The value of rabbits and the peculiarities of their breeding at home. Breeding rabbits at home Keeping rabbits at home

Rabbits are very cute animals that are easy to breed. Caring for and watching these cute animals helps relieve stress and improves your mood.

Where to begin

First of all, you need to decide why you are breeding rabbits. There are meat breeds, there are meat-skin breeds and skin-breeds.

If you breed animals to provide yourself with meat, you should pay attention to breeds such as, Russian Ermine,. They are quite unpretentious to the conditions of detention.

When breeding rabbits for meat sales, choose special meat breeds, for example, California, Burgundy breeds.

Breeds that produce high-quality skins are Chinchilla, Vienna Blue, Silver, downy rabbits - Angora and White Downy.

How to choose the right rabbits

Once you have decided on the breed, you need to choose healthy animals. A person just starting to breed rabbits may make a mistake and purchase a sick or rejected animal.

Signs of healthy specimens:

This method of keeping is considered the most optimal, as it allows you to monitor the health of animals, their reproduction, and helps to properly breed and feed rabbits.

The advantages also include ease of maintenance, the ability to automate many processes, ease of care.

However, a number of requirements must be met to ensure that rabbits are truly comfortable and happy in their cages.

It is better to install cages in a shed called a shed (read:). Being in the open air does not protect you from wind, frost, or precipitation. The walls and floor of the shed can be made of bricks, logs, or wooden boards. The main condition is that there should be no cracks or holes in them in order to avoid drafts that have a detrimental effect on rabbits. In this case, the room should be well ventilated and lit. Lack of light and fresh air causes deterioration of the hairline.

Cell requirements:

Slatted or mesh floor.
Size for a female rabbit with rabbits: length - 890mm, width - 780mm, height - 420mm.
Cage size for individual housing: length – 720mm, width – 600mm, height – 420mm.
The front wall is mesh, the sides and back are solid, wooden.
The cage is equipped with a feeder and drinking bowl.
In cages intended for cubs, a mother house made of plywood or thin boards is placed.

This method is suitable for those who want to breed rabbits for meat, while spending a minimum of effort and money. This method is not used at all for breeding breeding animals and obtaining high-quality skins. Giant rabbits are also not kept in pits.

Pits can be made both in villages and in cities. Soils with low groundwater flow and the absence of rocks and stones under a thin layer of soil are suitable. Pits can be installed in a basement or cellar, even in a city apartment building.

The approximate size of the pit is 2 meters long, 2 meters wide, 1 meter high. The size is given for approximately 20 rabbits. The floor can be left earthen or made of slats or mesh, under which a slope or tray for feces and urine is placed. Straw is spread on the earthen floor, which must be removed after a few days and will have to be replaced with clean straw.

Along the walls there are feeders in different directions and drinking bowls. They try not to place them near the entrance to holes dug by rabbits, otherwise they will quickly and heavily get dirty.

The hole definitely needs a window that lets in sunlight. The norm for artificial lighting is 40 watts per 10 square meters. For rabbits, the length of daylight is much more important than the brightness of the lighting.

Pros of pit housing:

Low costs - one pit can serve for a very long time, it does not wear out, unlike cages.
No problems with pregnancy and childbirth.
Various diseases rarely develop.
Great space saving.
Ease and convenience of feeding.
The reproduction process goes well - often, easily. Rabbits are born and develop stronger and more resilient than when kept in cages.
In winter, the floor and water in the drinking bowls do not freeze.

Minuses:

Inbreeding. It causes shrinkage and congenital deformities of animals.
Inability to control reproduction.
Animals become wild over time and become difficult to catch for vaccination.
The skins become damaged, especially in males who constantly fight with each other.
It is more difficult to clean up manure.

Mating

A pair of rabbits is selected - healthy and at puberty . The female must be in a state of sexual heat, otherwise she simply will not allow the male to approach her. How to determine sexual heat?

In a normally developing female, heat occurs approximately once a week. In summer, the interval is reduced to 5-6 days, in winter it increases to 17-20. October and November are the most unfavorable months in this regard.

During the hunt, the female becomes restless, begins to rush around the cage, pluck out her fluff, carry a bunch of hay in her mouth, her appetite sharply decreases or disappears completely. If a female is stroked on the back, she will instinctively lie down on the floor and raise her hindquarters. To more accurately determine the period of sexual heat, the genitals are visually assessed (popularly called a “loop”).

In its normal state, the loop has a pale pink color, but during hunting it becomes a bright pink color. In addition, it swells somewhat. The duration of the hunting period can be 3-5 days.

The male must be young enough, not obese, not emaciated. It is not advisable to allow more than 4 coats per day on a male.

