt the rabbit to new conditions.

The ideal temperature for mating is considered to be 24-25 ºС. In summer, mating is best done in the morning or evening, in winter - in the afternoon. After 5-6 days, the procedure is repeated. If the rabbit is not available, then everything went well the first time.

In order for the offspring to appear at the same time, the animals are mated for 8–10 days (continuously). This will greatly facilitate the further care of the rabbits.

Pregnancy can be diagnosed after 14 days. When probing the abdomen, the appearance of neoplasms in the lower region is observed.

A week before the birth, the rabbit begins to build a nest. Plucks the fluff and lines the dwelling with it. During pregnancy, the animal's appetite increases sharply. This leads to weight gain.

If there is no goal to breed a large livestock, males are castrated before 4 months. Then the build-up of the meat component is accelerated and its quality improves.

Diseases

Rabbits are such gentle creatures that infections do not bypass them. Usually diseases are epidemic in nature. In a short time, a sick individual can destroy most of the herd.

Signs of infection are:

refusal to eat;
the appearance of white discharge from the eyes and nose;
lack of shine (fur becomes dull);
the formation of tangles;
increase in body temperature.

Treatment of infections will not give positive results. It is better to quarantine a sick rabbit. Timely vaccination helps to prevent infection. Equally dangerous are pneumonia, rhinitis, food poisoning and conjunctivitis.

slaughter

Animals can be slaughtered 3-4 months after birth. If you want to get a beautiful skin, you have to wait another 3-4 months.

Before slaughter, the animal is placed in a separate cage and is not fed for a day. This is necessary to cleanse the intestines (so that the meat is not contaminated during cutting).

They kill the rabbit with a precise blow to the back of the head, holding it by the hind legs. Then they are hung on spacers, the cervical artery is pierced through the oral cavity. In this way, blood is removed from the body.

Beginning rabbit breeders often run into problems due to their inexperience. Rabbits do not tolerate crowded existence. No more than four individuals should be placed in one cage. It is not recommended to slaughter the entire herd at the same time, leave a couple for further reproduction.

Growing rabbits in household plots is aimed not only at obtaining skins, but also meat, which has a high taste and is considered dietary. Raising rabbits for meat has certain differences in comparison with breeding fur animals.

Fattening rabbits for meat

The amount of meat obtained depends on many factors: the conditions of detention, the time of rounding and the quality of feeding. Therefore, when choosing a breed for breeding, one should take into account the requirements for feed, maintenance and take into account the labor costs for caring for animals.

The best option for raising rabbits for meat at home is the following: th:

The best females are kept in separate cages and, upon reaching the age of five months, they happen;
After birth, the females are kept together with the cubs for some time, and then sent for slaughter;
The offspring are fed up to three months, after which they are also sold.

A drawing and a photo of cages intended for keeping meat breeds are shown in Figure 1. A one-time mating of young females allows you to get a numerous and high-quality offspring, while reducing feed consumption. However, in this case, the backyard farm should have a sufficient number of cages for keeping females and young animals.

Figure 1. Drawing and photo of cages for keeping rabbits

Given enough quality food, young females can be seen twice in their first year of life. This reduces the required number of cells and allows you to grow numerous and productive young. From the video you will learn how to properly assemble a cage for individual breeding of rabbits.

The diet of rabbits for fattening for meat

Juicy and tender meat is a special dietary product that can be obtained by observing proper and balanced feeding. Nutrition should include a large amount of organic and mineral substances, which will accelerate the growth and natural maturation of individuals.

Fattening rabbits for meat is carried out according to the following diet y (Figure 2):

Complete proteins- Animal and vegetable origin. They are found in legumes, fresh herbs, fish and meat and bone meal.
Carbohydrates- cereals, legumes, root crops. The body of animals perfectly absorbs carbohydrates obtained from carrots, potatoes, clover, alfalfa, turnip.
Compound feed used to diversify the diet and increase the muscle mass of animals.

Figure 2. Example of a fattening ration for meat

The diet of medium and large breeds should be varied and contain mineral and vitamin supplements. Legume-cereal mixtures provide the body of animals with the necessary vitamins, minerals, proteins. Vegetable and gardening waste is used as green fodder: potato and carrot tops, cabbage leaves and stalks, apples, strawberry leaves, etc.

Note: Juicy feeds from root crops, melons and silage contain a lot of carbohydrates and vitamins. Zucchini, pumpkin, fodder watermelon and potatoes are also suitable, which can be given raw, but better boiled - with compound feed, cake, meal.

Silage is the most valuable feed, replenishing the lack of vitamins in winter and early spring. For silage, corn, sunflower, quinoa, cabbage leaves, tops of carrots and peas, herbs are used.

