Beginning rabbit breeders face many questions related to keeping animals, breeding and arranging cages. But one of the main tasks is choosing a variety. In this case, it is better to give preference to a species that does not require compliance with difficult conditions during cultivation. This list includes the California rabbit. The breed has good productivity, unpretentiousness and a high survival rate of rabbits.
Distinctive features of the breed
Characteristics of Californians should begin with their unique color. The body of the animal is covered with soft white fur without tint impurities; the remaining parts, tail, paws and nose are black in tone. The spots are outlined with a clear outline. The gas of individuals of this breed is a rich red color. These signs make it easy to distinguish the variety from others, even from a photo.
Californians are too distinctive in appearance to be confused with any other breed.
The cylindrical body has non-standard proportions. For example, the cervical vertebrae of rabbits is very short, and the paw length also does not differ, while they are quite voluminous, which is not typical for the Zaitsev family. But the Californian rabbit meets all the criteria for meat species.
There may be representatives of this species on sale that have brown spots instead of black ones. This does not mean that the rabbits are culled from the breed; even with such external parameters, they fully correspond to the description of the breed.
At birth, young animals may have a pure white color; in this case, spots will appear a little later, after 2-4 weeks of age. For livestock breeders who want to buy a California rabbit for the purpose of participating in exhibitions, an important factor in the choice is external parameters, or more precisely, their shortcomings. The list of disadvantages includes:
- hanging elongated ears with a size greater than 135 mm;
- leather with a rather sparse wool covering;
- a large spot in the nose area reaching the lower border of the eyes;
- other black spots may form.
Productivity
With proper maintenance of Californian breed rabbits, their weight by six months will vary between 4.5-4.7 kg. For a more detailed analysis of growth, you should consider the table of weight gain by month:
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Age in months |
Weight, kg |
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At birth |
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When the animal reaches seven months of age, it reaches almost its maximum weight, so during this period it would be advisable to send it for slaughter. As a result, more than 60% of the meat product comes out, of which 85% is allocated to pure meat, 2-3% to the fat layer and the rest to the skeletal system.
As for the fertility of female rabbits, in one litter they breed up to 10 units of young animals. Females have a well-developed maternal instinct, so she will treat them with care and carefully feed them throughout the entire time she lives with the rabbits. One female rabbit can produce up to 36 rabbits per year.
When buying California rabbits, you need to know everything about maintenance costs and their payback. Naturally, there are more productive varieties, but here the whole benefit lies precisely in the minimal investment in raising animals.
Due to their unpretentiousness in care, individuals do not require the creation of certain living conditions or the use of expensive feed. It is enough to correctly prepare the diet, properly arrange the cages and follow the breeding recommendations. It is also necessary to note the precocity of animals; they reach their maximum weight already at 5-7 months, when other varieties acquire the same weight by 9 months or a year.
Rules for keeping and caring for the California rabbit
Californians are considered a fairly easy breed to care for as they easily adapt to different climatic conditions. Animals will feel the same both in severe cold and hot summer. The animals are kept in compact cages, the area of which must correspond to the calculation - 0.3 m 2 of territory is needed for one individual, and in the case of a queen cell, a house with a size of 0.4 m 2 will be sufficient.
When distributing rabbits over a grid block, they must be housed taking into account their age category. If representatives of Zaitsevs of the same age live in one department, it will become easier for the rabbit breeder to organize the diet and provide veterinary services.
If you plan to breed rabbits only for meat, then keeping them in pits will help reduce the cost of organizing cages. They are quite easy to create, and the living conditions for the animals will be as close as possible to natural ones.
A pit with dimensions of 200x200x100 cm is made, the walls are carefully strengthened with slate or concrete, and a pallet of boards or mesh is placed on the bottom. The pit itself is surrounded by a small fence and a roof is laid on top.
For this variety, breeding in a pit is preferable, but provided that cleaning is carried out regularly, the feeders and drinkers will be well-groomed
California rabbits will dig their own burrows, mate, and raise their young. The livestock breeder only needs to regularly feed the tribe, change drinking bowls and select suitable animals for selection.
