Raising rabbits is the easiest way to provide yourself with tasty and healthy meat, or at least diversify your diet.
For example, rabbits, unlike any bird, take up very little space, namely: one three-tiered cellular battery requires only 10 m² of area, and up to 60 rabbits can be grown in it in just one summer season, getting 100-120 kg of rabbit meat. Why not a good option?

Another of the advantages of country rabbit breeding is an unlimited amount of succulent feed in the form of grass and, most importantly, weeds from the garden. Only 2-3 rabbits, together with the offspring, of course, with your participation, are able to completely destroy all weeds, both in the garden and in the garden.

Where to breed?

Before explaining to you about the design features of rabbit cages, I will make a small digression, or rather, a warning.

IMPORTANT! Never try to raise rabbits in the same herd. For example, in earthen pits, enclosures, paddocks, attics, basements, etc. This approach is fraught with extremely unpleasant consequences:

1. Uncontrolled breeding of rabbits, which leads to a sharp decrease in productivity due to closely related and frequent mating.
2. High risks of morbidity of the entire livestock reared, in particular, coccidiosis, which in a matter of hours can “mow down” the entire herd.
3. Violent fights between same-sex individuals, ending for many with serious injuries and even death.

And many, many more bad things. Therefore, my advice to you is:
grow rabbits only in a cellular system in the form of multi-tiered batteries.

Choosing a place for a mini-farm

It is better to choose a place for a mini-farm in a quiet and calm corner of a summer cottage. If possible, it should be well-drained, as high humidity causes various diseases in rabbits.

Arrange cage batteries for rabbits according to the cardinal points according to this principle: in length - from north to south, the front, that is, the open side of the cells - to the east, the deaf side - to the west.

If the rabbit cages are placed facing south, this leads to a high mortality among young animals under the age of 2 months, since the direct, scorching rays of the sun clearly do not contribute to their healthy growth and development.

cell battery

When raising rabbits, a cage battery is the best option. Firstly, it significantly saves space on the site, and secondly, it can significantly reduce the time for feeding and servicing the entire livestock.

For greater reliability, it is better to put the battery on a surface foundation in the form of pedestals, posts, or just stones and bricks. At the same time, its frame must be a one-piece structure.

Cell battery frame size:

• length - 6.5 meters,
• width - 0.5 meters,
• front wall height - 1.8 meters,
• the height of the back wall is 1.6 meters.

The height of the platform adjacent to the front side of the battery should be 25-30 cm above ground level, the width of the platform should be 1 m, the surface of the platform should be a board or any available material. The construction of such a site is due to the fact that it will facilitate the maintenance of the uppermost tier with cages, since at a height of 1.8 meters this is quite problematic.
The material for the manufacture of the frame of such a battery is a bar with a section of 10x10 cm.

• the first tier - 30 cm from ground level,
• second tier - 50 cm from the level of the first,
• the third tier is 50 cm from the level of the second.

After that, each tier is divided into compartments (cages) using a beam of a similar section: 5 compartments of 70 cm in length (for young animals) and one compartment of 1 m in length for the female.
Where the compartments are in contact with each other, we leave gaps 20 cm wide for mounting nursery feeders for succulent feed in them.

After that, it remains only to sheathe the battery structure with a grid, board or plywood.

Rabbit cage device

So, we got two types of cells: one for young animals measuring 50x70x30 cm, the other for rabbits measuring 50x100x30 cm.

In terms of their structure, the cages are exactly the same, since each of them is equipped with both a walking room and a deaf corner.

Walking room

The floor and the front wall in the walking room must be sheathed with a welded, galvanized mesh with a section of 1.5x2 cm.
The front wall in the walking room is also a door that is hinged and equipped with bunker feeders and drip drinkers to save space.
Walking dimensions: length 55 cm, width 50 cm.

Deaf nook or maternity ward

Such a department should be equipped not only with cages with rabbits, but also cages with reared young animals. Baby rabbits, like adult rabbits, like to hide in them from all sorts of "dangers", heat or cold.
Standard compartment size: width 25 cm, length - 50 cm.
Such a compartment is tightly sheathed with a board or plywood on all sides, a removable door is made from the front part at the top, and a manhole, 15x15 cm in size, is made in the wall adjacent to the paddock.

Also, do not forget about the roof for the first and second tiers of cages, which serves as a kind of drain for rabbit droppings.
Roof material - galvanized iron, slope angle - 20-25 degrees. But the roof of the topmost, third row, is better to be equipped with a primitive storm drain, since dampness is contraindicated for rabbits.

cultivation

So, the cell battery is built, and natural questions arise: where and what kind of rabbits to take for breeding? How many pieces can be grown in such a battery?

What breeds are suitable for breeding in the country

It is best to buy rabbits for breeding in the spring or late winter, and you need to take them from professional breeders. At the same time, many novice rabbit breeders mistakenly believe that the larger the breed, the more meat is obtained in the output.

Of course, rabbits of such meat breeds as the Lop-Eared Sheep are able to gain weight up to 8-10 kg, but they only gain it for a very long time. But in the conditions of a short summer season, we need to quickly bring 2-3 batches of young animals to the condition.