In summer, mating is best done in the morning or evening, in winter - in the daytime. This is due to the most suitable air temperature. In hot and cold weather, animals are less active.

For mating, the female is placed in the male's cage. Otherwise, he will be confused and instead of having sexual intercourse, he will get used to the new room. First you need to remove feeders, drinking bowls, and any other items from the cage. Cages are usually cleaned and disinfected before mating.

For a more guaranteed result, you should wait until the female is covered twice, and then move her back to her home cage.

Determination of pregnancy in rabbits

Experienced rabbit breeders carry out control mating 5-6 days after the first coating. Most often, an already pregnant female is not given to the male for repeated mating.

After 2 weeks, you can try to palpate the belly of the coated female. The animal is taken out of the cage, turned towards itself with its head, holding the female by the skin in the sacral area with one hand. Another one at this time is palpating the belly; in a pregnant rabbit, in the back half, you can feel the embryos as one or two chains parallel to each other. The size of the embryo at this time is 2-3 cm. Palpation is done very carefully so as not to harm the babies or cause artificial birth.

When there are 5-7 days left before giving birth, the female begins to prepare a nest and bedding for the cubs. To do this, she uses straw and grass from the manger. A day before giving birth, the female rabbit plucks her own down and lines the nest with it.

Feeding before mating

A nutritious diet provokes increased sexual activity in animals. Underfed or obese females most often do not fertilize, and males develop low-quality seed.

Mandatory feed before mating will be legume hay, silage, oats, carrots, a mixture of cake with bran, salt, meat, bone and fish meal. You can give tree branches, sprouted grains of barley and oats.

In winter, females are given high-quality hay, silage, root vegetables, grain mixtures (corn grains, legumes, oats), bone and meat meal, bran, salt, boiled or raw potatoes. Fish oil is also included in the diet - 2g per day, chalk - 2g. Number of feedings – 3 per day.

Feeding pregnant and lactating females

At this time, proper varied nutrition is especially important, because underfeeding causes disruptions in the normal development of embryos and reduces milk production in a lactating female.

In summer, the female is given a large amount of dried grass, in winter - high-quality hay. In addition, the diet includes silage with the addition of meat and bone meal and concentrated feed, and root vegetables. Nursing mothers are given daily milk - 100g, chalk - 2g, salt - 1g.

Do not feed moldy or frozen food to avoid causing a miscarriage.

5-10 days before birth, they reduce the amount of roughage (dry leaves, hay) and completely stop producing silage. There must be water or snow in the cage in winter! Otherwise, the female, experiencing a lack of water, may eat her entire litter.

The number of feedings for a pregnant and lactating rabbit is from 3 to 5 times a day. When the rabbits begin to leave the nest, increase the amount of food.

When breeding rabbits, novice rabbit breeders are capable of making mistakes that can have catastrophic consequences. Lack of experience and lack of knowledge are the main reasons.

A pregnant female may experience a spasm of the uterus, which will cause the death of the animal. The provocateur is often severe fear and stress. Therefore, an experienced breeder approaches the nest, trying to make as little noise as possible.
If the location of the uterine house is incorrect, the female will drag the rabbits from corner to corner, ultimately causing their death. The area of the house should be reduced.
If the mother rabbit has an excess amount of milk, the babies may die of starvation due to the fact that the glands become very dense and the rabbits cannot grasp them. In this case, massage of the mammary glands and timely expression of excess milk is necessary.

Rabbits are truly the most touching pets. They come in different breeds and varieties. In agriculture, rabbit breeding brings good financial income. These cute animals are grown in a pit, in a summer cottage, and even at home. They have individual feeding and maintenance characteristics. Therefore, it is important to know all the nuances of this business.

Opinion:

Why bother breeding rabbits?

Why raise rabbits? This is the first question that a future rabbit breeder should ask himself. It is from the received answer that the solution to the task will come. There are three main reasons for raising rabbits:

Dietary meat. The low calorie product containing protein and a small portion of cholesterol is of high value. Meat is recommended for children and people suffering from liver diseases; of cardio-vascular system; gastrointestinal tract; having excess weight.
Valuable fur and inexpensive skins. The high quality of a rabbit fur coat is in no way inferior to a mink coat. However, to obtain maximum results, it is necessary to breed rabbits of certain breeds.
Pets. This category includes decorative and, which are most often bred at home. They get along very well with children. They do not cause much trouble in care and maintenance.

Rabbits have high fertility. In 12 months, an adult rabbit produces offspring 5-6 times. One litter brings from 8 to 15 rabbits. Therefore, rabbit breeding is a profitable business that will grow rapidly every year.

What is needed for breeding?

