How to Improve the Survival Rate of Young Rabbits? A Detailed Guide to Practical Breeding Techniques
Within 2 weeks of weaning, young rabbits should be gradually transitioned from the pre-weaning kit feed to the young rabbit feed. Young rabbits grow quickly and eat a lot, but their digestive capacity, especially their ability to digest crude fiber, is relatively weak. Therefore, the feed for young rabbits should be nutrient-rich, easy to digest, small in volume, good in palatability, and relatively high in energy and protein levels. However, it should be noted that higher nutrient content is not always better; feeding large amounts of concentrated feed (high energy, high protein, low fiber) easily causes diarrhea and enteritis. A certain amount of roughage plays an important role in regulating the function of the digestive system, and generally a crude fiber content of about 12% in the young rabbit diet is sufficient. To promote the growth and development of young rabbits, appropriate amounts of vitamins, trace elements, amino acids, enzyme preparations, and antibiotics should be added to the mixed feed.
Young rabbits have a strong appetite and are prone to overeating. Feeding should be done at fixed times and in fixed amounts, with small frequent meals, and it is best to feed 4-5 times a day; generally, mixed concentrated feed is given 2 times a day, and green and succulent feed 2-3 times. The feed must be clean; green and succulent feed should be fresh and tender, and green grass with soil must be washed and dried before feeding. The feeding amount should gradually increase with age and body weight gain.
At the same time, an adequate supply of clean drinking water should be ensured; generally, water is given once a day in winter and twice a day in other seasons, and when temperatures are relatively high, fresh water should be available at all times and changed frequently; it is best to maintain 2-3 hours of outdoor exercise time every day to promote digestion, increase appetite, promote calcium and phosphorus absorption, and improve the disease resistance of young rabbits.