Which is better, broilers or rabbits? How to choose meat rabbits for breeding? Breeds of broiler rabbits
Rabbit breeding is becoming increasingly popular among farmers. These beautiful and fluffy animals reproduce and grow very quickly, bringing their owner delicious dietary meat. More than 20 breeds of rabbits are raised in our country today. Moreover, half of them relate to the meat sector. Many cafe and restaurant managers are happy to cooperate with farm owners whose main focus is rabbit breeding. After all, the meat of this fluffy animal is very juicy and tender in taste, and has excellent dietary properties.
Very arbitrary breeds of these animals can be divided into meat, meat-skin and skin-based. But in reality, the meat of any rabbit is quite successfully consumed by humans, and the skins are widely used in the fur industry.
The need to increase rabbit meat production in modern conditions led to a change in the technological process of raising rabbits. If previously only meat was considered large breeds rabbits, now preference is given to fast-growing meat rabbits - broilers. Such breeds, despite their much lower carcass weight, are actively displacing the giants. The increase in the volume of products obtained occurs due to the speed of turnover of raising animals.
As we can see, dividing meat rabbits into large and early ripening ones will be considered more accurate than dividing according to the directions of the products obtained.
Large rabbits or giants
These include:
General characteristics of giants
Representatives of these breeds very similar to each other. The average meat yield is 60%, and live weight starts from 5 kg. Rabbits of less weight are culled from the breeding herd. Mostly giants weigh 6–7 kg, but sometimes they can reach 8–12 kg.
All giants have a well-developed croup with powerful hind legs; it is in these places that the bulk of the body mass is concentrated. The body is from 60 to 75 cm long. The head is large and wide, has proportional characteristics in relation to the body. The cheeks are pronounced, developed, and clearly visible.
Some inexperienced rabbit breeders believe that it is more profitable to breed giants because of their large size. However, this opinion is erroneous, because these rabbits also have a number of disadvantages:
- Late puberty (mostly at 6–7 months, and in Flanders even at 8 months).
- Due to the large weight, there are problems with limb diseases.
- A necessity for keeping spacious cages with wooden floors.
- Giant rabbits are more voracious. They need a large amount of feed with increased protein content.
- A litter of 7–8 rabbits is considered small compared to representatives of other breeds.
- Problems arise during birth due to the large weight of the rabbits.
- Babies are often born with limb defects.
TO positive qualities giants include their calm disposition, excellent survival rate of rabbits, and excellent maternal qualities.
Giants have bad paws are protected by wool and therefore, with their large weight, pododermatitis may occur. Because of these problems, giant rabbits cannot live in cages with mesh floors.
The optimal option for keeping giant rabbits is a floor enclosure, and the usable area of such an enclosure should be larger than for ordinary rabbits. For good conditions For the vital activity of large breed animals, they require a living area of 100×110 cm per rabbit, but for a female rabbit with babies, the area of the enclosure needs to be increased by 1.5 times.
Owners of farms for raising giants, when keeping them in sheds (a certain number of cages arranged in the form of two-tier batteries), must take care to protect the rabbits' paws from abrasions. For these purposes, they are most often created floors made of wooden planks. In addition to the increased size of the cage area, their height must be at least 60 cm.
It is very important to regularly clean the cage from dirty bedding and disinfect it, which helps prevent diseases in rabbitries.
Feeding giants
A balanced diet enriched with protein and carbohydrates is a necessary source of nutrition for building muscle mass in animals. Young animals raised for breeding purposes do not require intensive fattening, so the basis of their diet is hay, consisting of grasses rich in phosphorus and calcium. But for the beef herd It is necessary to include concentrates, i.e. grain, in the diet.
Some farmers prefer to include whole grains in their diet for the most rich in carbohydrates(corn, barley). But many rabbit breeders prefer balanced feed, which you can prepare yourself. The following components must be included in the feed:
The rabbit should always have hay in the feeder. Alfalfa hay is richest in calcium.
Reproduction of giant rabbits
All representatives of giant rabbits are late ripening. Therefore, they are allowed to reproduce no earlier than the age of 8 months. If rabbits are kept for the development of a breeding herd, it is advisable to breed them from 10 months of age.
On average, female rabbits of these breeds give birth to 10–12 babies per litter. When breeding rabbits of meat breeds in open-air cages, it is necessary to lay a thick layer of hay on the floor, since it is from hay that rabbits build nests for breeding. The ideal option is a mixed bedding, when a layer of hay or straw is spread over a layer of sawdust.
Rabbits of the gray giant breed or white giant are more adapted to life in the Russian climate. And although European breeds are much larger, when breeding them, one must take into account the need to create more comfortable living conditions, which naturally affects increased costs. European breeds They tolerate cold much worse.
Broiler rabbit breeds
Broiler breeds include rabbits strictly for meat production. Breeding broilers is very easy today - These are the best meat breeds of rabbits.