In this case, one thing needs to be taken into account - closely related sexual relations should not be allowed, this can lead to degeneration of the rabbits. Here generations are simply selected as they reach puberty and replaced with others.
VIDEO: Breeding rabbits in a pit, but not in a pit
Feeding rabbits
To increase the growth efficiency of Californian rabbits, they need to be fed with feed mixtures containing protein. In addition to this component, the food should contain fish and bone meal, and milk and other protein supplements would also be useful. This will ensure not only the fastest growth of rabbits, but also strengthen their musculoskeletal system. In the summer, individuals are given grass food.
Animals need to be fed at least 2 times a day so that there is always food in the feeder. If it is clearly noticeable that the rabbit does not finish the portion, you can reduce its volume, but do not skip this stage. Some rabbit breeders, for unknown reasons, practice feeding every other day, even in the cold season. This is fundamentally wrong - the animal should always have plenty of food, water, grass or hay.
Animal diet
The spring diet includes hay, grain crops, mixed feed, and root vegetables. In summer, the main emphasis is on grass - fresh, but slightly dried in the sun - they pick the grass in the morning, give it in the evening and vice versa.
Freshly cut grass, especially with morning dew, is strictly prohibited. This provokes diseases, most of which lead to the death of the animal.
In the summer heat, animals practically do not eat, but they drink a lot of water, so the drinking bowls must be full and clean. And so, rabbits are absolutely unpretentious in food; you can feed any cultivated and weedy vegetation, especially dandelions - this is their favorite delicacy. They love young nettles, but they must be beaten off so that they do not burn the mucous membranes, sorrel, burdock, etc.
Do not give poisonous grass. Adults simply cannot touch it, but young animals will even try out of curiosity.
Dangerous grass for rabbits:
- celandine,
- hemlock,
- black henbane,
- foxglove (digitalis),
- poisonous buttercup,
- white hellebore,
- lily of the valley,
- delphinium,
- Colchicum,
- raven eye
After rain, melted snow, or dew, freshly cut grass should not be given, especially to young animals.
For winter, hay, fodder root crops, grain and feed mixtures will be enough.
It is beneficial to use for feeding, especially if the herd numbers more than 50 animals, factory-made compound feed, which includes:
- peas,
- soybean and sunflower meal;
- oats;
- wheat;
- corn;
- herbal flour with the addition of peas and oats;
- wheat bran,
- feed chalk;
- meat and bone meal;
- premixes,
- DL-methionine feed,
- amino acid lysine,
- Sacox 120.
This composition of the concentrated feed is determined by GOST 32897-2014 “Compound feed for fur-bearing animals, rabbits and nutria”
An approximate diet for the cold season should include:
- 35% fresh hay;
- 25% barley,
- 15% corn,
- 5% bran,
- 20% sunflower seeds.
In summer and in the first ten days of autumn, 70% dried greens and 30% sunflower seeds and corn in equal parts.
There are no fundamental differences in feeding Californians from other breeds. The same rules for compiling a diet and the same requirements regarding quality, temperature and frequency.
Breeding California rabbit
If you are planning large-scale breeding of Californian rabbits, to purchase a family breed, it is better to contact breeders specialized in raising this particular breed. Also, an equally important factor in choosing a seller is the presence of animals from different related lines.
By five months, the young are ready to mate. On average, the lifespan of animals reaches 10 years, so investments in purchasing females and males for breeding will definitely be justified by large profits. One healthy California rabbit will be enough to fertilize 3-4 female rabbits. One female produces 8-10 rabbits. Mature individuals can be used for mating for up to 5 years in a row.
How to choose
California rabbits are susceptible to stress. Even if you buy a healthy individual, it may not survive the move to another place, and as a result it will die. To eliminate this possibility, when choosing an animal you should pay attention to the following factors:
- factory conditions of detention - if possible, identical ones should be created;
- activity - the more physical activity a California rabbit exhibits, the more resistant it is to stress;
- appearance - inspect the selected individual, it should not have any discharge from the nasal cavity, also check the area under the tail and ears for cleanliness;
- correspondence of size and weight - females or males with insufficient weight are most likely not fully fattened or kept in inappropriate conditions. Such Californians will not be able to produce healthy offspring.