And in this situation, the most rational solution would be to grow rabbits of certain breeds, namely broilers.
That is, we buy 3 rabbits of breeds such as New Zealand Red or New Zealand White, California, and the male we will have is a breed: Gray or White Giant, or Lop-Eared Sheep.

The offspring obtained from such pairs grows much faster than the young of the original breeds, and already at the age of three months, some specimens can weigh up to 3.5 kg, giving a well-fed carcass weighing 2-2.3 kg.

As a result, you should get such a picture:

A cage battery of 18 cages (6 cages in each row) in which 3 cages 50x100x30 cm in size are occupied by female rabbits, and one cage 50x70x30 cm in size is occupied by a male.
The remaining 14 cells are used for rearing young animals.

• The first mating is the end of February; first round - end of March; slaughter of the first batch of young animals - mid-late July.
• The second mating is mid-May; second round - mid-June; the slaughter of the second batch of young animals - the end of August, the beginning of September.
• The third mating - the beginning of July; the third round - the beginning of August; slaughter of the third batch of young animals - mid-end of October.

From which it follows that the rabbit's pregnancy lasts 29-31 days. It is better to keep rabbits with her for up to 2 months, and a month and a half after the next birth, let the female in mating.

The entire table described above is called the system of semi-compacted rounds and leads to the following results:
1 rabbit - 20-24 units of young.
That is, for one round from 3 rabbits you will receive about 20 rabbits, which will easily fit in 14 cages, where they will grow up to 2-3 months of age.

Feeding rabbits

Another of the deepest prejudices of beginner rabbit breeders is that rabbits can be successfully raised on only one pasture. Successful rabbit breeding, like other types of animal husbandry, requires the presence in the diet of animals of a high content of concentrated feed in terms of nutritional value.
That is, the feed in the diet of rabbits should satisfy their energy needs by 80%, and the remaining 20% ​​is succulent feed, presented in the form of vegetables and herbs.

However, to date, it is rather problematic to buy a specialized compound feed concentrate for rabbits, not to mention complete feeds. Therefore, below I will give a universal recipe for concentrated feed, which is suitable for all age groups.

Recipe for universal compound feed in % ratio:

1. Wheat, oats - 30%.
2. Corn, barley - 30%.
3. Cakes and meals - 15%.
4. Wheat bran - 15%.
5. Fish and meat and bone meal - 3%.
6. Premixes - cottage at the rate of 1 kg of feed.
7. Salt - 1%.

Some components of this compound feed, in its pure form, are not eaten by rabbits very willingly, so they must all be ground and thoroughly mixed with each other.

Again, rabbits eat even dry ground compound feed badly, as flour dust gets into their respiratory tract, and most of it they simply pour out of the feeders. To avoid this problem, it is better to feed compound feed in the form of moistened mashes with the addition of boiled potatoes or pumpkins in the cold season.
At the same time, make sure that portions of the feed do not stay in the feeders for more than 1 hour, as this can lead to acidification and, as a result, indigestion in rabbits.

As for the norms for giving compound feed, it is determined quite simply for each technological group of rabbits: they gave a batch of feed and look, if the rabbits ate it, then we give more, if the feed remains, then what they ate and there is a one-time feed norm.
It is better to give compound feed in the morning and in the evening, and for the rest of the growing period, rabbits should eat succulent feed, which is given in unlimited quantities.

Well, now you already have a general idea of ​​​​how to raise and breed rabbits in the country in one short summer season.
In addition to compiling the right diet for rabbits in the summer, we will consider in a separate article and how to feed them

Rabbits in the country are a great type of profitable business. Features and conditions of keeping animals are not the most difficult, but they require enough time. This type of animal husbandry is a good way to both earn money and provide the family with healthy and dietary meat, as well as high-quality wool for the manufacture of various types of products (rugs, blankets, etc.).

Breeding these fluffy pets is within the power of any summer resident and will not cause much trouble.

The big advantage of breeding these animals is the low demands on space. Since it is better to keep rabbits in the country in cages, then one three-tiered one, with an area of ​​​​10 square meters, will be quite enough to accommodate up to 60 rabbits. This amount provides a person with at least 100 kg of pure meat.

Another advantage of choosing this type of animal husbandry is picky feed. So, use fresh grass in the warm season and dry - in the cold. Owners of adjacent territories in this way can get rid of weeds left after harvesting. As an addition to the diet, vegetables and fruits or waste from cleaning are used.

The maintenance of rabbits in the country is distinguished by regularity and constancy. Animals in a confined space must be provided with the right amount of food and water daily. The lack of one or the other will definitely affect the health of pets. In addition, animals must be checked for diseases. Outwardly, they manifest themselves in behavior, the quality of wool, the presence of ulcers, neoplasms, etc.

Calculations of the estimated amount of meat, fluff or skins can be started with the appearance of 5 rounds. The young generation of rabbits brings, as a rule, 1-2 births. Using the average number of individuals in the litter, you can calculate the income for the year ahead.

Before mating, experienced livestock breeders cull the offspring - the separation of sick and stunted rabbits. This is necessary to breed a strong next generation. There is always at least one good breeding male in the brood. Subsequently, the required number of females is attached to it, depending on the desired volume of offspring. The young generation should be taken care of in advance: before the birth, repair or replace the cells, prepare the necessary equipment for the young.