Before breeding rabbits, you should make sure that everything is ready for their comfortable life in rural or home conditions. To do this, you need to prepare the mandatory components of a successful business.

Living quarters

Depending on the number of heads of rabbits and the characteristics of their breed, a suitable room is selected. Basically, these are large, reliable wooden cages equipped with feeders and drinkers.

In the agricultural industry, for the fruitful breeding of rabbits, specialized enclosures are built, fenced with nets, so that the animals feel free. Some rabbit breeders prefer to raise animals in a pit. To do this, a large hole is dug and arranged in accordance with all safety regulations.

Nutrition

The feed shop should be stocked with specialized food for rabbits with a supply of 2-3 months. In summer, animals happily eat green herbs - plantain, wormwood, sow thistle, clover and others.

In winter, raising rabbits requires a supply of hay and a variety of grains. To ensure that the animals have complete nutrition and the meat is especially tasty, they are additionally fed with specialized feed.

Buying rabbits

A rabbit breeding farm is the best place to purchase animals. Rabbits that were raised in a pit or other conditions must have the following physical characteristics:

a downed, well-fed torso;
clear (no clouding) eyes;
shiny dense fur;
active behavior;
dry nose;
clean pink ears, etc.

Health is the main factor for successful rabbit breeding. Important! If one individual gets sick, it can easily infect everyone else. Therefore, the patient should be immediately moved to a separate cage.

Therapeutic prophylaxis against infection should be carried out on all rabbits without exception.

What costs await a beginning rabbit breeder?

Breeding animals at home and on a farm requires certain financial investments. It is quite difficult to determine the exact amount, since much depends on the financial stability in the country. We will outline only the main purchases necessary for rabbits.
Purchase of material for making houses, or ready-made cages. To breed animals in captivity, they need a secure home. For this you will need: tools, wooden blanks, wire mesh or metal rods, hinges, locks, nails, screws. If breeding takes place in a pit, then its walls should be fenced with slate to avoid blockage.
Buying rabbits. In order for rabbits to produce not only valuable fur, but also easily digestible meat, you should purchase healthy young animals of good breeds. Then their breeding will bring significant profits over time.
Purchasing food. Raising rabbits requires purchasing specialized food for a fairly long period. Hay, grain, feed - all these are additional costs.
Veterinary services. Timely vaccinations and supervision by a veterinarian guarantee the health and fertility of animals.
Transporting rabbits also requires costs - gasoline, renting a special car.
Salaries for hired workers. If you plan to breed a large number of rabbits on a farm or in a pit, you cannot do without service personnel. At home, you can save on this and do it yourself.

With a stable consumer market, it is possible to recoup the initial costs of breeding within two to three years.

Features of rabbit breeding

Breeding rabbits requires not only financial investments, but also enough time and effort. Certain types of breeds require specialized nutrition and care. Therefore, before purchasing a new type of rabbit, you need to carefully familiarize yourself with the features of their care and breeding.

Comfortable living conditions are the first step towards quality mating and healthy offspring of rabbits.
High-quality balanced nutrition is the second important factor.
Minimum stress - will ensure a greater number of matings.

Rabbits reach puberty at the age of 3.5 – 4 months. However, it is not recommended to allow animals to breed at this age; it is better to wait until the body is fully developed.

For mating, a healthy female is placed next to a male; after mating, it is repeated after 5-6 days. If the female rabbit does not allow the male to approach her, then fertilization has already occurred. The pregnant female should be in a separate cage, in which she will later raise the rabbits.

Benefits of raising rabbits

Although the opinions of optimist theorists and pessimistic practitioners are divided regarding rabbit breeding, one can firmly believe that raising rabbits is profitable! At three months of age, a rabbit can weigh from 3 kilograms. Not a single rural domestic animal produces such an increase in pure meat.

Rabbits breed all year round. Consequently, there is a constant increase in offspring. If 1 female produces 45-60 rabbits per year, and each of them reaches 3 kg in 3 months, then 60 rabbits is 180 kilograms.

The profitability of rabbit farming directly depends on the cost of feed and animal care. In any case, with minimal cash investments and the proper level of care for rabbits, this business brings significant profits.

Breeding rabbits is a very profitable business, of course, unless you decide to buy a rabbit as a decorative fluffy toy and keep it at home. Firstly, rabbit breeding does not require large financial expenses, even if you start from scratch. Secondly, the meat of these animals has always been valued more than any other, and you can quickly justify the investment. However, before you start a business, you should familiarize yourself with some of its features, since it has its own pitfalls.