Broilers include:
Features of keeping and diet of broiler rabbits
Broiler rabbits can live in any climatic conditions. They are considered frost-resistant, so they can be kept all year round outdoors in a cage.
Broiler rabbits They can have 3–5 litters per year, while producing 8–10 rabbits per litter. Females have a well-developed maternal instinct. The presence of a large amount of milk for feeding young animals allows the female of broiler breeds to raise even other people's rabbits.
Broiler rabbits are unpretentious to feed. But in order to fully satisfy your meat qualities, the diet must be balanced. It should include complete feed, hay and water. Moreover, hay should be used for nutrition all year round in order to eliminate transitions from one feed to another in the off-season. This diet allows you to avoid frequent stomach diseases. Oil meal, cakes, meat and fish meal should be given as feed additives.
Broiler rabbits are perfect for breeding in the country. The optimal breeding option will be if you have females of the New Zealand or Californian red breed and a male white or gray giant. Each female is capable of producing two offspring during the summer season. And young animals at three months from birth can already be sent to slaughter.
Remember that purchasing rabbits for breeding It is advisable to carry out on specialized breeding farms or with experienced rabbit breeders.
At the moment, raising chickens and other poultry in household conditions is a very profitable undertaking, and articles like do-it-yourself chicken feeders, photos, and original ideas are very relevant.
In order for chickens to be healthy, they must be fed correctly and in a timely manner. A modern farmer has a lot of tasks besides this; it is not always possible to devote a lot of time to this process. It is much easier to feed using special feeders that supply food automatically.
This article will present several possible ways manufacturing of such devices. Each of them can, in its own way, make life easier for the farmer and make the feeding process simpler.
A few examples of homemade chicken feeders
The most brilliant inventions, as usual, are the simplest. This is exactly the idea of building a feeder using a polypropylene pipe. A connecting elbow is attached to the required pipe, and we place this structure in the chicken coop. Feed is poured into the pipe itself from above, after which the upper end is closed.
By applying pressure, the feed is poured into the knee. The food eaten is replaced by another, which will be added from the pipe. The filling level in the other pipe will decrease. After several days, a new portion of food is added.
The following do-it-yourself chicken feeder, photo, original ideas for its creation surprised many people who are involved in poultry farming. It is called a "hopper type device."
A similar chicken feeder in special stores costs a lot of money. And if the farm is large, then you will need several such devices. There is a way to make such a device manually, while saving a decent amount of money.
To create such a feeder you will need a plastic bucket and playpen. Several holes are made at the bottom of the bucket, their number should be the same as in the playpen. The size of the holes should be such that the food can pour into the playpen without any problems. The pruning machine and the bucket are connected using mounting screws.
Food is poured into the device, after which the bucket is closed. The feeder itself is placed or hung on the surface in such a way that the bird has free access to the food. By properly securing the device, you don’t have to worry about feeding for several days.
To create a feeder of the third type you will need a small amount of time and the simplest materials will be enough.
Plastic container with a handle and wire, here's the one short list materials that will be needed to create the device.
The plastic container must be completely empty of contents, after which it must be washed several times and dried well. Insert the wire as shown in the figure and the whole feeder is ready.
The food is poured directly into the bottle.
The height of the side is about 10 cm so that the chickens have normal access to food.
Photo selection of original ideas for do-it-yourself chicken feeders
The fourth type of device is a plywood feeder. The type of this feeder is also a bunker type. To create a feeding device you will need a sheet of plywood. The required number of high walls are cut out of it to build the box. It must be done without the front part.
The height of the structure should be about ninety centimeters. This quantity allows you to fill in a sufficient amount of food at once. At the exit, the feed mixture should get stuck.
To make this possible, another piece of plywood is placed at the bottom of the structure, so that it has a certain slope towards the front. The feed should fall on the platform, which is located in front of the inclined plane.
A very significant problem with all home-made devices is the absence of any restrictions by which the feed supply is regulated, and which do not allow the bird to get inside the feeder and pour out all the food, thereby making it unsuitable for consumption.
But in this feeding device this problem is solved by means of special sides that regulate the supply of the feed mixture and prevent it from spilling out.
The front side should be at least six centimeters. The sides are side, approximately twice as large as the front. This simple trick will protect the food from spillage and spoilage.
Video: DIY chicken feeders - original ideas
These four ways to make chicken feeders with your own hands and photos of these original ideas will help you better manage your farm and make it more profitable and productive.
What size should broiler cages be?
Raising and keeping broilers at home is a very profitable process. With minimal costs, you can make a decent monetary profit. For those who want to save even more, it is worth setting up a bird cage using your own knowledge and available materials.
All your efforts will definitely pay off, since broiler chickens living in comfortable conditions gain weight much faster and are less susceptible to diseases.
Calculation process
If you have not done this before, then the process of making a cage for broilers should begin with the fact that you have to understand the instructions, which contain certain steps for creating a comfortable “home” for chickens.
So, let's move on to the process of making a drawing of the future design. All dimensions must be placed here. It is a correctly drawn up drawing that will allow you to understand the required volumes of building materials before construction begins.