Sources of fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals are roughage such as hay, certain types of straw, branch feed. Legume-grass hay is the most valuable for young animals and females during pregnancy and lactation. Dried hay is processed into grass meal and mixed into soft food.

They also use oat / millet and pea / lentil straw for feed, other types - for bedding. Useful substances and vitamins contain branch feeds, such as: willow, willow, aspen, acacia, linden, etc.

Growing technology

Rabbits are bred on special farms. Growing these animals for meat is very profitable, as they are characterized by precocity, and their meat is tender, white and is in high demand among consumers.

Breeding on a farm requires the purchase of special cages for their maintenance. Modern cages are equipped with light, heating, ventilation, automatic feeding, watering, and manure removal. Such conditions keep the animals healthy, which makes it possible to quickly recoup production.

Note: You can breed livestock at home. To do this, buy or build cages, placing them in a clean, dry room. They are well cared for, given complete feed and vaccinated against myxomatosis on time. In order for animals to grind their teeth, branches and tree bark are placed in cages. It also requires a constant supply of clean water.

At the age of 4-6 months, individuals are allowed to mate. The duration of estrus in the female is 3-5 days every 8-9 days. After giving birth, estrus resumes for 1-2 days. For a year, you can get 4-5 litters from adult females and 1-2 from young ones. For 8 females, one male is left. For intensive growth, females are crossed with males of other breeds. For one offspring, the female brings from 6 to 18 cubs. Slaughter for meat begins at the age of 3-4 months.

Growing methods

When raising rabbits for meat at home, two methods are used: purebred mating and their crossing.

Purebred breeding is to enhance the good qualities in the offspring of this breed, so only the best representatives of the breed are mated. When selecting a female and a male, their compatibility and compatibility of family lines are taken into account.

Note: A line is a productive and numerous group of animals with one common male ancestor. A family group that shares a common ancestor with a female is called a family. Lines are an important link in animal husbandry, which makes it possible to obtain individuals that will pass on the necessary useful traits to generations.

The most effective pairing of this method is the mating of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, nephews and nieces. Incorrect mating can produce unnecessary and even harmful genes.

When interline crossing, representatives of the best lines are crossed to obtain and consolidate the necessary qualities. On farms, industrial crossing is used - representatives of different breeds are mated.

What meat breeds

All rabbits intended for slaughter for meat must comply with GOST. All animals are divided into groups:

First: It is customary to subdivide it into the first and second subcategories. In animals of this group, the muscles are well developed, the dorsal vertebrae are weakly palpable and practically do not protrude, the hips are well developed and rounded. Fat deposits are well felt on the withers, abdomen and groin.
Second: in animals, the muscles are slightly less developed, and the spinous processes of the dorsal vertebrae protrude slightly. Representatives of the second group have tightened hips, a slightly flat bottom, and body fat may be absent.
Third: this group includes animals with poor muscle development and protruding vertebrae. They are considered skinny, and are not suitable for breeding for meat. Figure 3 shows the main defects that make animals unsuitable for slaughter for meat.

Figure 3. Possible external defects of individuals

The coat should not be dirty, tangled or actively shedding. Females should not be in the last stage of pregnancy.

Broiler rabbits belong to the first category, and their fatness must meet the following requirements:

Solid and well developed musculature, thighs and rump;
The spinous processes of the dorsal vertebrae are palpable;
Small fat deposits can be felt at the withers.

Individuals intended for slaughter for meat can be transported by any type of vehicle, but in accordance with the existing rules for transporting animals and poultry in containers, boxes, metal or wooden cages.

Meat breeds of rabbits that are suitable for breeding include(picture 4):

New Zealand White: the weight reaches 6 kg, and for one round the female brings 7-12 cubs. Their soles are lowered, so the breed can be grown on mesh floors.
New Zealand Red: females are much larger than males, and after birth, the cubs quickly gain the weight needed for slaughter.
Gray giant: the weight of adults is 5-6 kilograms. The female brings 7-8 cubs, which are distinguished by their precocity, rapid growth and good weight. Medium quality meat. You can also get large skins.
California breed characterized by rapid growth and weight. For a year, the female brings 30-35 rabbits. The skin is of high quality, with thick and dense wool, the meat is distinguished by high palatability.
European Silver: animals of this breed are picky, have a calm character, require a minimum of food, and tolerate severe frosts. The skin is thick and soft.
Poltava silver- a breed that allows you to get juicy and tasty meat. The fur is fluffy and is valued for its coloration. Animals tolerate frost well.