Preparation for breeding

It is best if the future rabbit breeder begins to act in a sequence that will help calculate his strength and not forget about the main points of the matter. So, for example, before running to the market to buy animals, you need to thoroughly study the relevant literature, watch videos, that is, get acquainted with the theoretical part, take into account the placement possibilities, calculate the means and, most importantly, your strengths.

Raising rabbits

It is necessary to correctly put the main wording - for what purpose I want to breed rabbits, since there may be several of them:

in order to have tasty and healthy meat.
to have warm fur or fluff.
in order to have both.
the rabbits will just be pets.

Only after the goal has been identified, can you move on to the next items on the sequential to-do list, that is, think about what breed you would like to have in your personal backyard, because today experts count more than 50 breeds of rabbits, but for breeding, only 13 are of particular value -15, since they are the only ones used to obtain fur, meat and fluff.

Breed selection

Before you get valuable breeds, which are considered the most preferable by specialist rabbit breeders, it is worth starting breeding with smaller or medium-sized animals. They are not so capricious in food and maintenance and cost much less.

Today, among the popular breeds are:

Chinchilla;
Vienna blue;
Silver;
California white;
Butterfly;
White Giant;
Gray giant

Gray giant

Be sure to study the issue of local rabbit breeding, which breeds are preferred in a given region, consumer demand largely depends on this. Among the meat breeds, the White and Sulfur Giant and the Russian Ermine have proven themselves well. These rabbits are quite undemanding to keep and are hardy to weather conditions. Californian, Burgundy and New Zealand breeds are also considered special meat species.

Chinchilla and Vienna Blue produce high-quality pelts, and the down is especially good from Angora and White Down.

What to look for when purchasing

The most important thing is not to “run into” a sick or weak animal when making a purchase, so we offer you several parameters by which healthy and strong rabbits should be selected:

Purchasing animals

First of all, pay attention to the hair, it should be smooth and shiny.
The muzzle is dry, evenly covered with hair without suspicious areas.
The shape of the ears is correct, smooth without kinks. On the inside the ears are uniformly pink, and on the outside they also have a uniform covering of hair.
There should be no fear in the animal's gaze, but only curiosity.
It is worth paying special attention to the anus and the fur around it. Everything should be clean, without fecal residues.
An animal should not fuss for no reason, but activity and purposefulness are welcome.
The body is quite dense, without fullness or thinness.
The nose is slightly moist, the eyes have no changes in the iris, the skin is without wounds or sores.
The genitals are pink in color without external changes.

These tips will help a novice rabbit breeder choose healthy, strong specimens for breeding, but you should wait a little before purchasing animals.

To begin with, you should prepare a convenient and proper place for them to keep them. A separate room, cages, can be bought ready-made, but building them yourself will not take much time and effort.

Preparing the premises

Rabbits can be kept in cages, sheds, enclosures and pits. Let us dwell in more detail on the most convenient and widespread method – the cellular one.

Among the many indisputable advantages of breeding and keeping animals in cages are the following indicators:

convenient monitoring of the health status of pets.
feeding and cleaning the premises.
controlling the reproduction process.
convenient vaccinations.
the ability to put many processes into an automated method.

The health and general condition of your charges depends on the ease of maintenance, and this first of all affects the quality of meat and fur.

It is better to prepare a place for rabbits in a barn, this will protect them from adverse weather conditions, wind, rain and snow. The room must be made of boards or brickwork. If you already have such a structure in mind for your farmstead, then try to ensure that all windows and any openings are tightly closed. Rabbits really don’t like drafts; they are harmful to them. But you shouldn’t howl about ventilation and lighting. If there is not enough oxygen light, it will affect the hair.

Room

As for enclosure keeping, this also has its advantages, but this method is more suitable for the southern regions, it is as close as possible to natural living conditions and implies a large area so that animals can dig holes for themselves.

It is important to remember that any animal will feel good if it is given the right amount of time for feeding, handling and cleaning cages and other procedures. If you do not have enough strength for all these manipulations, your pets will begin to get sick and die, and this is not only a financial loss, but also a great moral shock. Therefore, before taking on wards, calculate the possibilities and time.

Feeding

The quality of the skin and the nutrients in the meat largely depend on proper feeding of the rabbits. The daily diet should include vitamin and mineral supplements, as well as protein, carbohydrates and fats.

What is included in the diet:

feed content.
feed in the form of juicy and roughage products
feeding with minerals.
various cereals and legumes.

In the summer, rabbits are provided with green food and twigs. It is necessary to periodically change the types of food, since monotony can cause digestion problems in animals and loss of appetite.

In the cold winter period, the basis of food is boiled potatoes, carrots, fodder and sugar beets. White cabbage is not advisable for rabbits, as they become bloated.