Proper preparation of animals for mating will fully affect the quality and quantity of the new generation. During molting (September-October), you need to start monitoring the weight gain in females. A weak weight gain indicates the need to regulate the diet. Perhaps you need an increase in servings or their number. If the rabbit's fatness is seriously affected, additionally include more protein and vitamins.

In no case do not allow thin females to breed - this threatens the appearance of bad offspring. Such rabbits bring only weakened litter, and this is at best. At worst, the cubs will not even be able to endure.

Overfeeding animals is also strictly not recommended. Obese rabbits are not the best prospect. Individuals must be healthy and bring strong offspring that they can feed without any problems. To isolate this category of animals, litter is culled.

You should not raise rabbits in one common place (for example, an aviary). This threatens to:

• reduced productivity as a result of frequent mating;
• increased risk of morbidity;
• conflicts within the herd, etc.

The danger to rabbit breeders is rapidly spreading diseases. For example, rabbits are prone to coccidosis. The disease in a matter of days can "mow down" all animals. This applies to those cases when they are in direct contact with each other. And constant fights in such conditions between individuals of the same sex lead to serious injuries or even death, which can be avoided by living in separate cells.

Goals of rabbit breeding

Today, animal breeding farms are divided into two areas: meat and hide. Young animals are sold as early as four months of age. For the central regions of Russia, rounds are desirable from January to August, and in the south - from January to September. Using this information, beginner breeders can calculate the rational use of cages, i.e., distribute the time for a new brood in accordance with the recommended breeding periods and the desired number of offspring.

From one animal you can get several kilograms of dietary meat and a valuable skin.

During the periods of the beginning of birthing, the peak of the arrival of fresh food: the grass grows and turns green, vegetables and fruits ripen. Many vitamins consumed by rabbits will perfectly support health on the eve of breeding.

In addition to meat, skins are also obtained from these animals. To draw up the correct schedule for the use of rabbit fruits, both types of products are taken into account. Healthy young animals (usually the first two births) are used to increase the herd, and then they are sold to the tribe. Rabbits that are born later than the term are allowed for meat and skins. A possible option to sell animals is to sell live weight to the state (state meat processing enterprises, etc.). Slaughter of young animals occurs selectively (depending on the timing of molting).

The implementation of the third birth takes place by six months from birth, the fourth is sold at the age of 4-5 months. The difference in the time of sale of rabbits is explained by the quality of the skins during these periods of maturation. The level of payback and success of this type of animal husbandry increases with the sale of each subsequent round.

The first round takes place in January. Second in March. The offspring from the second is separated from the mother in May, just at this time green fresh food will already appear for the rabbits. They will feed on grass until the fourth brood. A properly organized birthing schedule contributes to the implementation of the first per tribe. From the healthiest females of the first and second broods, rabbits are obtained in the same year. The latter usually go for meat. Slaughter, as a rule, is carried out by livestock breeders in winter - this guarantees the quality and quantity of skins.

Breeding animals for meat is even more developed than for skins. True, the schedule for the implementation of the desired products is different. Males are left with females for up to two months. This schedule contributes to up to four litters per year. For a rapid increase in body weight, the younger generation stays with their mother for up to 70 days, this is due to the nutritional value of milk. In America, for example, the offspring are weaned from the rabbit after 8 weeks, when the rabbits reach a weight of 2 kilograms. After that, they immediately go to the slaughter. A completely cut carcass weighs about 1200 grams.

Fans can also use the described calendar. It remains only to decide why you will breed rabbits. For meat purposes, broiler breeds are also recommended (quickly gaining body weight).

Containment facility equipment

The best option for pets is special cages that you can make yourself.

The first thing that beginner rabbit breeders need to do is to prepare a place for keeping animals. Cells are considered a simple and inexpensive option. If you know how, it is better to make them yourself. This makes it easier to find the right size. Cells are made from various available materials (wood, brick, iron mesh, etc.). It all depends on what the owner has.

The larger the cage, the more active the rabbits are, they move a lot. This develops muscle mass and strengthens the body of the animal.

The success of raising healthy rabbits depends only on the owner of the farm. Regular and balanced feeding and provision of clean water is not difficult. In addition, it is necessary to examine rabbits from time to time, to identify sick and weak individuals. When such are found, they should be isolated from others. If a thorough check did not reveal anything serious, then the “sick” individual is recommended to be put on meat, since only healthy and strong animals are required to obtain high-quality offspring.

Rabbits of the same sex will often fight. Particularly pugnacious ones are better to be separated from the main group, otherwise the skins will be defective. At two months, rabbits can already be sorted into meat, skins and tribe.

One female, with intensive and proper cultivation, brings up to 8 births. To date, more than 60 breeds of rabbits are known. At the summer cottage, the following ones are in demand for breeding: chinchilla, giants, angora.

Feeding

Until the age of one month, rabbits eat only mother's milk.

Rabbits at the age of one month are separated from their mother, at this stage their weight is already 700 grams. It is not critical if the rabbits are left under the care of their mother for up to two months. Then their mass will be about 1700 grams.