VIDEO: Content Rules
For a farmer, the weight of rabbits is the main indicator of production productivity. Among other domestic animals, they are the fastest growing. On average, by 4-5 months, pets grow by 65%, and after about 8-10 months, long-eared animals gain the maximum weight characteristic of a particular species. What are the rates of development in different breeds, how much should rabbits weigh at certain periods of life, and what weight is considered normal for adults - you will learn from this article.
Livestock growth dynamics
Newborn eared rabbits of different breeds can weigh a rabbit depending on their age. Born blind and hairless, thanks to mother's milk, in the first 25-28 days of life (about 4 weeks), the rabbit's weight increases approximately 10 times. Then the growth rate decreases slightly. But over the next three to four months, intense weight gain is observed.
By 4-5 months, animals reach sexual maturity, gaining approximately 65-70% of the average adult rabbit weight. At this age, individuals weigh about 3.5 kg.
Long-eared animals produce the maximum number of kilograms by 9-10 months of life. There are minor differences depending on the breed. They must be studied in order to achieve the goal for which the farmer organizes a rabbit farm.
What determines quality weight gain?
Farm productivity is directly related to the rate at which the animals gain weight. This component of success can be influenced by taking into account the following parameters:
- natural characteristics of the breed;
- hereditary qualities of the livestock;
- maternal qualities of the female;
- living conditions created for animals;
- quality and diet;
- properly conducted perinatal and infant periods.
When planning farming activities, the owner needs to decide for what purpose the rabbits will be raised. If the direction of farming is only meat, meat types of animals are needed.
If a farmer plans to produce meat and skins, then the livestock for breeding must be selected accordingly. Giant breed rabbits show the best weight gain results at minimal cost.
What are the largest rabbits?
Giant rabbits grow faster than others: Flanders, white giant, French ram, Californian and New Zealand white. Breeding these species is profitable for several reasons. The first is the precocity of these breeds and rapid growth rates in comparison with others.
In addition, giants easily adapt to any living conditions and even tolerate unfavorable cold weather. Having strong immunity to a wide range of diseases, these rabbits can reproduce well. In one litter, a giant female usually has 10 babies.
By the 3rd month of life, giant rabbits weigh more than 2.5 kg. An adult giant breed rabbit weighs 5-7 kg.
Of course, each variety of eared animals has its own developmental characteristics over the months. Below is a table with detailed information on how much a rabbit weighs depending on age:
Characteristics of different breeds
Certain types of long-eared animals can be used for different results in production. There are only meat ones - they weigh a lot, they gain it quickly and easily. If rabbits are downy, then weight gain is not so important. But there are also combined breeds. They perform well in meat production and successfully produce fluff or good skin.
The minimum weight of adult animals for meat production is 4.5-5 kg. The maximum weight of representatives of this species is 10-12 kg. On average, adult animals raised for meat grow to 6-7 kg. At the same time, at three months of age, the live weight of baby rabbits is approximately 40-45% of the weight of an adult, which is equal to 2.5-2.7 kg.
Adult representatives of meat-and-down breeds weigh on average 5 kg, reaching approximately the same figures as meat breeds by three months - 2.5-2.7 kg.
Downy breeds are the lightest. Adults barely reach 3.5-4 kg; at 3-4 months they barely reach 2 kg.
What can influence the rate of weight growth
There is a relationship between the time of year and the mass of animals. Rabbit breeders have come to a consensus that the time of birth affects the growth rate of the baby rabbit. It was noticed that individuals born in winter or early spring develop much faster than those born in the summer-autumn period.
Different types of rabbits develop differently. But on average, from about 80 days of life, feed costs begin to increase significantly.
Representatives of absolutely all varieties of the hare family stop growing, gaining maximum weight after 10 months. As a rule, only fertile females and breeding males are kept until this age. The remaining individuals end their existence by 4 months.
How does milk production affect a rabbit's growth?
The growth rate of baby rabbits is affected by the milk supply of the female. If a female rabbit has high-quality milk in sufficient quantities, if she responsibly approaches the process of feeding her offspring, then the rate of weight gain of the rabbits will be very high. And not only during the suckling period, but also after separation from the mother.