Animals need concentrated supplements throughout the year. As for succulent feed, there are certain dosages:

for an adult rabbit about 400 g per day,
young animals 200 g.

Grain should be included in the daily diet, but here pay special attention to the quality, since if a moldy product is caught in the food, the rabbit will get sick and die.

Compound feed

Compound feed is the basis, and many farmers feed their herd mainly with it, since this product contains all the essential components: proteins, minerals, vitamins and antibiotics. Hay as a daily supplement promotes good digestion of food.

Care

Rabbits are very clean animals, and daily cleaning of cages and enclosures is a mandatory procedure for any breeder. Not only the reproduction and successful growth of the herd depends on high-quality care, but above all the final result that any rabbit breeder sets for himself - meat and skins.

Eliminate any drafts and equip the room where animals are located with appropriate lighting.

Particular attention should be paid to the breeding period, females and babies. The female rabbit must receive good food, clean water and have a separate room, otherwise she may forget about her maternal instincts and destroy the offspring or significantly harm them.

Grafting

Vaccinations are an obligatory component in caring for pets; a veterinarian at any animal clinic will tell you about the frequency and timing of vaccinations. It is advisable to have a permanent doctor to inspect your household; his regular checks of your pets will help you avoid many diseases that contribute to mortality.

Grafting

The most common diseases:

VHD is a viral hemorrhagic disease of rabbits.
Myxomatosis.

The first disease often affects both young animals, aged from one and a half months, and adults. Signs: loss of appetite, mucus from the nose, severe fever, miscarriages in females, convulsions.

Myxomatosis mainly affects the intestines, genitals and other organs.

The vaccine prevents pathogenic bacteria, it activates the formation of antibodies inside the body and destroys the virus.

Complex vaccinations are usually carried out: against VGBV and myxomatosis, against pasteurellosis and salmonellosis, against pasteurellosis and streptococcus.

How to make cells

To make cages, you will need building materials in the form of: wooden blocks, boards, plywood, galvanized mesh and metal or aluminum pallets.

A frame base is built from bars, then it is covered with boards or plywood.
In the cellular space it is necessary to make several partitions with openings.
Space will provide animals with a comfortable life, which is an important factor for growth.
A tray is installed under the cage to make it easier to collect animal waste products.
There should be a separate room for the baby rabbits.
It is better to make the floor from slats or mesh, since sewage should not accumulate and rot under the feet of animals.
The three walls behind and on the sides should be made of wood or plywood, and the front one should be made of mesh.
A feeder and drinking bowls must be present.

For young animals

Young rabbits don’t like being cramped, so it’s better to make enclosures for five, no more, then they can play and jump. This improves your appetite and allows you to eat well while gaining weight quickly.

Aviary for young animals

For a female rabbit with offspring

The cages must be equipped with a mother house for breeding. It can be made of thin wood or plywood. After giving birth and initial feeding, it is better to remove the mother from the cubs, as there were frequent cases when she ate her offspring.

The size of the room for a female with cubs corresponds in length - 895 mm, width - 785 cm, height - 425 mm.

For large rabbits

Adult animals should also not be restricted in their living space. For separate individual residence, dimensions within 725X605X425 mm.

There should be three to four pets in one space. In order to mate females and males, you must have a separate cage, mating must be systematic.

Common mistakes of novice rabbit breeders

You should not frighten a pregnant female, as she may experience uterine spasms and die. Therefore, you should not make noise near the nest where she sits.
There is no need to make the mother's house too large, as the mother often begins to drag the rabbits from one corner to another, and this causes the death of the babies.
If the rabbit has an excess of milk, the cubs sometimes cannot grab the nipple, as it is too dense, so massage and even expressing milk is necessary. Experienced rabbit breeders, knowing about such nuances, can easily cope with the problems that arise.

Video

For more useful tips on breeding rabbits, watch the video

Conclusion

Of course, rabbit farming is the most important area in agriculture and farming, but it requires a lot of knowledge, work and dedication; it is a great business for hardworking people. The main task of the breeder will be not only raising animals for skins or meat, but also growing the livestock. To do this, animals need to create appropriate conditions and select high-quality food.

2017-07-19 Igor Novitsky

If you want to breed rabbits at home, then you should pay attention to the intricacies of their reproduction, maintenance and breeding of certain breeds at home. The basics of raising rabbits on private farms will create optimal conditions for generating profit and meat products for personal consumption.

Rabbit breeding is carried out by many people on different scales. For some, a few enclosures with animals exclusively for their own consumption and use are enough; others contain sheds, rabbit hutches, pits and burrows, and even rabbit farms. In particular, older people are involved in domestic rabbit farming. This is no wonder: rabbit meat is considered dietary meat and is recommended for people with diseases of the heart, blood vessels, stomach and intestines, and metabolic disorders.