Therefore, this part of the work must be approached more responsibly. If you do not have drawing knowledge, then it is worth forming approximate diagram dimensions in order to at least get an approximate calculation of the required volumes of building materials.
Then you can move on to the actual formation of the cell. To do this, you need to perform 6 racks. Their dimensions are 7x2 cm, and the length of each is 165 cm. Using 11 slats, form the racks into a frame. To do this, you will need to use 6 slats with a cross-section of 3x2 cm, 2 slats with dimensions of 5x2 cm, and 3 slats with a cross-section of 10x2 cm. Each slats used must have a length of 140 cm.
The video shows the dimensions of cages for broilers:
After this, you need to move on to creating the cage, or more precisely, to making the side walls of the structure. For these purposes, it is worth using plywood sheets, the dimensions of which are 57.5x30.5 cm. To produce pallets, you will need to prepare metal sheets.
What composition of feed for broilers is necessary and best to use. can be found in the article.
The dimensions of the pallets will be as follows:
To set up the cage you will also need a feeder and a drinker. They can be purchased separately in a store or made using metal plates. Today, experienced poultry farmers have actively begun to use automatic nipple drinkers. Thanks to them, broilers will always receive a lot of fresh and clean water. Brackets are used to fix the feeders.
Now you can move on to making the open part of the cage. In this case, it is worth using a grid with wide cells. This way, the bird will be able to stick its head into them without any problems and get food from the feeder. If the chickens will move around the cage, then small wheels should be attached to the bottom.
In addition, today cages with compartments that can accommodate 5-10 individuals, 15-20 and 25-30 are in great demand. Based on this, sizes may vary depending on the number of chicks you will keep in your cage. In addition, the design with compartments allows you to raise chickens separately.
In the video - DIY broiler cages (homemade):
The benefits of such content
Today it has become possible to raise broilers in cages even at home. But for this it is worth setting aside a bleaching room in which a cage with broilers and other necessary equipment will be installed. But raising broilers at home has certain advantages and disadvantages.
You can find out how broilers are raised by reading the article.
The advantages include:
- Compact keeping of birds, since it is necessary to use a minimum area.
- Easy to care for. Cleaning up litter and foreign debris is quite simple, because there are trays in the cage design for this purpose.
- Simplicity of design. The cage is very quick and easy to assemble with your own hands.
- When installing the cage, there is no contact with other birds, especially if several pets are kept in the same room.
- Food and water are always kept clean.
- The process of feeding livestock is simple, because the installation of feeders is carried out outside the cage.
The article contains photos of the breed of laying hens that produce the most eggs.
The video shows the size of a broiler cage for 30 heads:
The disadvantages include:
- Time spent producing a cell;
- The cage must be equipped with the necessary lighting and heating.
- for 10 heads – KK-10;
- for 20 heads – KK-20;
- for 30 heads – KK-30.
- admin to the entry Diseases of laying hens and their treatment: photos, causes, symptoms, treatment
- Lyudmila on Diseases of laying hens and their treatment: photos, causes, symptoms, treatment
- Evgeniya on Diseases of laying hens and their treatment: photos, causes, symptoms, treatment
- squirrel;
- cereals;
- special components;
- vitamin and mineral complexes.
- grain wheat – 13%;
- corn grain – 45%;
- meat and bone meal – 17%;
- yeast – 5%;
- sunflower cakes and meal – 17%;
- feed chalk, granulated grass meal – 3%;
- feed fat – 3%.
- 17 days? eight meals a day;
- 7-14 days? six times a day;
- 14 – 21 ? four times a day;
- From 28 days until slaughter? twice a day.
- Capacity. For small farms, farm models for 30-100 eggs are produced.
- Coup. The incubators from the manufacturer presented in our catalog carry out turning over several times a day automatically or mechanically, but it is also easy to choose a model with manual turning - its price will be lower.
- Built-in humidity meter. It is also necessary to maintain humidity inside the device - for this, in household versions, baths of water are placed at the bottom of each incubator. Waterfowl breeds are the most sensitive to humidity levels. To measure humidity, some models have a built-in hygrometer.
- Connect to a battery or other backup power source. If unscheduled power outages are possible, then to prevent the embryos from dying, you need to choose equipment that can be connected to a car battery or other energy source.
- Belgian giant (Flandres) - at sexual maturity, this breed is distinguished by males up to 6-8 kg, females up to 4-6 kg.
- Gray giant - this breed weighs on average 5-7 kg in live weight (adult).
- White giant – 4-6 kg (adult rabbit).
For different numbers of goals
Today, 3 types of cages for broiler chickens are in great demand. They are classified based on how many chickens you plan to raise. In this case, you can make a cage for 10, 20 and 30 individuals. Mesh is used as the main material. Thanks to it, it is possible to obtain sufficient ventilation and lighting.