You can not overfeed the young, as the ability to fertilize females will decrease due to obesity. Rabbits for slaughter are fed according to the norms, which are determined based on their weight. Food for weaned rabbits should be varied and gradually changed from one species to another.

Green grass, vegetables, hay, grains of cereals and legumes are considered ideal food for these animals.

Green fodder (grass) is an excellent source of nutrients. But do not forget that not all herbs are useful, as there are poisonous ones. Cases of poisoning usually occur in the spring, when the first herb appears and the rabbits are indiscriminate about what they consume. Poisonous herbs: nightshade, dope, celandine, lily of the valley and many others.

Summary

At this stage, you have a general idea of ​​how to care for and what it takes to properly breed rabbits.

In general, given everything that has been described above, you will be able to raise strong and healthy offspring. The breeding of rabbits in the country itself will provide you with meat and skins, as well as fluff, which can be sold or used for personal purposes.

Breeding rabbits is profitable, profitable and inexpensive!

Breeding rabbits is a profitable business that does not require large investments from the breeder. The productivity of livestock at home, the quality of meat (and other parameters) depends on the observance of simple rules of keeping and the absence of errors, and the income received also depends on established trade relations. People start breeding rabbits at home (on the balcony), in the country or on a farm in the village.

Rabbits can be bred even on the balcony

If the rabbit breeder correctly approaches the maintenance and reproduction of animals, then the result will be a variety of products. From one copy, the owner receives meat with a low level of cholesterol (net yield - 4.5 kg per head), skin and fluff (more than a kilogram annually from a lactating rabbit). Another source of income is growing young animals, which are sold to other breeders.

Choice of direction

At the disposal of the rabbit breeder - more than two hundred breeds of animals. It’s better to start by defining a priority goal - why are you going to breed rabbits? Depending on the chosen direction, the owners acquire the following breeds:

• meat (best indicators by weight of carcasses);
• meat-skin (give both meat and skins);
• skin (down) - grown to obtain fluff or skins.

Rabbit breeders are advised to choose meat varieties - they are characterized by calm behavior, they are easier to care for, meat productivity is better. Having decided on the direction, get the young. Do not buy rabbits younger than a month old - cubs weaned too early are characterized by low immunity and poor productivity in the future. Pay attention to the following signs in healthy animals:

• wool grows densely and shines;
• eyes are clear, without discharge;
• the body is strong;
• fatness (not exhaustion and not overfed);
• activity, mobility.

A healthy rabbit should be active

Future producers meet breed standards. Do not take animals that have deficiencies:

• twisted limbs;
• elongated head;
• prominent hip joints;
• hanging tips of the ears;
• sagging belly, uneven ridge;
• coat problems (tousled or falling out).

Select the type of rabbit breeding at home. Content technology is divided into two types. Animals are bred in a country house or farm in closed rabbitries or in the open air (in cages, pits, aviaries).

If you don't know where to start, combine both methods: keep your pets indoors in the winter, and take them outside in the spring and summer. Light day lasts at least 16 hours.

Remember that animals get sick with excessive humidity and drafts. They are suitable for clean, lit, dry rooms. Regular cleaning required. Cubs from two months are kept separately from adults. Until they are three months old, leave the litter together, then determine the sex and seat. Provide females with a separate cage with a mother liquor.

Rabbits can be kept in an aviary

Rabbit breeding cages are available at pet stores. Some breeders, in order to save money, make them on their own, for which you will need:

• cellular mesh (2 by 2 cm);
• slats, bars or boards made of wood;
• metal corners.

For the manufacture of structures, it is not recommended to use plywood - it gets wet. The boards are tightly fitted to each other to avoid drafts. Do not forget to reinforce the inner corners with metal fragments so that the pets do not gnaw on the wood. Choose a dry piece of land on a hill to install cages, avoid direct sunlight.

Plant climbing plants around the cage complex - this will create both peace and addition to the rabbit's diet.

The advantages of homemade houses are their cheapness and lightness. The owner himself determines the size, based on the number of future residents. The disadvantages of such cells are the cellular floor, which causes irritation and diseases of the limbs. When kept outdoors in the country, insulate the walls and ceiling of the structures. In the premises for young animals, two sectors are made: walking and sleeping (nest).

Homemade cage for rabbits

other methods

Aviaries are also used as a house. With this method of keeping pets, it is easier to care for them, they move more and breathe fresh air. Immunity is strengthened, the level of diseases is reduced.

In the country, breeding rabbits is also possible in pits. This type of breeding has several advantages:

• high fertility;
• great physical activity (digging holes);
• rational feed consumption;
• reduced incidence of disease;
• saving space, materials, care efforts: up to 200 heads are contained in a two-by-two meter pit.

This method is not suitable for rocky, clay soils or in the presence of groundwater in the upper layers. It is characterized by the following disadvantages:

• mating occurs immediately after birth, and this exhausts the rabbits;
• it is difficult to control inbreeding, and the stock degenerates;
• some specimens outgrow slaughter terms;
• the inhabitants of the pit run wild.

pit for rabbits

winter period

With the onset of cold weather, move the pets to the barn. If you leave the cages on the street, then take measures to insulate: cover with a gable roof, tighten the passages with foil. Insulate the floor and walls. Attach framed lifting glasses to the door grille. When severe frosts come, use an electric heater.

