Raising rabbits is not an easy task. The result of many days of work depends on the conditions of detention and the quality of the feed. It’s not easy for beginners - you need to know exactly what kind of grain or grass is best to feed rabbits. It is important to be able to choose the right composition of the feed mixture and properly prepare it for use. There are many subtleties in breeding eared pets, but the result of the efforts is obvious.
Cereals for rabbits
It is impossible to imagine the daily diet of rabbits without the addition of grains. An animal cannot fully grow and gain weight by eating exclusively grass, hay and vegetables. Thanks to the unique composition of grain crops, the animal receives the necessary amino acids and vitamins.
A mixture consisting of oats, wheat, barley or corn strengthens the immune system and promotes the proper development of pets.
Wheat
Wheat grains are an indispensable component of the grain mixture for rabbits. They contain almost all B vitamins, as well as valuable vitamin E. Wheat is a record holder for the content of nutritious fats, carbohydrates and proteins, which means it promotes rapid weight gain in meat breeds of rabbits.
Experts recommend feeding animals with feed grains, but you shouldn’t get too carried away with wheat, otherwise you won’t be able to avoid it. bloating in rabbits.
It is better to feed animals crushed or sprouted grains. The amount of wheat grains should not exceed a third of the total weight of the feed mixture. During the winter months, the supplement is necessary to replenish the supply of vitamins in pets. The hard shell of the grains acts as an abrasive, so animals that regularly chew food easily wear down their teeth. Purchase wheat for feed in dry and pure form.
Oats
No grain mixture is complete without the addition of oats. This healthy cereal enriches the rabbits' body with copper, silicon, cobalt, manganese, zinc and valuable B vitamins.
The nutritional value of the crop is great, because oats contain 10 g of protein, 8 g of fat and 55 g of carbohydrates per 100 g of product. At the same time, unlike wheat, cereal prevents rapid weight gain in animals, so oats are actively used in the fight against obesity in rabbits.
Cereal has a beneficial effect on the health of pets.Oats contain valuable pantothenic acid, which regulates intestinal function and helps the animal’s body get rid of harmful substances. A useful, nutritious element is added to the diet of rabbits.
Corn
The crop is a record holder for carbohydrate content, so corn is used to quickly gain weight in rabbits. The grains are well digestible in combination with amino acids and protein. In addition to vitamin E, corn contains useful substances such as iron, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium.
Despite the obvious advantages of the crop, it is given only as a component for the feed mixture. Excessive use of nutritional supplements will inevitably lead your pet to obesity.
Barley
An invariable component of the daily diet of nursing rabbits and small rabbits. The nutritious cereal contains active substances – choline and lysine. They accelerate the development and growth of pets. Barley supplies animals with potassium, calcium and B vitamins.
Before feeding, barley is crushed, otherwise the shell covering the grains may interfere with the digestion of food.
Rye
Occasionally, rye can be included in the grain mixture. The culture is rich in amino acids and promotes the development of immunity. Not only grains, but also plant stems are used for feed. Rye often causes bloating and intestinal upset in animals, so most farmers do not like to use the crop to feed their pets.
In what form to give
Each owner decides for himself in what form to give grain to his pets. In any case, the ingredients must be carefully inspected and all spoiled grains must be removed. The feed may be unusable due to fungal or insect damage.Rabbits should not be given unripe, raw or overdried grains. High-quality raw materials for feed mixtures are processed in different ways.
Yeasting
The feed preparation method is often used for fattening meat breeds of rabbits. This kind of “doping” whets the pet’s appetite and helps the animal gain weight. Feed preparation consists of several stages:
- The raw materials are crushed and filled with clean water. The optimal proportions are 1:2.
- 35 g of yeast are diluted in 2 liters of warm water.
- The prepared ingredients are mixed and left to ferment overnight.
- After 8-9 hours the nutrient mixture will be ready. During infusion, the mass is stirred periodically.
3 tablespoons of the resulting yeast mixture are added to the feeder, diluting the dry grain mass intended for feeding.
Steaming cereals
A favorite, simple method of preparing nutritious food for long-eared pets. Selected grains are placed in a bucket. You should not fill the container completely, the steamed raw materials will increase in size and the mass will “overflow its banks.” The grain is poured with boiling water, 1 tbsp is added to the mixture. l. salt and leave for 5-6 hours. The swollen mass of sweet grains is fed to animals.
Germination
Sprouted grain helps cleanse the intestines and improves the immunity of pets. Unlike dry raw materials, sprouted cereals and grains are completely digestible by animals.
The feed mixture is prepared as follows: dry grains are poured with warm water and left to swell for 24 hours. After soaking, the raw materials are laid out in baking trays. Then the grains are covered with a piece of damp gauze and left until germination. When the first green beaks of the sprouts appear, the food is ready to eat.
Crushed grain
Oats, wheat, corn or barley are crushed and given to animals in this form. This mixture is easy to find on sale or make yourself.
DIY grain mixture for rabbits
Some farmers prefer to prepare the grain mixture at home. There are many recipes for nutritious food. Each owner has his own, years-verified compositions and proportions of the grain mixture.
For a beginner, it’s easy to prepare this grain mix:
- 25 kg of corn;
- 15 kg of oats;
- 35 kg barley;
- 10 kg of sunflower cake;
- 5 kg of wheat.
Feed mixtures
In order for rabbits to have a balanced diet in winter, it is necessary to correctly formulate the feed mixture. Maintaining the proportions will help the owner provide their pets with a quality diet. In percentage terms, the daily diet of adult animals consists of 20% barley, 20% wheat, 10% corn, 40% oats and 10% bran.
Rules for feeding rabbits
The daily norm of grain feed for a medium-sized rabbit (up to 5.5 kg) is 60 g. During pregnancy and lactation, the norm for female rabbits is increased to 100 g. Rabbits are given a mixture consisting of 25% barley, 50% wheat and 25% corn .
Feeders are installed simple, in the form of a trench. It is convenient to pour grains and feed into them. To prevent pets from turning over the feeder, the device must be carefully secured.
Zolotukhin method
The technique consists in selecting the composition of the feed mixture, depending on the gender, age and period of life of the rabbit. For example, males are fed a mixture of barley, oats and a small amount of corn. At the same time, pregnant females eat crushed barley.
Yukhnov method
According to this method, animals are fed only with a self-prepared feed mixture.The composition includes components such as bran, barley, wheat, chalk, corn, salt, oats and grass flour. The ratio of ingredients depends on the age, gender and condition of the pet.