The bird itself will have free access to the drinking bowl and feeder. Also, the cage is a relatively cheap but reliable material that, at a low price, perfectly performs its function. However, not every poultry farmer has the finances to purchase a ready-made design option. Therefore, it is worth taking up the construction of the cage yourself. To do everything yourself, you need to correctly determine the dimensions of the structure, taking into account the number of broiler chickens.
In order for chickens to actively gain weight and develop, it is worth making a cage that is easy to maintain. If he is talking about production structures, then they supply water and feed automatically. They also have a battery-shaped form. Such cages make it easy to keep birds, because they save space, bedding and feed.
What is the composition of feed for rabbits and in what quantities should it be fed during feeding is indicated in the article.
This article is suitable for beginner rabbit breeders.
The most common types of cells include:
For their manufacture, a mesh is used, thanks to which it is always possible to control access to water and feed. But this does not mean that you need to buy them. Today you can do everything with your own hands. The cage for keeping meat breeds of chickens should not be large. 10 individuals can fit per 1 m2.
As you have already seen, raising broiler chickens is not at all difficult if you can properly organize the room where the birds will be kept. The most important condition for their active growth is the correct cage, in which the necessary temperature and lighting will be maintained. Its dimensions should allow for close contact with other birds, and the design should provide free access to food and water.
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Compound feed for broilers: start, growth, finish
Broiler breeding is the most in an accessible way get a lot of meat. Chickens are raised both on private small farms and on an industrial scale. There are no problems with purchasing young animals; they are sold directly by the owners and representatives of poultry farms. So, feed for broilers start, grow, finish - what are the features of each?
Starter feed
Many poultry farmers are interested in the question of what is needed to quickly grow broiler poultry, which then produces a large yield of meat. You can count on receiving quality products only if the young animals are provided with balanced feeding from the very first day. It is from the hatching that the basic indicators of the livestock are laid down according to breed standard. If at this time you do not devote yourself close attention diet, then good performance there is no point in waiting.
Any feed of proper quality contains minerals, vitamins and nutritional components in the right amount, which influence proper development young animals What is starter feed, which is used from the first day of a chicken’s existence?
Starter feed is fed to young animals until 14 days after hatching. Despite the fact that each manufacturer has its own food recipe, the main components remain unchanged:
The main element is crushed corn grain, which is involved in the formation of the skeletal bones of chicks, plays a big role in increasing muscle mass and promotes good performance digestive system. Some manufacturers include vitamin and mineral components, essential sets of amino acids and antioxidants, fats of vegetable origin, baking soda, fish meal, feed phosphate, and limestone in their starter feed.
Growth feed
After 14 days, the young animals are transferred to growth compound feed, which serves to gain muscle mass in broilers.
It has significant differences from the starting one. First of all, it's grinding. Thanks to larger granules, the time it takes to absorb food increases.
Secondly, it should be noted that growth compound feed is used as food for grown-up chickens. It differs from the starter in the presence of lysine, meat and bone meal and oil plant origin. Growth broiler feed consists of the following ingredients:
In order for broilers to develop properly, you should not feed them with one compound feed. You need to mix boiled chopped eggs, herbs, and curds. Then offal, onion feathers, dandelion leaves, and waste from the fishing industry are introduced. All this is added to the feed mixture.
To calculate how much feed is needed per broiler, you need to know how much food they consume on average per day. Daily consumption of growth compound feed? this is a volume equal to 90–120 grams (the amount increases as the young animals grow older). It is important to know that in addition to feed, livestock need drinking bowls with clean water placed indoors. In the first few days after hatching, chickens can be given a light solution of potassium permanganate to avoid digestive upset.
Finishing feed
It is used at the final stage of fattening broilers; it becomes practically the only food for this time. The biggest food costs come during this period. The raised livestock is fed in such a way that in a short time it is possible to obtain maximum amount meat products, which will recoup all costs. Finish feed is given from 28 days until slaughter.
This food contains the following components:
Such components provide intensive weight gain for the bird. No matter what feed is used, how it is distributed plays a big role. Proper distribution and installation of feeders? important factors that determine how well broilers gain weight.
No less important issue is also the frequency of feeding of young animals. How many times a day should broilers receive food in order to eventually gain the weight required for slaughter? The feeding rate is calculated taking into account age characteristics. During the pre-launch and starting stages, bone formation and intensive weight gain occur. Based on this, the multiplicity should be as follows:
Feeding a broiler flock involves considerable financial costs, but they are fully compensated by the sale of meat products. The main thing is that the diet is balanced.
Making your own feed
Compound feeds supplied for sale are quite expensive. In this case, you can prepare everything on the farm. Such food will be of high quality and made from natural ingredients.
To prepare, you will need a grain crusher and a container into which the feed will be mixed.
Egg incubators
An egg incubator is household or professional equipment for artificially rearing poultry. The equipment allows you to regulate temperature and humidity - the parameters are set depending on the type of bird, and is included with each device detailed instructions. Our online store offers incubators from the manufacturer - direct cooperation with plants and factories provides customers with affordable prices and a guarantee of excellent quality. We are official representatives of Nest, a company that creates high-tech equipment for farmers.