Figure 4. Popular meat breeds: 1 - New Zealand white, 2 - New Zealand red, 3 - gray giant, 4 - Californian, 5 - European silver, 6 - Poltava silver

Maintenance at home (rooms, temperature, care)

In the garden, rabbits are better kept outdoors than indoors. The place where the cells will be located should be dry, on a hill with minimal sunlight (Figure 5).

Note: Cells are best made of wood, placing them in two tiers. Internal corners must be beaten with iron strips. The ceiling and walls of the cages must be wooden. The floors are double: the upper part is a grate, the lower part is a tray to remove dirt.

During the cold period, animals should be kept in warm rooms with heating and protection from drafts.

High quality food is used for feeding. The diet should contain green fodder, vegetables and lots of hay. Iodine or potassium permanganate should be dripped into drinking water to protect animals from coccidiosis. For female rabbits, apple cider vinegar is added to drink to increase fertility. Animals must have constant access to water and food. Feeding utensils should be constantly washed and disinfected regularly.

Figure 5. Conditions for keeping rabbits for meat

In a city apartment, you can also breed rabbits for meat, provided that they are not frightened by pets or children. Cages should be with two compartments: a place for walking and a mesh floor with a pallet. The nesting compartment for females is fenced off. It is necessary to feed animals with compound feed, as well as greens, vegetables and fruits. In the summer they are kept on the balcony, and in the winter they are transferred indoors.

Profitability of raising rabbits for meat

First you need to determine for what purpose you start rabbits. If you are just starting to breed them, then it is more profitable to take well-known local breeds.

The profitability of raising rabbits is determined by several factors(picture 6):

You need to acquire healthy moving individuals, with a well-fed, downed body, clean eyes and shiny fur. Unsuitable are animals with an elongated head, drooping ears, sagging back and belly, balding pile.
In advance, you need to take care of the premises for the livestock. For keeping outdoors, cages with two compartments are equipped. Feeders and drinkers are fixed inside.
Indoors in winter, cages with a double ceiling and dense walls are insulated. Cages can be made from different materials, but they should not be drafty. It is important to ensure a constant supply of fresh air and optimal daylight.
The cells are arranged in several tiers with a passage between them and moderate lighting. When growing rabbits for meat, the light intensity is reduced for the fattening period.

Then choose the maintenance method that will suit your conditions. If there is not enough space on the site, but there is a basement or cellar, then you can keep animals in a pit method.

Rabbit meat is a fast-digesting, high-quality product that contains a lot of protein. It is recommended for children, athletes, women during pregnancy and lactation.

Figure 6. Calculation of the profitability of breeding rabbits

When raising rabbits for meat, meat breeds will bring profit, with rapid growth, weight gain, good product quality, as well as representatives of the meat and skin direction of productivity.

All carcasses must comply with approved GOSTs and quality standards. After slaughter, carcasses are cleaned of all internal organs except the kidneys. The head is separated along the first cervical vertebra, the hind limbs along the hock joint, and the front limbs along the carpal joint (Figure 7).

Carcasses of rabbits are usually divided as follows:

Cooled down - the temperature is not more than 25 degrees;
Chilled - from 0 to 4 degrees;
Ice cream - no more than 8 degrees below zero.

To implement the implementation of rabbit meat, it should be frozen or cooled. It is not allowed to sell carcasses to retail chains if there are such defects:

bone fractures;
Fat on the back takes up more than a third of the total length of the carcass;
Stripping from bruises or bruises;
Carcasses that have been frozen more than once, after which the color has changed (became flesh-colored).

During the marking, each carcass is stamped on the outside of the drumstick: carcasses of the first category are stamped with a round stamp, carcasses of the second category are stamped with a square stamp, and broiler carcasses are branded with an oval stamp. If the carcass does not meet the requirements, a triangular stamp is placed on the back. From the video you will learn the basic recommendations for fattening rabbits for further sale for meat.

Business plan "crole farm"

To benefit from rabbit breeding, a business plan is drawn up, which considers the main aspects of rabbit breeding. The farmer needs to become an individual entrepreneur, since such a form of ownership reduces taxes and facilitates bookkeeping.

Figure 7. Cutting a rabbit carcass

The profitability of raising rabbits for meat is average, since this product is not considered the most popular on the market. Fattening animals for meat as a business involves several preparatory steps.

First of all, you need to choose a land plot. A profitable option would be a plot with a minimum rent. The next step is to buy cells. By building them yourself, you can save your money. The third step is to purchase rabbits. And also take a worker who will take care of the animals.

The organization of marketing must be thought out before the organization of the economy. Clients can be meat markets, supermarkets, individuals. Skins can be sold to fur ateliers and private fashion designers.