A summer birth gives the rabbit more complete milk than a spring birth. During the first birth, the female's milk production will be lower than in subsequent ones. The highest indicators can be manifested only in the third lactation.
The best milk production indicators are found in the Californian breed and the Soviet chinchilla. The worst are New Zealand Whites.
The milk production of rabbits can be determined in comparison with other individuals of the species. Visually, females with the best indicators have a larger chest circumference by approximately 7%. And the body is 2% longer with a body weight reduced by 700-800 g.
The relationship between health and weight gain
An important factor for rapid weight gain is the health of the rabbits. The physical characteristics of eared animals differ from other types of farm animals. The normal body temperature of lagomorphs can vary from 37 to 41 degrees, falling in winter and rising in the summer heat.
Pets on rabbit farms feel comfortable at an ambient temperature of 15 to 22 degrees. But they can withstand frosts down to -30 and heat of +30 degrees.
Dampness and drafts can provoke diseases, which will have a detrimental effect on the growth of livestock. Therefore, provide your pets with acceptable living conditions, a balanced, nutritious diet, cleanliness in their cages and a calm psychological environment.
If all these conditions are met, the health of the eared animals will be fine. They will quickly gain weight, and the cost of care and quality nutrition will quickly meet your expectations. In the article “How long do rabbits live” you will learn all the details about the life expectancy of long-eared rabbits.
Please write in the comments which breeds you prefer to breed on your farm. How quickly do they grow?
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The precocity of rabbits is far superior to all types of animals bred in agriculture. Intensive growth is characteristic of the embryonic period and the next 120 days after birth. Animals reach sexual maturity by 4–5 months, and as a rule, at this time their average weight is 3.5 kg.
The young are born absolutely helpless, bare of hair and completely blind. The average weight of one rabbit, depending on the breed, can be 40–80 grams. By day 28, there is a noticeable tenfold increase in live weight. If the young begin to leave the nest from the 15th day and feed on the food of adult animals, it is necessary to pay attention to the milk supply of the female.
The highest growth energy is found in young New Zealand white and Californian rabbits. There is intensive growth in the meat sector, in which representatives are one step higher compared to meat-skinned animals.
The growth rate of the young largely depends on the milk performance of the female, but not only during suckling, but also in the future. The biological value of dairy products completely influences the growth rate. To ensure good performance, the following factors must be taken into account:
- how to keep females;
- age category;
- season;
- number of births;
- belonging to one or another breed group;
- the number of young animals in a female;
- lactation period.
In summer, the productivity of females is higher than in winter. Young female rabbits have relatively low performance, which is associated with a growing body. When physiological maturity occurs, the highest milk production indicators are recorded. Soviet chinchillas are considered to have higher milk production than white giants. In terms of meat, the Californian breed is in the lead, and the last place is occupied by the New Zealand White. This is how belonging to one or another breed group affects such an important indicator.
The growth of the rabbits will be ensured with an average milk production of 100 - 200 grams per day. The length of the lactation period depends on how intensively the female is used. The usual duration is up to 45 days, and if compacted litters are used, up to 27 - 28 days. Milk stops coming out a few days before birth, and appears again after the birth occurs. The rabbit had good milk production and produced 3.5 – 5 kg of milk during her lactation period.
From the moment of birth, the growth of young animals can be divided into three groups:
- 0 – 21 days;
- 21 – 49 days;
- 49 – 84 days.
The first is characterized by a relatively high growth rate and moderate absolute growth. In the second group, absolute speed has the highest rate, and in the third group, absolute growth gradually decreases and relative speed drops sharply.
Today, most owners have come to the conclusion that it is most profitable to sell meat products from animals that have reached three months of age and an average weight of 2.5 kg. After rabbits gain a certain weight, their torso begins to grow noticeably slower. But this does not apply to large late-ripening breeds; their indicators are somewhat different.
To obtain meat products, it is important that the carcass contains a maximum of muscles, a minimum of bones and a fat layer of medium thickness. Skeletal development is slower compared to muscle tissue.