Main characteristics
A huge number of models from domestic companies and foreign factories are available for sale. How not to get confused in the assortment and buy egg incubators that meet your requirements and wishes? Our consultants are always ready to help you, but making the right choice is not difficult. To do this, it is enough to take into account 4 parameters:
Buying an incubator in an online store is much easier and more convenient. Our online store specializes in the sale of egg incubators in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Cheboksary. We also deliver equipment to Yoshkar-Ola, Balashikha and Naberezhnye Chelny. Each model has its own warranty period, and in addition, we select only the best equipment for our range!
Dimensions of a queen cell for a rabbit with your own hands: drawings. Dimensions of queen cell for large breed rabbits
Any novice rabbit breeder expects that the natural ability of rabbits to reproduce offspring with a high degree of fertility will be pleasing to the eye and generate income or provide dietary meat in the diet. However, rabbits are quite capricious to care for, especially if you choose a hybrid broiler breed: Flanders or Giant. They are more sensitive to infections and drafts, especially for newborn rabbits.
Rabbit breeds
The positive aspects of breeding rabbits are that they are fertile and clean, therefore, organizing proper care, problems can be completely avoided. However, if you have chosen a large breed of rabbit, it is worth knowing about some of the nuances of their breeding.
Breeds of rabbits are large broiler (they reach in rare cases even 18-20 kg in weight), medium (up to 6-7 kg) and decorative (these babies are often kept as an apartment animal, because much space is not required to place a cage, and the size of the queen cell for a rabbit is also very compact). They are classified according to the color and quality of the fur, the volume of achievable weight, and some breed-specific characteristics.
Queen cell for decorative rabbits
If you keep a small decorative rabbit (more precisely, a female rabbit) in an apartment or house and are going to get offspring from her, you must take into account her complete safety and the protection of her brood from other pets. To ensure that future rabbits do not fall through the bars of the cage when they are born, it is necessary to provide a special room where the female rabbit can give birth to them and leave them for the time she needs to leave. This room is called a queen cell for rabbits; its size should not be large, this is not necessary, but the comfort of such a home for the coming weeks should be respected for the rabbits.
Raising broiler rabbits
The most popular among rabbit breeders are meat and fur breeds; many prefer to raise rabbits for meat, so they choose a large meat breed.
Among the most popular large meat types:
What to consider when breeding large breed rabbits
Large rabbits are characterized by such characteristics as a phlegmatic character, relatively low fertility, and late maturation. It should be taken into account that such rabbits need large cages, and accordingly, the size of the queen cell for rabbits of large breeds should be larger. In addition, the diet of rabbits bred for meat must include proteins so that they gain weight more intensively; they are quite demanding about the cleanliness of their cells. Usually the dimensions of the queen cell for rabbits, the drawings of which illustrate regular box with a convenient entrance, depend on whether breeding is planned all year round or only in the warm season. On the one hand, it is advisable to create conditions for the birth of offspring in the warm season for the reasons that it is easier to feed both the mother, who feeds babies with milk for up to two months, and the grown offspring. Often rabbits that drink their mother's milk are slaughtered for meat at the age of two months. Leaving it to grow young rabbit who has been fed the rabbit's milk for a longer period of time can survive in the winter, he has a strong immune system. On the other hand, if space allows, and breeding is planned year-round, the size of the queen cell for the rabbit should also take into account the cold season. Such a queen cell should have good walls with insulation.
Summer queen cell
If you make queen cells for rabbits with your own hands, their sizes vary depending on the breed and, first of all, on the size of the rabbit. On average, they have the following parameters: side walls 350 mm by 400 mm, front and rear walls 500 mm by 300 mm. The bottom and top cover will also be 500 mm by 300 mm in size. Building a box is not difficult, the only thing you need to consider is to make a large enough hole in the front wall so that on one side the rabbit enters the queen cell and gets into the nest, and on the other side there are baby rabbits in this nest. If it is difficult to make the entrance round, like a hole, then it is quite possible to make it rectangular: the main thing is to provide a side in the design of the queen cell so that the small rabbits do not fall out of the queen cell, accidentally falling out of the nest.
Rules for caring for newborn rabbits
Rabbits are born, like all mammals, blind and practically without hair, so their body is weak and susceptible to infections and drafts. This is exactly what should be avoided in the first days: do not touch the baby rabbits with your hands so that the mother does not reject them because of the foreign smell, do not open them without urgent need queen cell and prevent cold and drafts from entering the nest. The rabbit will remove any survivors from the litter herself. As for what size the queen cell for rabbits should be for year-round breeding, there are some subtleties.