Despite the fact that it is absorbed by the body almost completely, it is more useful than any other meat for both children and the elderly: young and old bodies most of all need healthy meat, rich in proteins, macro- and microelements, which is good is assimilated.

Of course, rabbit farms are also quite popular all over the world. This is due to the fact that rabbits are “precocious” animals, quickly reach marketable weight, and are unpretentious to feed and living conditions. In addition, rabbits are distinguished by their versatility: from their breeding you can get not only meat that is unique in its taste and properties, but also wool and fluff.

Growing on private farms

Rabbit breeders claim that raising rabbits is successful and profitable not only on large farms or peasant farms, but also on people’s personal plots, or on small plots. Since dietary rabbit meat is always in great demand on the Russian market, since, among other things, rabbit breeding in Russia is not very popular.

In addition, rabbit fur is used to sew gloves, hats, collars, fur coats and other fur products, which are always in demand in the harsh Russian climate. It is claimed that up to thirty rabbits can be freely raised on an area of at least 15 m2 without much labor or expense. In the summer, such livestock can be fed with gardening waste: weeds, herbs, cut branches, root crops, vegetable and fruit peelings, seeds and fruits of cereal plants. In winter, it is quite easy to obtain concentrated, mineral feed, and you can also prepare coarse branch feed and hay using your garden plot.

Since rabbits are unpretentious, they can be kept either in specially equipped pits (burrows), sheds or rabbitries, or in sheds, enclosures, or cages directly in the open air adapted for rabbit breeding.

Experts say that the effectiveness of rabbit breeding has been practically proven: rabbit breeding allows you to obtain huge volumes of environmentally friendly meat. Indeed, among all animals used in agriculture, rabbits are distinguished precisely by the fact that they have the highest fertility. The average female gives from 4 to 7 litters per year, which corresponds to an offspring of 45-55 individuals, which means that in marketable weight this will correspond to approximately 80-110 kilograms.

Rabbit Breeding Information for Beginners

As mentioned above, the average female gives up to seven litters per year, and the litter will contain up to 10 rabbits. The period of gestation, that is, pregnancy in rabbits lasts about a month (28-31) days. Three days after giving birth to the cubs, the female is ready for another pregnancy, and on the fifth day she can mate. Thus, with proper care, a fertile female can give up to 12 litters per year.

However, the fertility of female rabbits gradually decreases, so rabbit breeders recommend replacing females intended for procreation once every year and a half, and replacing males less often: once every two years. Rabbit products are allowed to be sold once the rabbit reaches a marketable weight of 3 kg, however, the maximum marketable weight can be up to 5 kg. When the rabbit reaches six months of age, growth slows down and fat accumulates. Therefore, it is not economically profitable to continue keeping rabbits.

Accordingly, starting from the age of six months, rabbits can be sold. According to farmers' estimates, it is possible to get up to a thousand rabbits from 30 males and 155 females in a year. For a small farm, it is most profitable to organize a mini-farm or an entire system of pits and burrows for keeping rabbits. Large-scale production requires a shed system or a combination of several rabbit hutches. In general, rabbits are poorly resistant to infectious diseases, so there are frequent cases of mass death of a large number of animals on the farm. In this regard, it is recommended to vaccinate rabbits twice a year and give them “silver water” containing silver ions Ag +, which has a bactericidal effect.

The food for rabbits should be varied and meet the needs of the animals. Based on economic indicators, we can say that a mini-farm for raising rabbits pays off in an average year. Larger production also pays for itself quickly, but requires greater costs to get started. But it should be understood that difficulties cannot be avoided in the rabbit farming business: there is competition everywhere, difficulties with the regulatory side of farming, morbidity and mortality of livestock. However, it is characteristic of rabbit farming that the cost of feed to produce 1 kg of meat is significantly lower than the cost of feed to produce 1 kg of meat of any other animal.

Keeping and breeding rabbits: what you need to know?

Rabbits are quite popular for breeding all over the world as they are very fertile; in addition, in addition to meat, rabbit production provides fluff, wool and fertilizer. Easily tolerate unfavorable conditions, undemanding; their breeding does not require large expenses. Female rabbits are very fertile, so they give a high litter. In addition, rabbits have rapid qualitative growth, so by the second month of life they are already able to eat and move independently, without the help of their mother.

They are born blind, but by the tenth day of life they begin to see, on the seventh day they are covered with fluff, and after a month the baby rabbit’s body is already completely covered with hair. Baby rabbits are born in size comparable to a human palm, and weigh up to 50 grams, but after a few days their weight doubles and increases just as rapidly. This is due to the high nutrient content in rabbit milk. On average, the lifespan of a rabbit is 8 years.