In the room, maintain humidity up to 70% and temperature up to 20 degrees. Avoid drops, overheating and drafts.

Light day lasts no more than ten hours. Monitor the operation of the ventilation system so that no harmful emissions are concentrated in the air.

In the cold period, animals need a diet rich in vitamins and minerals. Give high-quality compound feed (preferably made on your own), root crops (fodder beet, cabbage), green food. It is useful to feed with coniferous branches (up to 150 g per day). Do not forget about mineral supplements - bone meal, salt, crushed chalk.

In winter, rabbits are kept indoors.

Care rules

Breeding rabbits at home in a country house or farm requires hygiene and monitoring the condition of the wards, for which follow the rules:

• clean the premises every day, wash the containers for food and water;
• after a week and a half, carry out a general disinfection of equipment;
• control ventilation;
• eliminate sources of drafts;
• regularly inspect animals, note changes in behavior and appetite;
• make sure that pets are not stressed (from children, dogs, cats and other sources of irritation).

Raising rabbits requires injections for diseases (myxomatosis, viral varieties). Vaccinations at home will be done correctly by a professional, for which breeders call a veterinarian.

Vaccinations are required for rabbits

diet

A varied menu will ensure good health and high productivity. In the village or in the country, it is easier to stock up on hay or fresh grass cut far from the highway (dried dandelions, clover, alfalfa). Add grains (oats, barley, wheat), wheat bran, and juicy root vegetables (carrots, kale, potatoes, and peelings) to your diet.

During the year, a mother rabbit with cubs consumes (in kg):

• forbs - 412;
• hay - 107;
• compound feed - 330;
• root crops - 120.

If you make compound feed (from a mixture of grains, grass meal, minerals) yourself, this will reduce food costs. Install feeders, and for hay, which is always in a cage, a nursery. Do not forget to add minerals and vitamins to food 2-3 times a week. Instances on the eve of mating, in the stage of pregnancy and after childbirth, feed more intensively.

Be careful not to overfeed the animals. This leads to obesity and decreased sexual activity.

Well-fed females of large breeds refuse to mate even during the hunting period due to excess weight. Giants weighing 9 kg or more are culled.

Place drinking bowls with clean fresh water in the cages and change it periodically. These containers are cleaned regularly. To prevent the inhabitants of the cells from spilling water, firmly fix the drinkers. Add iodine solution, potassium permanganate to water to avoid coccidiosis. For pregnant rabbits, give apple cider vinegar (two to three drops per liter of drink). If you give animals compound feed, then water consumption increases.

Compound feed can be made independently

reproduction

Rabbit breeding continues throughout the year. Immediately after giving birth, the female is ready to start mating (to prevent this from happening, isolate the males). Conduct mating with several pairs at the same time. This is convenient for calculating the timing of pregnancy and monitoring the young. If the mother rabbit refuses to feed, the cubs are placed on another female.

Table of readiness for mating.

The hunting period for rabbits lasts up to five days, with a break of one and a half weeks. At this time, they behave excitedly, lose their appetite, and the genitals increase and turn pink. A male sire at home covers up to four females daily, but don't make the mistake of letting him rest (every other day).

Pick specimens of the same color and breed (if you breed for sale). Avoid inbreeding. Avoid sick, lethargic, defective and obese or malnourished representatives.

The rabbit is placed next to the male (so as not to waste time while he gets used to the new environment). Before this, the room is disinfected, containers for food and water are hidden, freeing up space. After mating is completed, the female is taken away and a control mating is carried out a few days later. If the female is female, she does not allow the male to approach her.

In a year, a female rabbit brings up to 30 heads of offspring (live weight - up to 70 kg). Within twelve months, a family of 3 females and 1 male will increase twenty-five times. But if you do not want the rabbit to quickly lose the ability to reproduce and die of exhaustion, do not allow more than two births per year.

A female rabbit can bring up to 30 babies per year

Selection Methods

For purebred reproduction, representatives of the same breed with the best performance and with stable transmission of traits by inheritance are selected. Breeders-scientists bred a number of varieties and fixed productive characteristics from ancestors to descendants, crossing in accordance with the compatibility of family lines (grandchildren with great-grandchildren, and so on).

At the amateur level, without appropriate conditions and special knowledge, such closely related ties often lead to degeneration, a decrease in tribal qualities.

If you want to start breeding animals in a country house or farm not for sale, but for experimental purposes over productivity, then cross-breeding is allowed. You will get hybrids that stand out for early maturity, quality of meat and skins. This method is also used in rabbit farms. However, such specimens are not suitable for further reproduction - the offspring of hybrids is characterized by a deterioration in performance.

The best individuals are selected for crossing

Castration

In order to quickly grow and improve the gastronomic qualities of meat, some specimens are castrated when they are 3 months old. Correct operation at home will be performed by a veterinarian. The following removal technologies are used:

closed (the testis is removed without breaking the membranes);

open (the shells are dissected, the spermatic cords are cut off).

15 hours before the procedure, animals are not fed or given water. Wounds after the procedure are sprinkled with streptocide.

Fattening and slaughter

For weight gain, the diet is based on cereals (more protein). Animals gain mass faster if they reduce their daylight hours and the brightness of lighting. For these purposes, animals are castrated.

