The Risen rabbit is characterized by large body dimensions and developed muscle mass. Animals provide not only high-quality dietary meat, but also fur of several expensive colors. Representatives of the breed are popular, they are readily bred by farmers for sale, but also cute, non-aggressive and friendly rabbits make wonderful pets.
History of the breed
The first representatives of the breed appeared in the county of Flanders (now part of Belgian territory) in the 16th century.The rabbits had short, thick, dark gray fur, a muscular body, and strong paws. The founders of the breed weighed about 6 kg; their original name was Belgian giants.
In the 19th century, representatives of the breed were brought to Germany, where they began to actively breed and carry out selection work to improve the breed characteristics. Improved rabbits (more meaty, gaining weight faster) were introduced in the mid-20th century as German giants.
Today, Risen rabbits are raised for meat and fur in many European countries. But the existence of the German variety as a separate breed is still in question. Some experts believe that Risen is not a breed, but only an offshoot of the Belgian giants.
Description and characteristics of Risen rabbits
External characteristics according to the German Risen breed standard:
- the body is elongated by 75 cm;
- the head is large with fleshy cheeks;
- the ears stand straight, reach 20 cm in length, the auricles are thick;
- eyes of a typical rabbit shape, brown iris;
- voluminous chest, chest girth – 40 cm;
- the hind legs are strong, large, with well-developed muscles;
- the front legs are strong, set wide apart to support the weight of a heavy animal;
- The coat is thick, short, hairs do not exceed 4 cm in length.
Risen rabbits are included in the category of skin-meat breeds. An adult rabbit reaches 10 kg in weight, but some individuals weigh 12-14 kg. The meat is high quality, juicy and tender. The color of the representatives of the Risen breed was originally agouti, that is, typical of wild rodents - zoned gray and red. Furriers do not like this coat color, although the skin of these rabbits is strong and of high quality. Therefore, for a long time, Risen rabbits were not bred for fur.Today, thanks to selective work, there are rabbits of different colors.
Blue and black individuals are common. There are also white, silver, sand, and red rabbits.
Some breeders call their pets Risen Gold in their advertisements. This name should not mislead buyers: it does not mean at all that the animals differ from other representatives of the breed in higher productivity or other characteristics. This is just an indication of the red color.
The Risen rabbit has a calm, friendly, flexible character, so it is kept not only for profit, but also as a pet. A behavioral feature of Risen rabbits is the absence of timidity. Therefore, representatives of the breed get along with other non-aggressive animals.
Main advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of the German breed:
- flexibility and friendliness;
- attractive appearance;
- high-quality meat for dietary consumption;
- valuable fur;
- high offspring;
- presence of maternal instinct in female rabbits.
Rabbits of the Risen breed have disadvantages:
- long-term growth;
- slowness, clumsiness;
- significant feeding costs;
- vulnerability to obesity;
- the need for extensive space for settlement;
- susceptibility to disease, weak immune system;
- capriciousness in care.
Subtleties of keeping and caring for the breed
For Risen rabbits, it is necessary to create the best living conditions. Animals should not be left unattended. Cages should be spacious so that animals can move freely. The optimal housing size for an individual is 100×70 cm and a height of 50 cm.
Rabbits of the Risen breed are also kept in an enclosure. But it must be located on the south or south-east side of the site and must have a ventilation system. The floor of the enclosure or cage is lined with hay or sawdust.Moreover, the replacement of bedding material should be regular.
The cages are cleaned regularly, and the floor, ceiling, and walls are disinfected with cleaning agents. During cleaning, the litter is changed completely, and accumulated food debris and feces are removed. Also, we must not forget about regular washing of feeders and drinkers. If you do not follow these recommendations, your rabbits will contract a deadly infection.
Since Rizen pets are large, it is uncomfortable for them to sit in a cage all the time. Therefore, the rabbits are allowed out for a walk every few days. Rodents walk on a safe, fenced lawn, where there is no garbage and no poisonous plants grow.
Feeding rabbits
Give food to Risen rabbits 2 times a day. The spring-summer diet should be balanced and rich in vitamins. They feed their pets fresh grass, root vegetables, and twigs. In the winter months, the menu is simplified, based on hay and feed. You should periodically include vitamin and mineral supplements in your diet to strengthen the body and maintain immunity. You can buy drugs in pet stores and veterinary clinics. Rodents drink a lot, so clean water must be available at all times. They change it once a day.
Breeding rules
Breeding Risen rabbits is not an easy task. There is a high probability of genetic problems in the offspring if mating rules are not followed. Although rabbits reach sexual maturity by 3-4 months, the first mating is carried out after the animals reach 8 months of age. The best individuals, strong and active, are selected for mating.
The male and female are left alone for half an hour. It is advisable to remove the feeder so that the food does not distract the animals.After mating, you need to wait for half a month, then palpate the female's abdomen to find out if she is pregnant. If fertilization has occurred, the rabbit is moved to a separate cage. During pregnancy, the female is carefully looked after.
In preparation for giving birth, the female rabbit begins to build a nest. Then the owner puts a convenient box in the cage where the litter will be kept. There is no need to help the rabbit during childbirth. Rizen rabbits give birth to 8-12 babies. The maternal instinct of representatives of the Risen breed is developed. Mother rabbits protect their babies and take care of them. During the lactation period, the female is fed generously and treated to steamed potatoes to stimulate milk production.
Diseases and vaccinations
Rabbits of the Risen variety are prone to getting sick, because their immunity cannot be called strong. Therefore, caring for animals must be thorough. When purchasing animals, you need to pay attention to obvious signs of pathologies:
- obesity or emaciated appearance;
- disproportionate physique;
- watery, swollen eyes;
- fur with bald spots and tangles;
- lumps and nodes on the body;
- dirty ears;
- inappropriate, aggressive or fearful behavior.
Representatives of the Risen breed suffer from:
- diabetes;
- obesity;
- visual pathologies;
- dermatological diseases;
- rickets;
- myxomatosis;
- viral hemorrhagic disease;
- coccidiosis;
- stomatitis caused by infection;
- tympania;
- spirochetes;
- psoroptosis;
- nematodes.
Rabbits are vaccinated against myxomatosis and hemorrhagic disease. The procedure is carried out by the farmer himself. Or call a veterinarian. If animals live in an enclosure or pit, they are additionally vaccinated against rabies.
Vaccination begins when the rabbits reach the age of 1.5 months. Vaccines are given complex or separate.The complex drug includes antibodies from both infections. Vaccination against myxomatosis is given in the spring, since the infection is spread by insects. And against hemorrhagic disease they give a vaccine at any time of the year.
Individuals who have undergone anthelmintic treatment at least 10 days ago are allowed to be vaccinated. Before injection, animals are examined and their temperature is checked. If it is above 39.5 °C, then vaccination is canceled because the rabbit is sick.
Where to buy and how much it costs
Young animals for fattening are purchased from large breeding farms. And purebred males and females for breeding are in nurseries from reputable breeders. The breeder provides the buyer with pedigrees of the pets being sold, as well as documents with information about the age, weight and vaccinations of the animals.
The cost of young Risen animals for fattening is 400-500 rubles per unit of live weight. For a breeding specimen you will have to pay at least 2500 rubles. It is better to buy Risen rabbits that have reached 4-5 months of age. At this age, animals have already been vaccinated, are less fearful, and are not subject to stress.