How to insulate the walls of a queen cell
If you use the classic design of a rectangular box, the lid can be placed on top along the entire width, or it can be placed on the side, in front. The winter queen cell for rabbits is, accordingly, larger in size due to the insulation, which runs along the perimeter of the cage and the bottom in a separate layer. Small sawdust and wood shavings are used as insulation. Sawdust is packed very tightly between two pieces of plywood that make up one wall. You can also use polystyrene foam, and replace the outer part of the plywood with another, cheaper option. The dimensions of the queen cell for a rabbit on the inside will be 2-3 cm larger in width, only all the details will need to be cut out in double quantity, each of the walls and floor will require two parts. Outer side will be equipped with additional slats that fasten the walls; each pair of parts will be fastened together with blocks 2-3 cm thick, depending on the width you choose for the insulation.
Standard queen cell sizes for rabbits, drawings, recommendations
Usually they use a rectangular queen cell with a side entrance for the rabbit, which is installed directly in the cage. The queen cell is subsequently removed from it, and the female rabbit with her brood remains and feeds the babies, who are already quite adapted to independent life.
If a rabbit breeder is simultaneously waiting for several females to join the rabbit family, it is advisable to place queen cells in such a way that the side walls are in contact, and the entrance to them is in the front, while the nest is located under back wall. It is very practical to use whole wall heating during particularly cold months. And you can do it with the help of a light bulb placed in the niche of each queen cell, formed by an unfilled cavity for insulation, between two plywood walls. It turns out that the nest will be warm, and the rabbits will survive even in the cold. What size should a queen cell be for rabbits if a light bulb is used as insulation? Taking as a basis the dimensions of the queen cell for the rabbit, which you are making for the summer period, you need to add 7 cm to its length, using this space for the cavity for the light bulb. The only concern will be to regularly check whether the light bulb has burned out due to the 24-hour heating.
Fiberboard is not suitable for the material; the rabbit, being on the eve of giving birth, can chew through all the thin sheets, so it is recommended to make them from plywood: this material is good in use.
Modern rabbit breeders raise more than 200 species of these attractive animals. Many of them are bred for aesthetic pleasure, others - to obtain valuable fur and skins. However, the most profitable direction in rabbit breeding is food. Popular , which are characterized by precociousness, rapid growth rates and developed muscle mass.
When choosing a breed for breeding, you need to take into account that there are differences between them, namely:
- by fat content of meat;
- according to taste characteristics;
- in terms of productivity.
By selecting the right breed, which is characterized by early maturity and accelerated growth, the breeder will receive a good profit. When giving preference to a breed of meat rabbits, you should first of all focus on broilers.
Review and characteristics of the meat rabbit breed
There are three main breeds of meat production, namely:
- New Zealand red rabbit.
- New Zealand white rabbit.
- California rabbit.
Let us consider the description and productive characteristics of each breed of broiler rabbits separately.
Photo: New Zealand red rabbit. New Zealand red rabbit- This is one of the most popular and widespread breeds that have been grown for more than 100 years. The New Zealand red rabbit was bred by breeders from America back in 1910. The breed was obtained for the purpose of industrial breeding to meet the increased demand for rabbit meat. Geneticists based the breed on wild rabbits and Belgian hares. The bred breed was called the New Zealand Red rabbit, and was distinguished by its fast growth and fleshy build.
The animal has brown-red, short and thick fur. There are red-yellow and bright red individuals, less often fiery ones. The fur of the New Zealand Red rabbit is highly valued for its high quality. His fur is hard, thick, and shiny. Its length is about 3-4 cm, covering the entire body of the animal evenly and completely. Therefore, many fashion designers prefer to use the skins of this furry animal when sewing outerwear.
The New Zealand rabbit has a small body and a short muzzle. The fleshy ears are about 12 cm long and their eyes are dark brown. New Zealand red animals have very well developed muscles chest and backs. The legs are short, but quite strong and muscular.
The weight of an adult male is about 4 kg. Females are slightly larger and weigh about 5 kg. The rabbit's body is long, about 50 cm. The animal easily tolerates adverse weather conditions. In terms of nutrition, he is absolutely not picky; he eats almost any food offered by his owner.
There are no great difficulties in keeping and breeding New Zealand mammals of the breed, especially in the summer. Many breeders place the furry animal in portable cages in which the rabbits graze on grass. After it is eaten, the cell is transferred to a new location. It is important to provide the animal with sufficient and high-quality nutrition, which can include the following foods, namely:
- hay and twig food;
- compound feed;
- roots;
- seasonal feed.
It is important to provide a variety of foods that include vitamins and minerals, as well as protein.
Female rabbits are distinguished by their fertility and high milk production. At one time, the female gives birth to about 7 healthy rabbits and copes with feeding them on her own. The babies grow very quickly and gain weight well.
When raising red rabbits, it is important to consider that this is a rather timid animal that is frightened by any loud sounds, and even bright light. Pets and fast-moving people lead to stress, which leads to loss of appetite. Four-legged animals begin to get sick, especially if the listed irritating factors influence them constantly.