Grain makes rabbits gain weight

Growing rabbits for meat and skins means slaughtering sooner or later. The breeders do it themselves. To kill the animal, they take it by the hind legs with one hand, lift it into the air and strike with a heavy object on the head, in the area of ​​​​the ears.

To obtain meat products, animals are killed when they are 4 months old. For skins, the owners wait until the molt ends (from six months to 8 months old).

If you properly care for pets, avoiding mistakes, breeding rabbits will become an interesting activity that brings additional profit. Unpretentious productive animals are universal for keeping in a country house or a private courtyard. At home, subject to the rules of care, they multiply well and produce high-quality meat, down and skin products.

Surely everyone knows the expression: "Rabbits are not only valuable fur, but also 2-3 kilograms of dietary and easily digestible meat." So, you can easily get these same kilograms and even centners of rabbit meat at your dacha, and for this purpose we have created a whole section for you - breeding rabbits in the country.

From it you will learn all the subtleties and nuances of amateur rabbit breeding, namely: how and what to feed rabbits, how to rationally distribute the area of ​​​​a rabbit farm, and what to do if the rabbits get sick, as well as much more, which will allow you to avoid many mistakes novice rabbit breeders. After all, if you initially do everything right, then the results will not be long in coming. In addition, rabbit meat is a highly valuable product on which you can make great money, even in a small summer cottage.

8 important rules for breeding rabbits

Rabbit breeders know that a sudden death can happen on a farm, when in a few days you can lose almost all the livestock. But the loss of even one rabbit is undesirable.
How to reduce losses by observing only simple rules for successful breeding of rabbits?

The best breeds for giving

Quite often, novice rabbit breeders are faced with such a problem as choosing a breed of rabbits. To make this task easier for you and finally to understand which breed of rabbit is best suited for your situation, we have prepared this interesting and informative article that will answer all your questions.

We make a cage with our own hands

Sometimes the desire to have rabbits in your country house arises spontaneously. That is, we stopped at some market to buy fertilizers, seeds or seedlings, saw rabbits, you liked them, in the end the decision was made, the rabbits were bought. And then the problem arises - where to keep them? To build a rabbit cage with your own hands, photos, instructions and a 3D model, as well as modification tips, will help you.

Feeding rabbits in winter

Winter is a tough time for all types of farm animals, and rabbits are no exception. If it happens that you are planning or already keeping a small group of rabbits in the country in the winter, then their proper feeding and especially watering is the key to the future success of your mini-farm.

Diet in summer

This article on rabbit feeding provides the most up-to-date and time-honored information to help you understand how to properly feed rabbits while avoiding the classic mistakes of beginner rabbit breeders. Mistakes that cause most of the problems in amateur rabbit breeding.

In the summer, many citizens move out of town with the whole family. Clean air and an abundance of home-grown vitamins energize you for the whole year. Rabbits in the country can be an interesting activity not only for children, but also for adults.

Everyone can organize a compact rabbit farm in the country. As a result, by autumn, when it's time for everyone to return to the city, excellent warm skins will be obtained, from which it is easy to sew original winter clothes. Fur after dressing is in no way inferior to the most expensive species obtained from fur animals. The products themselves will be worn with pleasure by both children and adults.

As a bonus, the family will receive delicious dietary rabbit meat. It can be stored frozen for quite some time. Someone tries to immediately prepare stocks of stew and use it later as a semi-finished product.

But that's not all. The key to a good harvest next year will be soft and nutritious manure for the soil from the eared inhabitants of the dacha. Anyone who has used it at least once in the garden or in the garden knows that the best organic fertilizer cannot be found. All nutrients are balanced in it. Such manure is universal, it is used even for capricious home flowers.

A small rabbit farm in the country is relatively easy to organize. You can start breeding, starting with one rabbit. Most often, after acquiring the first rabbit, there is a desire to acquire more, and then more. They are pretty cute and harmless. Children enjoy playing with little rabbits, they quickly get used to their hands and stop experiencing stress from communicating with a person.

For purchases, babies use large boxes in which holes are cut for breathing during transportation. Some hay is put on the bottom, the smell of their home is soothing, while they are transported from the market to the dacha.

Advice. The brought livestock must be sent to special housing. If it has not yet been built, then urgently need to do it. In the meantime, it is desirable to place the young so that the rabbits can eat grass. They should be protected from cats and dogs, provide fences. Otherwise, the kids may run away.