It is important to take into account that the female should not have a large amount of fat: she will not be able to bear normal offspring. In order to avoid obesity in a female, it is necessary to give her a minimum of concentrated feed, grain and compound feed, and more green and dry food, and have more space so that she can move actively.
Rabbits have a very good sense of smell: they have a hard time getting used to a new diet, food that they have never eaten, and females easily identify other people's babies. Rabbits have weak bones, which is why they often suffer from broken limbs and spinal injuries.

Main breeds of rabbits

Soviet chinchilla
Large individuals with thick light gray fur. They are used to produce fur and meat on an industrial scale. On average, their weight is 6 kg. Females of this breed are especially fertile: they give birth to 8 rabbits in a litter. The wool of these rabbits is in great demand, as it is widely used in the fur industry. Females of this breed are distinguished by their developed maternal instinct: they independently arrange nests before giving birth, and carefully monitor the rabbits, which by three months can reach 3 kg in weight. Animals of this breed are easily adaptable to different and changing conditions.

Gray giant
Large animals bred for meat and wool. The body has a streamlined shape, from 50 to 65 cm in length. The legs are voluminous, strong, and short. They weigh up to 8 kg.
They have high fertility (up to 10 rabbits). The color of these rabbits can be as follows: agouti, light gray, dark gray, black.

The coloring of these animals is gray and uniform, the eyes have a blue tint, and the claws are dark. The fur is thick. The fertility of representatives of this breed is average. Rabbits are born gray. Typical coloring appears after the second molt.

White down
Medium animals weighing 3-4 kg. Body length up to 60 cm. The breed is focused on producing fluff. Over the course of a year, one individual produces up to 700 g of fluff, the length of which is up to 15 cm.

White giant
A medium breed, focused on producing meat and wool. Body length is up to 70 cm. Weight is up to 5 kg. White rabbits often do not produce melanin, and therefore many rabbits are albinos, which makes them more demanding of their living conditions and diet.

Black and brown rabbit
Rabbits oriented towards meat and wool. Representatives of this breed have this name due to the fact that their color resembles that of a black-brown fox. Rabbits are born without hair, and by the age of ten days they acquire a pure black color, which remains until they are three months old. The color varies in different parts of the body, the back and back of the head are black, the sides and muzzle are brown, and the abdomen is bluish in color. These animals are strong and well-built. They have an elongated body measuring up to 61 cm in length, a wide chest and a large head, long and thick paws. The weight can reach 8 kg. Moderately fertile: up to 8 rabbits in a litter.

Rabbits are one of the most successful objects for domestic animal husbandry. If you provide these animals with proper care, they will reproduce beautifully and quickly. In addition to the fact that rabbit meat is an excellent dietary meat, rabbit fur, although not very valuable, is widely used. Therefore, in order for you to succeed, you need to know how to properly breed rabbits. Let's look at 4 basic rules you need to know.

Rule 1. Recognize the disease in time

Today there are many different breeds of rabbits. Each has individual characteristics, but there are also behavioral norms common to the entire family. Caring for the health of animals is extremely important; the ideal option would be. A rabbit breeder should learn to identify the initial stages of the disease, otherwise one sick individual can infect the entire herd.

Having noticed the first alarming signs, you should isolate the animal and call a veterinarian. It is not difficult to identify the first symptoms of the disease - the rabbit becomes inactive and hides in a corner. He may have a cloudy look, uneven breathing, and the color and appearance of stool will change. It is better to vaccinate the entire herd for prevention, since rabbits are prone to many diseases.

A novice rabbit breeder needs to keep in mind that rabbits have very delicate skin; cages for keeping them should not have sharp protrusions and corners. If the animal does get injured, immediately disinfect the wound.

Rule 2. The right cage for rabbits

Unfortunately, one of the common mistakes of novice rabbit breeders is a careless attitude towards the living conditions of the animals. This issue should be taken more carefully. Although rabbits can be raised in kennels, cages, and pits, cages are best suited for indoor rabbit farming.

There are special standards for rabbit cages. The sensitivity of animals to colds requires the absence of drafts in their homes. There should also be no sudden changes in temperature; the average temperature that is suitable for rabbits is 12-18 degrees, with a humidity of 60-70%. The illumination of the cells should be close to natural, but without direct sunlight.

It is especially important to keep rabbits clean. Animal waste products must be regularly cleaned from cages, and the sanitary cleanliness of the home must be maintained. Rabbit feces and urine, when decomposed, release substances that can lead to illness and even death of the animals.