Different breed groups have completely different indicators for the amount of muscle in animals of the same age.
You can judge the growth rate from the following table
It is especially worth noting that in certain breeds, weight gain stops at certain times.
According to the observations of experts, the highest development rates are in young animals born in the winter months or at the beginning of spring. Rabbits born in summer and autumn are characterized by slower growth. Almost all animals stop growing when they reach 8–10 months. Life expectancy is about 8 years, some representatives live up to 10. It is recommended to use rabbits for meat until the 80th day of life, otherwise the cost of feed consumption increases, and there is practically no weight gain.
Rabbit meat is a dietary product. It is very useful and easy to digest. Therefore, it can be consumed at any age.
Raising rabbits for meat is quite accessible both on a private farm and on a large farm.
How to raise a rabbit for meat and reduce the cost of breeding it?
First of all, you need to decide on the breed. Naturally, it is better to breed meat breeds of rabbits for meat.
“Meat” breeds
The most common meat breeds include:
- New Zealand white;
- New Zealand red;
- Californian;
- Risen, or the German giant;
- French ram;
- Soviet chinchilla;
- gray giant;
- white giant;
- silver;
- Flanders;
- European silver;
- Poltava silver.
New Zealand white
The weight of the animals reaches 4-6 kilograms. A female rabbit gives birth to 7-12 babies. Rabbits are characterized by rapid growth: at 3 months their weight reaches 3 kilograms. The animals are well adapted for being kept on mesh floors: their soles are hairy.
New Zealand red
Weight is 4-6 kilograms, while females are larger than males. On average, there are 8-9 rabbits in a litter. Babies are characterized by rapid weight gain.
Risen
Rabbits of this breed reach 7 kilograms in weight, and some individuals reach 12-14 kilograms.
Gray giant
This breed was developed quite a long time ago, but is still widespread. The weight of rabbits is 5.3-6.8 kilograms. The female rabbit brings 7-8 young rabbits, which are distinguished by early maturity, grow very quickly and gain weight. At 3 months, rabbits reach two kilograms in weight. The meat is of average quality. Together with the meat, you can get large and especially large skins.
White giant
Representatives of this breed weigh 5.5-8 kilograms. There are 7-8 rabbits in a litter.
Californian
Average weight – 4-5 kilograms. At the age of 3-4 months they are distinguished by high growth energy: per day the weight increases by 30-40 grams. At 3 months, rabbits weigh 2.7-3.4 kilograms, and at 5-4.2 kilograms. There are 8-10 babies in a litter. In a year, one female can produce 30-35 young individuals. The skin also has good qualities: their wool is thick and dense.
European silver
Representatives of the breed are becoming increasingly famous every year. The average weight of rabbits is 4.5 kilograms. Often there are specimens reaching 5.8-6.6 kilograms. On average, a female rabbit produces 8 young rabbits, which are highly precocious. At two months of age they weigh 2 kilograms, and at three months - 3. Rabbits of the European silver breed are unpretentious, require a minimum of feed, and easily survive severe frosts. They have a calm character. The skin is characterized by thickness and softness.
Poltava silver
Rabbits weigh on average 4.5 kilograms, often reaching 5.8-6.6 kilograms. There are about 8 rabbits in the litter. Rabbit meat is very juicy and tasty. The fur is fluffy and valued for its original coloring. They are resistant to frost.
French ram
They weigh on average 5-5.5 kilograms, in some cases 7-8 kilograms, and sometimes even 12 kilograms.
Meat breeds of rabbits differ:
- early maturity - rabbits are slaughtered at 3.5-4 months;
- efficiency - for 1 kilogram of weight gain you need 3.5 kilograms of feed;
- fertility - a female rabbit gives birth to 7-9 young rabbits
- unpretentiousness;
- early puberty – they become sexually mature at the age of 4 months;
- genetic adaptation to mesh floors - the soles are pubescent.
Keeping and breeding at home
Although rabbits are herbivores, it is not possible to obtain high-quality meat on grass alone. Therefore, feed and grain are needed to feed them. Beetroot, potatoes, carrots, and cabbage will help diversify the diet and supply animals with vitamins. To meet the calcium needs of rabbits, chalk and meat and bone meal should be added to the feed. To ensure that rabbits' teeth can be ground down, tree branches and bark should be placed in the cages. A necessary condition for raising rabbits is the constant availability of clean water.