Top Breeds

You can buy any rabbits, but it is still advisable to opt for thoroughbred animals. They will give fur of the best quality, and will also grow well to the delight of all the inhabitants of the cottage. Back in 1932, it was decided to divide the breeds according to the main features:

• skinned rabbits grown solely for the sake of obtaining high-quality skins according to certain quality parameters. The meat obtained from slaughter is a by-product of income. On some foreign farms, skinned rabbits are kept only up to two months of age. By this time, the first molt is completed, raw materials of acceptable quality are obtained. Meat output is small. Similar carcasses from China can be found on store shelves;

• meat and skin breeds give high-quality fur, as well as full-weight carcasses. Currently, most rabbit breeders are oriented towards breeding meat-and-skin rabbits, here rabbits get a double benefit: meat and skins;
• meat breeds are focused on obtaining large carcasses, reaching up to 8 ... 10 kg. The quality of the fur is not a determining factor, although rabbit breeders try to slaughter at the moment of cessation of molting. Then the skins will be of good quality and rather large in size;
• broiler breeds- this definition in rabbit breeding received its status in 1983. Such young animals are grown only during the period of the greatest increase in live weight. With a decrease in the growth rate, they are sent for slaughter, since further maintenance is considered inappropriate. Usually broiler rabbits are raised up to 3.0 ... 3.5 months from birth. The quality of their fur is not high, so the content technology is not oriented towards it. The skins of such rabbits are bought with pleasure by representatives from China. They are used to make toys and key chains;
• downy rabbits- these are several breeds, which are united by the presence of fluff up to 6.0 ... 6.5 cm long. Such rabbits are kept in special conditions. Combing down is an operation that is used quite often;
• decorative rabbits- relatively recently bred dwarf animals. They are distinguished by their miniature size. They are adapted to the content inside the apartments.

It remains to figure out which breeds are best suited for growing in the country.

For a relatively short summer and the first months of autumn, California white is the best. These animals are classified as representatives of broiler rabbits. They are characterized by rapid growth. By the end of the third month of life, the live weight approaches 3.0 ... 3.5 kg, which corresponds to a carcass weight of 1.5 ... 1.7 kg. White skin with short fur is used for sewing children's products. Over the summer, rabbits will grow up in the country house, which will decorate the table and give skins with white short fur.

new zealand white much like the California White, lacking the dark tips on the ears and tail. It is characterized by rapid growth up to 3.5 months (important for keeping in the country), and then the weight gain decreases. Only by the age of eight months, the New Zealand White can approach 4.0 ... 4.5 kg in live weight (the statements of some authors that they received 5 kg or more should not be believed, the purity of the breed has been lost).

Soviet chinchilla represents the meat and skin direction. At the age of four months, the live weight reaches up to 4.2 ... 4.5 kg (carcass weight 2.2 ... 2.4 kg). By the 120-130th day of life, the second molt is completed, so the rabbit breeder gets an excellent skin and meat. The females left for divorce grow up to 6.0 ... 6.3 kg. Males are somewhat smaller, no more than 5.8 kg. Many leave their choice on these rabbits. For rearing young animals in the country, they are best suited.

Silver is a representative of meat and skin rabbits, according to the indicator corresponds to the Soviet chinchilla. Fur is in somewhat greater demand, as elegant women's coats are sewn from it after dressing. Usually the young growth of these rabbits is more expensive than the rest.

Important! The rabbits of Silver rabbits are born black, only at the end of the second molt do they acquire a pedigree appearance.

Butterfly- This is an original animal in color. There are large black or brown spots on a white background. It is also a meat-and-skin breed with a high growth rate. Many people are attracted to fur, it is used in tailoring children's clothing, although some fashion designers use skins in clothing for adults.

Rabbits gray giant belong to meat rabbits, they are quite large, but grow relatively slowly. By three months of age, it will grow to 3.0 ... 3.3 kg. The Gray Giant gains its weight only after the age of eight months. The skin is dyed, mostly black, in an attempt to model a sable. The wear of products made from the fur of this rabbit is low. The breed is on the verge of extinction, it is not seriously dealt with.

white giant can be attributed to both meat and skin rabbits and meat rabbits. It grows quite quickly, in terms of indicators it corresponds to the Soviet chinchilla. The maximum mass is gaining by the year. The fur is rare. In white form, they are used only for decoration, more often they are painted in brown shades.

Black and brown rabbits universal direction of cultivation. They have black with gray hair, looks quite impressive. By four months they gain up to 3.8 ... 4.1 kg of live weight. With this breed, it can be difficult to tell when the second molt ends. Therefore, at the age of 110 ... 140 days, they regularly stroke the back with a wet palm. If there is no hair left on the palm, then the animal is sent for slaughter. Any overexposure leads to a loss of fur quality.

Flanders- a rather rare breed in the vastness of Russia. Representatives of Baran are often passed off as Flanders. They were brought in in the early nineties of the last century. Therefore, it makes sense to consider rabbits of the Sheep breed. Large mass at the age of 16-18 months. The animal grows for a long time. They get huge skins from them. Owners are reluctant to part with these rabbits. For many, they are constantly nearby and delight the owners with their appearance, calm disposition. Therefore, when buying Sheep, you should think about whether you are ready to send him to the slaughter.

angora white represents a downy breed. The body weight is small, but looks like a large white fluffy ball. These rabbits are taught to be handled from an early age. They are manual and allow you to comb out the fluff regularly. It is noted that the fluff of these animals does not cause allergic reactions. Therefore, both children and adults wear products from it with pleasure.

Rex also meat and skin representatives of the rabbit class, they are distinguished by very short hair. They are valued precisely for the fur, it looks trimmed. Rex has the most diverse color.

Advice. Rex should be kept in warm cages protected from the wind. In winter, they are kept in rooms where they use heating with IR lamps. Short fur does not warm in Russian frosts.