It is very important to know about the peculiarities of keeping them during the cold season. Frosty winters place special demands on the insulation of premises for breeding rabbits. The indoor rabbitry is heated more or less simply. But cages located outside need to be carefully insulated. Cover the floor with a thick layer of hay or straw, and cover the walls with plywood, not forgetting about ventilation. Without the threat of colds, rabbits quickly gain weight and grow healthy.

You can easily make a rabbit cage with your own hands, video below

Rule 3. Proper nutrition for rabbits

The basic rules for proper breeding of rabbits must include adequate nutrition. It doesn’t hurt for new rabbit breeders to immediately learn that rabbits are not at all unpretentious animals, including in relation to food. A monotonous diet will certainly lead to metabolic disorders, diseases and possible death of the animal. In any guide for a novice rabbit breeder, you will find that the diet of rabbits consists of hay, grain, fresh grass, various roots and branches. Of course, it is better to arrange food for rabbits according to a schedule, at the same hours. Regular nutrition is great for growth.

Today you can purchase specially developed feed for rabbits, enriched with microelements and vitamins. Starting from spring, fresh, slightly dried grass must be introduced into the animal’s diet. However, not all grass is suitable for feeding rabbits, because there are also herbs that contain toxic substances. Dry grass, hay and straw no longer contain poisons. An experienced rabbit breeder makes complex dishes for his pets from mixed feed, vegetables, grains with vitamin supplements.

Vitamins are of great importance for active growth and the formation of high-quality fur in animals. Vitamin supplements are of primary importance in winter, when there is no fresh, vitamin-rich grass. Fish and meat and bone meal are used as vitamin supplements. A little table salt should also be added to the rabbits' diet; without it, animals develop poorly. Under no circumstances should rabbits be allowed to eat foods with mold or the slightest signs of rotting - this is fatal for rabbits.

Rule 4. Breeding rabbits is unthinkable without healthy offspring

There is an opinion that the number of rabbits is increasing extremely quickly and the herd can grow tens of times in a year. Rabbits, indeed, reproduce actively, but achieving such an increase requires high labor efficiency from the farmer. General advice for beginners is this: you need to start rabbit breeding by purchasing several females from different litters; one male is enough. It is better to mate animals when they have already grown up and become stronger, that is, not earlier than 7–8 months of age, although sexual maturity occurs already at the age of 4 months.

Pregnancy in rabbits lasts from 27 to 33 days. Naturally, you need to take every possible care of the female so that she does not experience any stress. It is necessary to equip a nest out of hay. Just before giving birth, the female rabbit plucks fluff from her belly, thus preparing a nest. It is extremely important that there is always fresh water in the cage, otherwise the rabbit may eat the droppings.

They are blind, without hair, weigh about 50 grams. Due to the high fat content and nutritional content of mother's milk, after a week their weight doubles, and by the age of a month it already reaches 500 grams. They need special attention and care from their owners. For the first few weeks, it is necessary to ensure that all the rabbits are fed and that no one is outside the nest, as this is fraught with hypothermia and, as a result, the death of the baby. Although baby rabbits begin feeding at 3 weeks of age, it is advisable to keep them with their mother for a couple of months.

For young animals, a special diet should be provided - nutritious, light feed. Be sure to include vitamins, raw and boiled vegetables, and milk powder.

Instructive video about the correct purchase of rabbits. This is the personal experience of a person who encountered unscrupulous sellers.

The value of rabbits and the peculiarities of their breeding at home. Breeding rabbits at home Keeping rabbits at home

Where to begin

How to choose the right rabbits

Signs of healthy specimens:

Cell requirements:

Pros of pit housing:

Minuses:

Mating

Determination of pregnancy in rabbits

Feeding before mating

Feeding pregnant and lactating females

Why bother breeding rabbits?

What is needed for breeding?

Living quarters

Nutrition

Buying rabbits

Therapeutic prophylaxis against infection should be carried out on all rabbits without exception.

Read more about the necessary equipment for rabbit breeding

Cell

Equipment for slaughtering rabbits

Equipment for dressing skins

Construction of a pit

Features of rabbit breeding

Benefits of raising rabbits

Preparation for breeding

Breed selection

What to look for when purchasing

Preparing the premises

Feeding

Care

Grafting

How to make cells

For young animals

For a female rabbit with offspring

For large rabbits

Common mistakes of novice rabbit breeders

Video

Conclusion

Growing on private farms

Rabbit Breeding Information for Beginners

Keeping and breeding rabbits: what you need to know?

Main breeds of rabbits

Rule 1. Recognize the disease in time

Rule 2. The right cage for rabbits

Rule 3. Proper nutrition for rabbits

Rule 4. Breeding rabbits is unthinkable without healthy offspring