Photo: New Zealand white rabbit. Broiler breeds can be supplementedNew Zealand white rabbit,which is bred for valuable skins and dietary meat. This breed of rabbit is the most profitable in terms of meat products. White fluffy animals are distinguished by their calm nature, friendly disposition and resistance to stress factors. New Zealand rabbits are decorated with snow-white wool without any inclusions. The head is small, the eyes are pink. Thin, hairy and erect ears are about 10-13 cm long. The compact body is 47-50 cm long. The live weight of males reaches about 4-5 kg.
Raising New Zealand White rabbits is very profitable. These animals are leaders in early maturity and growth. Females are capable of mating and giving birth to rabbits from 4.5 months. One female rabbit brings about 8 rabbits. The young grow at such an intensive rate that at 3 months of age one individual weighs about 2.8 kg. Conducted studies show that if animals are fed with high-quality and concentrated feed, then for the consumed 3 kg of feed, the meat gain will be 1 kg. Moreover, the meat of New Zealand rabbits does not contain fat.
Photo: Californian rabbit. California rabbit- representative of broilers. The hybrid was developed when breeders worked with the following breeds, namely:
- Russian Gornostaeva;
- New Zealand white;
- Soviet chinchilla.
This breed of rabbit is ideal for breeding on large farms or on small private estates, at home.
California rabbits are easily recognized by their unusual color. Most of the body is colored White color. Only long ears and the nose, paws and tail are dark brown. The meat lumbar region of the rabbit with well-developed muscles is especially valued by breeders. The bones of California breed rabbits are thin and light, the chest is wide and muscular.
According to the original plan of the breeders, the breed was bred to obtain good and high-quality skins, so the animals’ fur is thick and shiny. California rabbits are classified as meat breeds, but are excellent for breeding to obtain high-quality fur and leather.
The weight of an adult, 7-month-old rabbit is about 5 kg. However, the period of intensive growth ends at 5 months, when the live weight of the animal is about 4 kg. It is during this period that many breeders decide to send the animal for slaughter, since it is no longer practical to keep it.
We invite you to watch a video about broiler rabbits:
Broiler rabbits are especially popular among farmers; it is thanks to them that they can make more profit from farming. Tasty, tender rabbit meat is in demand among buyers, which is why most breeders give preference to breeding meat rabbits.
Features of meat breeds
Broiler rabbits are the result of painstaking work of breeders from different countries. They were bred on the basis of existing breeds, which were distinguished by rapid weight gain and a strong constitution. Rabbits belonging to meat breeds do not necessarily have large body dimensions. Often their weight does not exceed 5 kg, but they quickly increase their mass, which makes it possible to quickly bring them to slaughter condition. One of the advantages of such breeds is the fertility of females. They bring up to 10 rabbits in a litter.
Attention! The slaughter yield of broiler meat is 57-60%.
Popular varieties of meat:
- New Zealand white;
- white pannon;
- California rabbit;
- white giant;
- gray giant;
- Flanders;
- Risen.
New Zealand white
The breed was obtained in the USA in 1916. To breed it, albino New Zealand red rabbits and Flanders rabbits were used. Thanks to their ancestors, the animals inherited white fur and a well-fed constitution. After 1958, the animals were brought to England, from where they spread to other countries.
Characteristics:
- a short muscular body of a cylindrical shape, its length is 44-46 cm;
- the head is small, the muzzle protrudes slightly forward;
- the ears are erect, straight, with rounded ends, their length is 10-11 cm;
- the back is wide;
- the chest is well developed, there is no dewlap;
- shortened neck;
- limbs are strong;
- the average weight of animals is 4-5 kg;
- color white.
The advantages of the New Zealand rabbit are obvious - baby rabbits grow rapidly. By three months, their weight reaches 2.8 kg; for comparison, gray giants at this age weigh 2.3 kg. For every kilogram of weight gain, 3 kg of concentrates are consumed. Another advantage of the breed is that New Zealand white rabbits are very fertile and have high milk production. There can be up to 12 cubs in a litter.
Attention! New Zealand white rabbits are considered one of the most profitable meat products. The slaughter yield is 55-58%, and the clean meat in one conditioned carcass is 75%.
White pannon
The White Pannon breed was bred in Hungary, and the basis was taken from white giants, New Zealand and Californian rabbits. Farmers speak highly of these animals due to their rapid growth and good fertility. According to them, the slaughter yield of meat from the white pannon rabbit is 58-60%.
Characteristics:
- strong build, thin bones;
- small neat head;
- ears are wide, rounded at the ends, length – 10 cm;
- the croup is round, fleshy;
- limbs are strong middle length;
- wool up to 3 cm long, white;
- the weight of an adult is 4.5-5 kg.
The animals have a calm and friendly character, which can also be attributed to the advantages of the breed. Female rabbits bring up to 8 cubs per litter. Babies are born weighing 45 grams, but grow rapidly due to the high milk production of females. For every kilogram of body weight gain, farmers spend 4.2 feed units. The daily weight gain is 40 g. Rabbits reach standard weight already at the age of 75 -90 days.