Dwarf (decorative) rabbits are rarely grown in summer cottages. They are not of industrial interest, although the demand for them is quite large. These are pets, they are allowed to run around the apartment. Small houses are created for them, where the eared ones spend most of their time.

seasonality

In summer, only those animals are raised that will not be taken to the city. The life span of dacha rabbits is limited by the period of stay of the inhabitants of dachas in their areas. Some residents of holiday villages who permanently live outside the city note the following: with the end of the summer season, rabbits appear in the district, which the compassionate owners did not dare to kill and released into the wild. Then, almost all winter, such rabbits are hunted. They are poorly adapted to life in nature, damage plantings, suffer apple trees, pears, currants and other trees and bushes.

Advice. If you took rabbits for the summer, then you do not need to leave your problems to other summer residents. They must either be implemented or killed.

Breeding

In summer, young animals are purchased at the age of one and a half to two months. It is not profitable to take older animals. They are more expensive, and by the end of the summer they will outgrow the second molt. There will be no noticeable weight gain compared to less mature rabbits. Already at the age of 4-6 months it is difficult to distinguish the animals in appearance, subject to normal feeding.

For future cells, it is desirable to allocate a place in the depths of the garden. The shade from the trees will cover the pets from the scorching sun. In extreme cases, a place can be provided under the protection of a high fence that will save the rabbits from the heat.

You should immediately decide where the feed will be stored. For grass or hay, a small canopy is suitable. Compound feed is stored in buckets with lids or boxes where rodents will not get through and rainwater will not get in.

Advice. Access to water from a water supply network or from a well is important. In the summer, rabbits will have to change the water daily, otherwise diseases cannot be avoided. In warm water, a variety of bacteria that are harmful to animals easily spread.

Rabbits in the country should be in cages. The arguments about what someone kept in a pit or on the floor in a barn are untenable. If there are no cages, and they are not foreseen in the future, then you should not acquire rabbits. Nothing good will come of it. The most dangerous disease in these animals is coccidiosis. Flies spread it.

Attention! Coccidiosis is always present in rabbits. There are only two forms of its existence. The first (safe) infection is in the body of the animal. Coccidia are passed out with feces. If the cage is self-cleaning, then the removed manure does not harm the rabbits. In the open air, coccidia develop, they are now dangerous. Getting together with the food in the digestive tract, coccidia cause disease. It often leads to death. This disease is especially dangerous in summer.

The cages must have a slatted floor. Some manufacturers, due to lower production costs, are advocating for a mesh floor. You can find recommendations on reputable sites that content on a mesh floor does not cause problems. Such statements should not be trusted. Any mesh, even coated with a layer of zinc or paint, will rust within two months under the influence of rabbit urine. The wire will damage the paws of the animals. You will have to put plates of different materials in a rotten place.

For cells, a slatted floor should be made. Boards with a width of more than 80 mm are used here. It is even better to make the floor from strips cut from flat asbestos-cement sheets (slate 10 mm thick) 100 mm wide or more. A supporting bar (40x40 mm) is installed in the middle of the cage.

Asbestos-cement sheets are not subject to decay. It is impossible to gnaw them, so cages once made will last for decades. It is also expedient to use flat slate in facing cells. Neither rain nor snow will have a destructive effect on them.

You can keep a group or individually. Until the age of three months, rabbits do not show sexual activity, but later young males begin to harass females. Therefore, it is desirable to separate animals by sex. How to determine where the boy is and where the girl is, quite a lot has been written. There are even videos that show in detail the process of separating young animals.

Food and water must be present in the cages at all times. Experienced rabbit breeders arrange special hay feeders from which hay is fed. They also recommend different samples of feed troughs, they serve granulated feed or whole grains, for example, corn.

Feeding

There are many dietary recommendations for rabbits. Dozens of dissertations have been defended on this topic. NIIZPK regularly issues its recommendations for rabbit breeders. You should familiarize yourself with them. However, with the summer content of young animals, which will go to slaughter in the fall, it is necessary to adhere to the system of non-normative feeding. While the rabbit's body is growing, all the food that enters it is spent on the growth of bones and meat. Animals that have stopped growing, and also do not have a load, begin to get fat. Therefore, rabbits feeding with their milk do not get fat. Their food is converted into milk.

For feeding, fresh hay or dried grass should be present in the feeders. In the feed trough - granulated feed for rabbits or for pigs. It is better not to give compound feed for cattle; components that increase milk flow are added to it.

The diet for young animals is simple - there should be an abundance of food. The extra rabbits will not be eaten.

Advantages and disadvantages

Keeping rabbits in the summer in the country is beneficial. There is an activity for children. Adults are happy to tinker with small animals. The rabbits are growing fast. They are interesting to watch. Animals slaughtered in time give excellent skins that are easy to dress with your own hands (there is no need to purchase expensive chemicals). Rabbit carcasses provide tasty and healthy meat. They are used boiled or fried. Many rabbit breeders make stew, which is then added to various dishes. Even smoked rabbit has an extremely original taste.

Flaws. At the end of the season, the animal must be slaughtered. Some people cannot overcome themselves. Here you should immediately think about whether it is worth keeping if you don’t have the courage to complete the slaughter. Some invite neighbors to help solve the problem.