Flanders rabbits are the oldest breed of mammals, the order of lagomorphs, distinguished by their respectable size and high birth rate. People call these eared rabbits giants, giant rabbits. But rabbit breeders value them not only for their great weight - the unpretentiousness and physical endurance of rabbits make them favorites of farmers. However, extreme heat and severe frosts are destructive for these animals.
History of the breed
The world first heard about the Flanders rabbit breed in 1860, when the first individuals appeared in the Belgian province of Flanders. There is no exact information about the date of creation of the breed. Versions of the origin of the Flemish family:
- Rabbits are descendants of Patagonian relatives brought from Argentina in the 16th and 17th centuries.
- Belgian giants are descendants of Flemish rabbits. This species stopped reproducing and eventually disappeared completely.
- Flanders is the result of crossing rabbits from Patagonia, Argentina, and Flemish.
All over the world, their own breeds of Belgian Flanders have been created. They have slight differences from their tribal relatives, as they are adapted to their regions. This is how the subspecies German, Spanish, and English appeared, and gray and white giants have been allowed for breeding in the Russian Federation since 1993.
Description and characteristics of purebred Flanders
Nature has endowed Flanders rabbits with a long body, a dark muzzle with brown eyes, plump cheeks and erect ears. Giants have massive paws, they hit their opponents with them and defend themselves. The coat is short (3.5-4 cm), thick, darker on the flanks and back than on the belly. The color of the body varies from almost black to sandy brown and gray, and the color of the claws is identical to the color of the fur.
The weight of adult Flanders rabbits is about 11-12 kg, sometimes reaching 25 kg. The length of the body is about 80 cm, the girth of the chest is 36-38 cm. The weight of a baby rabbit at 2 months is about 2 kg, but already an 8-month-old baby weighs 7-8 kg. Average life expectancy of rabbits Flanders - 5 years, but with proper care it increases. Rabbits quickly get used to humans and are able to live with them in the same territory.
Temperament
Rabbits of the Flanders breed have excellent intelligence and quickly get used to their nicknames. The character is peaceful, playful.They love to communicate with children, but are not aggressive towards adults.
Breed qualities
The difference between Belgian giant rabbits and their relatives is not only their muscular body. They are distinguished by other characteristics:
- long erect ears (23-25 cm);
- short fur;
- flat and only sometimes slightly concave back;
- a wide range of colors inherent in different types of rabbits;
- the color of the claws is identical to the color of the fur coat;
- four legs proportional to the body.
But the main difference between the representatives of the breed is a peculiar fold on the chin.
Productivity
By 8 months, a female giant rabbit is considered sexually mature. One litter gives birth to 6-8 babies, a large individual – up to 15 babies. The milk production of long-eared animals is high; mothers feed numerous offspring. Baby rabbits are rapidly gaining weight; one-month-old babies weigh about 1 kg. The volume of meat in Flanders rabbits is low - about 55%. From one Belgian rabbit weighing 5.5 kg you can take about 3 kg of meat.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Belgian breed of giant rabbits has its pros and cons. Advantages:
- high fertility and milk production of rabbits;
- resistance to diseases and temperature changes;
- unpretentiousness in feeding;
- physical endurance of rabbits;
- growing in the house as a pet;
- friendly, playful temperament;
- cultivation for skins and meat.
Cons of Flanders rabbits:
- Voracity. Rabbits eat constantly, so they require a lot of food. This is why Flanders grow quickly and gain weight.
- Low quality skins. Despite the high density of fur, fluff, which is valued much more highly, is almost absent.Moreover, the fur grows unevenly, its length varies throughout the body.
- Congenital anomalies. Giants often have deformation and underdevelopment of their limbs.
- Bloating. Young rabbits are susceptible to digestive tract disorders; adding medications to their food is a solution.
- Long-term adaptation. When Flanders rabbits move from one region to another, they often catch a cold. In particular, this applies to the transportation of animals from Europe or warm regions of Russia to cold regions.
- Long ripening. Meat rabbits mature 2 times faster than Flanders and become suitable for slaughter for meat.
Scientists and breeders are constantly working to improve the qualities of this breed, and the work is gradually producing positive results.