California rabbit
This breed was bred by American breeders in California. The ancestors of California rabbits are New Zealand, chinchilla and Himalayan males and females. It is not difficult to recognize the Californian rabbit - its fur is white, and dark spots are present only on the paws, nose and ears of the animal.
Attention! Until two months of age, rabbits of this breed remain white; darkening of the coat appears later.
Characteristics:
- the body is elongated and wide, the muscle corset is well defined;
- the head is small, slightly elongated;
- ears of medium length and regular shape;
- paws are strong;
- the croup is round;
- the fur is thick and soft;
- body length – 48-53 cm;
- weight – 4.5-5.5 kg.
The productivity of these animals is excellent - at three months of age, the rabbits weigh 2.7 kg. They are sent for slaughter at 5 months, when their growth slows down. At this point, the body weight of the animals increases to 4 kg. The slaughter yield is 60%, with about 80% of the carcass being pure meat, the rest being bones and fat. The fertility of females is also on high level– there are 9 babies in a litter, and mothers readily take care of them.
Attention! According to the knockdown index, the Californian rabbit occupies a leading position among broiler breeds. It is 60-64%.
White giant
White giants were created by German breeders based on Flanders, but when they came into Soviet Union, it turned out that these animals are not adapted to the local climate. There was a need to carry out additional crosses with gray giants and Soviet chinchillas, from which only albinos were selected.
The resulting breed showed best qualities. Already at 5 months, rabbits are ready for slaughter; at this moment the weight of the animals is 4-4.2 kg. Females are fertile and exhibit good maternal qualities.
Characteristics:
- body length – 60 cm;
- the chest is massive, deep, and reaches 37 cm in girth;
- the fur is pure white without inclusions;
- the eyes are red (the iris is devoid of pigment);
- the back is wide;
- The croup is fleshy and round in shape;
- slaughter yield – 56%.
Important! In Russia, white giants are raised for meat and skins, as their fur is also highly valued.
Gray giant
In general, the gray giant in Russia is classified as a meat-and-skin rabbit. These animals do not gain weight so quickly, but are distinguished by their large body size and dense muscle mass. The breed was bred by Ukrainian scientists on the basis of Flanders and local outbred rabbits in Ukraine.
Attention! One of the advantages of the gray giant breed is resistance to disease.
Characteristics:
- extended body;
- wide back;
- chest circumference – 35-40 cm;
- body length 56-60 cm;
- weight of an adult male – 5-7 kg;
- the color is gray-hare, there is a dark stripe along the back, the toes and belly are light;
- a medium-sized head with V-shaped erect massive ears.
Gray giants reach slaughter condition at the age of 4.5-5 months; their further maintenance is impractical. Females are allowed to mate at 6-7 months and give birth to up to 8 young rabbits in one litter.
Flanders
Flanders rabbits at one time became the progenitors of most broiler breeds. They were bred in Belgium. Animals are not distinguished by rapid growth and weight gain, but they are impressive in their gigantic size.
Attention! Representatives of this breed are included in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest rabbits in the world.
Characteristics:
- large skull;
- cheeks convex;
- well-furred, long and wide ears(17-19 cm);
- body length – 65-70 cm;
- weight – 7-10 kg (the record holder weighs 25 kg);
- color grey, silver, fawn, opal, black, coat length is 3.5 cm.
Flanders females give birth to up to 6 young rabbits and readily care for them. The disadvantages of the breed include the late onset of puberty - at 7-8 months, as well as the need to organize free space. Rabbits are heavy, so it is not recommended to keep them on a mesh floor.
Attention! The slaughter yield from a Flander carcass barely reaches 55%, since it has a heavy head, bones and skin.
Risen
The Riesen meat rabbit was bred in Germany. It is often used to create new breeds and improve the meat qualities of existing ones. Animals are adapted to the climate of the middle zone.
Characteristics:
- large and stocky body;
- large head, prominent cheeks;
- the ears are long - from 13 to 20 cm, wide, covered with short fur;
- well developed muscular system;
- wide chest;
- powerful limbs;
- body length reaches 75 cm;
- chest circumference – 42 cm;
- weight of an adult male – 7-11 kg;
- color – agouti, blue, dark gray, hare, sand;
- coat length -3.5-4 cm.
Like other large breeds, Risen rabbits become sexually mature late. They can happen at 8 months, but female rabbits are fertile, bringing 7-9 babies per litter. Rabbits are raised for up to 4 months, after which they are slaughtered, as their growth then slows down and it becomes unprofitable to feed them. The slaughter yield from a Rizen carcass is 52-55%.
Broiler rabbits are profitable farming through the sale of their meat. The main difference between these breeds is the rapid growth of the rabbits. Broiler rabbit meat is tasty and healthy; it is included in children's menus and is often used as a first choice. meat feeding. To decide on the choice of breed for breeding, you need to study the characteristics of each of them, find out what living conditions should be provided to the animals, and what to feed them. The success of farming depends on the knowledge acquired.