Rex Rabbit Farming Techniques Explained: Scientific Feeding and Management Methods

The rex rabbit is native to France. It is a typical fur-type rabbit, named "rex rabbit" because its fur closely resembles that of the rare fur-bearing animal, the otter.

Living Habits

Drowsiness

Compared with other domestic rabbits, the rex rabbit under certain conditions more easily enters a drowsy or sleeping state, especially during the day when it appears very quiet, and apart from a small amount of feeding and drinking, it mostly sits still, rests with eyes closed, or even sleeps.

Nocturnal feeding habit

Rex rabbit

The rex rabbit has the habit of being quiet by day and active by night; it appears very quiet during the day, while at night it is frequently active, feeding and drinking. According to measurements, the rex rabbit's nighttime feed intake accounts for about 60% of the total.

Love of cleanliness

The rex rabbit loves a clean and dry living environment. Clean and dry environmental conditions can ensure the health of the rex rabbit, while a damp and filthy environment often leads to the spread of infectious and parasitic diseases. The rex rabbit has relatively poor disease resistance, and once ill, it is generally difficult to treat.

Molting patterns

The molting of the rex rabbit is divided into two types: age-related molting and seasonal molting.

1. Age-related molting. This occurs in baby rabbits and young rabbits. From 30 to 150 days of age after birth is the first age-related molting period. According to the author's experience, after the first age-related molting is completed, taking the pelt is most economical. The second age-related molting mostly occurs between 170 and 240 days of age, and this molting lasts relatively long. If the first age-related molting coincides with spring or autumn, the second age-related molting often begins immediately.

2. Seasonal molting. This refers to the molting of adult rabbits in spring and autumn. Spring molting generally occurs from early March to the end of April, and autumn molting generally occurs from early September to the end of November. Due to differences in climatic conditions between northern and southern China, the molting times generally differ by about half a month.

Feeding Requirements

Feeding the rex rabbit is very critical; it should be fed compound feed, and the feed should be reasonably matched, not a single variety. The nutritional components in the rex rabbit's daily ration are: 10% crude protein and 10% crude fiber, 5% fat, 2800 kcal digestible energy per kilogram of daily ration, and 10% amino acids. If there are no conditions for feeding compound feed, appropriate amounts of concentrated feeds such as soybeans, soybean cake, wheat bran, and corn, as well as succulent feeds such as carrots, should be added. Especially in winter, when the weather is cold and heat energy consumption is high, the rex rabbit needs more energy for maintenance than in other seasons, and green feed is lacking; therefore, in winter the rex rabbit's feed formula should be adjusted, the feed amount increased, and the digestible energy per kilogram of feed should be 100-200 kcal higher than in other seasons. In the formula, the proportion of the energy feed corn should be increased to raise the digestible energy of the feed, and the feeding amount should be increased by 20%-30% compared with usual. In winter, green and juicy feed is lacking, so the supply of vitamins to the rex rabbit is insufficient; special attention should be paid to vitamin supplementation in the feed, which should be 30% higher than usual. After crushing coarse feeds such as peanut vines, soybean straw, and sweet potato vines, mix them evenly with corn, peanut cake, wheat bran, bone meal, salt, and other raw materials to make compound feed for the rabbits. It should be noted that when feeding pelleted feed, warm water should be given; when feeding powdered feed, warm water should be used to mix the feed, feeding less but more frequently, with no feed left in the trough as appropriate, to prevent leftover feed from freezing. For forage grass, high-yield, high-quality, and highly adaptable forage varieties such as hn-mc bitter lettuce, hn-mc chicory, hn-mc ryegrass, hn-mc alfalfa, hn-mc king grass, and hn-mc Russian fodder kale can be selected. In addition, sweet potato vines, carrots, peanut vines, kohlrabi, and cauliflower leaves are also good feeds for rabbits and can be planted and used comprehensively. Rex rabbits should not be overfed; feeding should be timed and quantitative. Adult rabbits should be fed 4 times a day, and young rabbits 4-6 times a day, each time about 70%-80% full. Feed should not be added too frequently or too much, to prevent diarrhea and bloating in the rabbits.

Growth and Reproduction

Mating time

The sexual maturity age of the rex rabbit is 3.5-4 months; the initial mating age is 6-7 months for male rabbits and 5-6 months for female rabbits, with a useful life of 3-4 years. The female rabbit's estrous cycle is 8-15 days. The rex rabbit is also an animal with induced ovulation. For artificial insemination, the conception rate is highest when insemination is performed within 2-5 hours after induced ovulation treatment; for natural mating, the conception rate is highest during the peak estrus period, when the vaginal mucosa is red and moist. Repeated mating and double mating are generally used, and the male-to-female ratio is suitably 1:8-10. The mating frequency of male rabbits is best once every 2 days or 3-5 times per week. During mating, the female rabbit should be placed in the male rabbit's cage. The best mating seasons are spring and autumn, chosen from 8-11 a.m. In summer, use the early morning and evening; because the summer weather is hot, July 14 to August 20 is the rest period for female rabbits. In winter, use the relatively warm midday period to improve the conception rate of female rabbits.

Rearing of young rabbits

Generally, young rabbits from birth to weaning are called baby rabbits. They usually open their eyes at 13 days of age and begin supplemental feeding at 18 days of age, being fed a small amount of easily digestible and nutrient-rich feed, such as soybean milk, milk, or rice soup and chopped tender green grass and vegetable leaves. After 20 days of age, oatmeal, wheat bran, or soybean dregs and a small amount of charcoal powder, minerals, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory, sterilizing, and stomach-strengthening medicines such as onions and garlic can be added to strengthen the constitution and reduce disease. Rabbits from weaning to 3 months of age are called young rabbits, and immature rabbits from 3 months of age to slaughter and pelt removal are called youthful rabbits.

Breeding stock standards

Medium; adult rabbits weighing 4.0-5.0 kg or more, body length around 56-68 cm, chest circumference about 40 cm, capable of reproducing 4-5 litters per year, with 6-8 young per litter. The standard for keeping breeding stock is mostly 3.5-4.5 kg for both male and female rabbits, and generally the requirements for male rabbits are higher.