Recommendations for maintenance and care
Experienced rabbit breeders claim that it is difficult to properly care for Belgian giants. Animals are demanding of warmth, the constant availability of food and the size of their cages. Females with rabbits need especially large living space. Despite their resistance to respiratory diseases, it is important to keep rabbits in cages that are constantly disinfected. The houses are regularly cleaned and ventilated, and the bowls are filled with fresh water.
It is advisable to build cells from natural materials. The walls are constructed from boards and plywood sheets, and the frame and supporting elements are made from wooden beams. The flooring is made of slats or mesh, and the roof is also covered with plywood or boards. When constructing cages, the size of the animals, the number of individuals in one living space and their weight are taken into account. For a female with rabbits, a cage with dimensions of 170x110x50 cm is suitable, for a single rabbit - 110x70x50 cm.
It is recommended to install the cages at least 1 m above the ground, otherwise the Flanders will be harmed by rats or ferrets. In addition, cleaning such a house is more convenient. With the onset of spring, before disease-carrying mosquitoes appear, giant rabbits are vaccinated against myxomatosis, hemorrhagic viral fever and pasteurellosis. The first vaccination is given at 1.5 months. When they reach 8 months, rabbits are suitable for breeding. Flanders can be raised at home - they are good-natured towards children and adults.
What to feed
Biomycin is added to the food of giant rabbits. It saves Flanders, especially at a young age, from bloating and death. The food of long-eared pets consists of dry hay, which they are given daily. Animals are also not averse to tasting wet mixtures and grain foods. The diet should contain mixed feed and finely chopped vegetables:
- carrot;
- boiled potatoes;
- fodder beet;
- white cabbage;
- pumpkin
The food is sometimes slightly salted, diluted with meat and bone meal, and, if necessary, supplied with medications. A prerequisite is the presence of fresh, clean water in the bowl. The rabbits are fed at the same time. Freshly picked grass is first dried and only then offered to the rabbit. It is prohibited to include in the diet:
- potato tops;
- twigs of broom, elderberry;
- hellebore;
- lilies of the valley;
- St. John's wort;
- cornflowers;
- poisonous celandine;
- henbane;
- Solanaceae.
These plants are destructive for Flanders.
Breeding rules
Breeding Belgian Flanders giants does not cause problems for breeders: rabbits willingly mate, females give birth to rabbits without much difficulty. This happens when female rabbits are 8, and males are 4 months old. The female comes into heat once every 5-15 days.Her pregnancy lasts 28-30 days, 6-8 (sometimes up to 15) cubs are born in one litter.
Rabbits grow quickly with good care. Every month each baby gains about 1-1.5 kg of weight. In the first couple of months, the baby rabbits feed on their mother's milk, she cleans them and warms them. Having reached the age of 21 days, the offspring try “adult” food.
As soon as the cubs of the Flanders breed completely switch to it, biomycin is added to their diet, and the presence of water in the bowls is monitored.
Cages are placed away from drafts and direct sun, as Belgian rabbits die from heatstroke. The houses are filled with pressed granules as filler, which is changed daily. When keeping a giant in an apartment, the floors are covered with carpet, since laminate, linoleum and parquet cause pododermatitis in rabbits.
Possible diseases
Without vaccination, Flanders rabbits contract hemorrhagic viral fever, pasteurellosis, and myxomatosis from mosquitoes. Also, when moving from a warm region to a cold one, giants can catch a cold. Heat and strong drafts are destructive for rabbits; they are susceptible to attacks by ticks.
Tips for choosing a rabbit of this breed when purchasing
It is recommended to purchase Belgian Flanders rabbits from farmsteads where experienced rabbit breeders are engaged in breeding breeds. It is advisable that the baby rabbit be born from a 2-3-year-old female rabbit and feed on her milk for at least 2 months.
When choosing Flanders rabbits, pay attention to:
- cleanliness of fur, grooming;
- the presence of a large number of cubs in the litter;
- age of the rabbit;
- no darkening or sticking on the paws.
Purebred Flanders rabbits stand out:
- body length (about 90 cm);
- chubby cheeks;
- erect ears 18-25 cm long and a black border on the upper edge;
- broad chest with a large cavity;
- weight (at the age of 8 months body weight 6-8 kg);
- chin fold.
The fur color of purebred Flanders rabbits is varied, so this aspect is not taken into account.