Rabbits are allowed to mate at the age of 4-6 months with normal fatness: the weight of females must be more than 2.5 kilograms. The female's estrus lasts 3-5 days every 8-9 days. The resumption of estrus after birth occurs on the 1st-2nd day: the female rabbit can be covered immediately. In a year, you can get 4-5 litters from adult females, and 1-2 from young females. The rabbit should not be too thin, but she should not be allowed to become obese. For 8 females they usually leave one male. To increase the growth rate, females are crossed with males of other breeds. Pregnancy lasts about a month. In one litter, the female brings from 6 to 18 rabbits.
Rabbits are slaughtered for meat if they reach a weight of 2.8-3 kilograms at the age of 3-4 months. Further feeding of animals is unprofitable: they eat more feed and grow more slowly. In addition, the meat of young animals has a more delicate taste compared to the meat of adult animals.
Feeding, breeding and caring for rabbits
Pregnant and lactating rabbits should receive an enhanced diet: it should be 10-15% higher than the usual diet.
There are 2 known methods of raising rabbits for meat:
- ordinary;
- broiler farming.
With normal breeding Rabbits are separated from their mother at the age of 40-45 days. They are fed with cereals and legumes, mixed feed and grain. In winter, it is recommended to add cake or meal, boiled potatoes, and bone meal to the diet. In the diet of rabbits raised for meat, concentrated feed should make up 50-60% of the total feed.
In broiler rearing The young animals are kept together with the female until slaughter at the age of 70-75 days. Sometimes broiler rabbits reach a weight of 1.8-2 kilograms already at the age of 60 days. But this is possible if the females have high milk production, the breed of animals is early maturing and the young animals receive high-quality feeding, including granulated feed containing proteins. With such breeding, the female must be fed generously with expensive concentrated feed to prevent her from “wearing out”. But it should be taken into account that broiler breeding deteriorates the quality of animal skins.
Raising rabbits for meat does not relieve the owner of the need to humanely care for the rabbit. In addition, if an animal develops in comfortable conditions, then its meat will be tastier and more tender.
Video
Rabbits are small, fluffy and cute creatures - we are used to seeing them like that. But there are breeds of giant rabbits, and in this article we will learn all the most interesting things about them. Giant rabbits are the pride of rabbit breeding; they are kind and very fluffy. These are the largest rabbits among all rodents. Growing such giants is easy and profitable.
They tolerate cold weather well and are able to adapt to any conditions. How much does a rabbit weigh? The average weight reaches up to six kilograms in a mature individual. They have their own characteristics:
- unpretentiousness;
- large body structure;
- Weight Limit;
- rapid reproduction;
- high viability.
Breeds of giant rabbits:
Each breed differs from the other in the structure of the skeleton, the color of the skin, the characteristics of its contents and its purpose. In our country more popular White and Gray giants - they are unpretentious and very meaty. The giant breed is joined by half-giant and giant breeds.
Belgian giants or Flanders passed on their large weight to giant rabbits. Their origin remains unknown to this day. They were brought to Flanders sailors from the South American shores, but later no traces of them were found. Most likely, they were exterminated by hunters for the purpose of prey.
The giant rabbit lives in the UK. This very large and beautiful animal, named Ralph, is of the Flanders breed, its weight has reached a record level of 26 kilograms.
Gallery: giant rabbits (25 photos)
Breeding giant rabbits
If you decide to breed rabbits, first of all, decide on the purpose that you are more attracted to: skin, meat and pets for your own pleasure? In this article we will look at several breeds of giants.
Belgian Flanders Giant
The largest animal, their body is muscular and there is a lot of meat. The average weight of this rabbit varies from 4 to 8 kg, with a record weight of 13 kg. Height reaches 80 cm, the most minimum length the fur is 4 cm. They are strong and thick, they have tasty meat, which has thin streaks of fat and the skin is of excellent quality. They have different colors:
