What are the essential things to pay attention to when raising rabbits in winter?
Heat preservation. In a low-temperature environment, rabbits lose a great deal of heat and grow slowly, which affects their development and reproduction. Therefore, the rabbit hutch should be well maintained, windows sealed tightly, and cracks plugged to keep the hutch warm.
Supplementary greens. Feeding green, succulent feed in winter can boost rabbits' appetite and promote their growth, development and reproduction. Common green, succulent feeds include cabbage, radish and bean sprouts, but the daily amount should not be too large, otherwise it easily causes diarrhea in rabbits.
Add night grass. Rabbits are naturally nocturnal, and since winter days are short and nights long, night grass should be added. At the same time, the proportion of energy feed in the compound feed should be increased.
Light, exercise and hygiene. At noon on clear days, let the rabbits out to exercise and bask in the sun, and open the doors and windows for ventilation to expel foul air, air out the bedding straw, and keep the hutch dry.
Wool harvesting. For Angora rabbits, shearing the down completely is prohibited in winter and early spring; plucking is preferable, and it should be done in a sheltered, warm place, generally once a day; do not pluck during the late pregnancy and early lactation of does.
Winter breeding. The key to successful winter breeding lies in keeping the hutch and kindling box warm. Especially within two days after the doe gives birth, generally as long as the hutch temperature is above 5°C and the temperature inside the kindling box is no lower than 10°C, the survival rate of the kits will be no lower than in other seasons.
Protect against cold and keep warm; this is the most basic requirement for raising rabbits in winter. Add more warm sleeping pads to the rabbit cage; during the day you can open the windows for ventilation when the sunshine is good, but on cold nights be sure to close the windows. (Watch the weather and take relevant warmth and cold protection measures before cold air arrives.)
Keep the environment clean and dry. Excessive humidity is bad for the growth, health and wool production of domestic rabbits. Especially in winter, feces, urine and other waste in the hutch must be removed regularly and promptly, and the hutch must be kept hygienic and dry. Only in this way can rabbits live more comfortably and safely and get through the harsh winter.
In winter, the feeding management of rabbits should be strengthened even more. Winter temperatures are low and rabbits burn a lot of calories, so the daily ration should be increased by 1/3 compared with other seasons, especially feed high in energy. In addition, mix in some green feed such as carrots, radish and pumpkin to meet the rabbits' needs for vitamins and other nutrients.
Besides adding dry grass bedding inside the hutch for warmth, the bedding should also be changed frequently and kept dry to help retain heat. At the same time, the drinking water prepared for the rabbits should be warm water, and other cold feed can also be soaked in warm water before being fed to the rabbits, so as to maintain the rabbits' body energy and avoid triggering gastrointestinal diseases.