Key Points of Winter Feeding and Management Techniques for Angora Rabbits
Along with the rise in rabbit wool purchase prices, the Angora rabbit breeding industry has begun to recover, and many farmer friends have started to shift their breeding focus to Angora rabbits. However, in feeding and management, the author has found that some breeders spend a lot of money to buy improved-breed rabbits, but in feeding and management they still follow the same old methods, causing the wool-producing performance of the fine breeding rabbits to decline noticeably, and before long, the fine breeding rabbits turn into ordinary rabbits. Now, let us discuss the key points of winter feeding and management for Angora rabbits, for the reference of breeders.
(1) Cold prevention and warmth: Rabbit houses should face south as much as possible with their backs to the north. For indoor rearing, doors and windows should be closed tightly to prevent cold wind from invading, and thicker, softer bedding should be laid on the ground; for outdoor rearing, straw or corn stalks should be added to the north side of the rabbit shed, and plastic film should be covered on the south side to raise the temperature.
(2) Timely wool shearing: After the beginning of winter, the temperature gradually drops. Although this change is not helpful for cold prevention, the lower temperature is very favorable for rabbit wool growth. To prevent cold, the rabbit body will not only speed up rabbit wool growth but also increase its fineness and density. When the rabbit wool reaches the standard, choose noon on a sunny day to shear or pluck the wool. When shearing, leave the belly wool a little longer to protect the internal organs from cold wind damage. For Angora rabbits raised in the open, after shearing it is best to first move them indoors for 1 to 2 weeks, and then return them to the original place for rearing.
(3) Reasonable feeding: In winter, in addition to increasing the supply of concentrate feed, pelleted feed should be fed as much as possible when conditions permit, as this not only provides comprehensive nutrition but also effectively prevents the occurrence of diarrhea. When processing pelleted feed, the amount of vitamins added should be increased by 3 to 4 times to prevent them from being destroyed by high temperature during processing. If wet feed is fed, do not add too much at one time to avoid waste, and also avoid freezing, so as not to cause gastrointestinal inflammation and diarrhea. When the outside temperature is especially low, powdered feed is best fed after being scalded with hot water. For drinking water, never let them drink frozen water; in winter it is best to add warm water, and add it little and often.
(4) Adding green feed: In autumn and winter, make full use of the favorable condition of abundant green grass to store more hay. At the same time, when harvesting autumn crops, peanut vines, corn stalks, and the like should be dried reasonably; this avoids reducing vitamins due to drying for too long, and also prevents mildew and rot caused by excessive moisture. In winter, green feed is relatively scarce. To ensure normal reproduction of Angora rabbits and rabbit wool growth, farmers with the conditions should plant some forage grass suitable for multi-season growth, so as to ensure they can eat green feed every day. Otherwise, in addition to feeding green hay and crop straw stored in autumn, supplementary juicy feed such as carrots and radishes should be fed.
(5) Strengthening management: As the temperature drops, Angora rabbits consume more and more heat, so the proportion of concentrate in the daily ration should be increased by more than 10% to 20% compared with other times. At the same time, the feed formula should remain stable, avoiding frequent changes. When suckling young rabbits, the suckling time should be appropriately extended. Newly weaned young rabbits should not be fed excessive green, juicy feed, to prevent diarrhea caused by intestinal discomfort. In addition, rabbit manure should be cleaned frequently to keep the rabbit house clean and ensure fresh air. If the rabbit house is damp, sawdust or plant ash can be scattered on the ground, which not only removes dampness but also helps keep warm. Once the smell inside the house is strong, choose the higher noon temperature to open windows for ventilation, but avoid creating drafts.
(6) Hygiene and disinfection: To prevent bacterial and viral infections, disinfection should be carried out once every 7 to 10 days. Disinfection should be done in sunny, windless weather, and when necessary, disinfectant can be added to drinking water in a certain proportion for Angora rabbits to drink. Here breeders need to be reminded that, whether for environmental disinfection or drinking water disinfection, be sure to choose a disinfectant with low irritation, high safety, and suitability for disinfection with animals present.
(7) Preventing frostbite: Because Angora rabbits have relatively thin skin, in winter, warmth measures should be taken for shorn rabbits, suckling young rabbits, and weaned young rabbits to prevent frostbite. In harsh weather with wind, snow, and temperature drops, be sure to carefully check the rabbits' physical condition. Once frostbite is found, timely corresponding rescue methods should be taken: first move the frostbitten rabbit to a warmer place, then apply vegetable oil to the swollen and reddened skin area; if the swelling is relatively severe, iodine glycerin can be applied; if a crack appears locally, after squeezing out the liquid inside it, apply an appropriate amount of antibiotic ointment, and bandage if necessary.
(8) Epidemic prevention and disease treatment: In late autumn and early winter, all Angora rabbits over 1 month old must be injected with a combined vaccine for rabbit plague and rabbit pasteurellosis. For pregnant female rabbits, the injection should be given gently to avoid miscarriage. The specific injection doses are: 1.5 ml for 2-month-old rabbits, and 2 ml for rabbits over 2 months old. To ensure a good immune effect, it is best to use vaccines produced locally. While doing epidemic prevention well, common diseases such as colds and diarrhea must also be prevented and treated. Usually, antibacterial drugs such as nalidixic acid and compound sulfamethoxazole should be added to the feed according to the treatment course. For individual cases with more severe conditions, drugs should be administered by oral drenching or injection. When using drugs to prevent and treat diseases, be sure to avoid using bactericidal drugs such as oxytetracycline and ppa, so as not to destroy the normal intestinal flora and cause digestive tract diseases. If medication time is too long, in addition to stopping the drug in time, probiotics can be added to the feed to restore normal intestinal function.
(9) Strengthening exercise: To increase the adaptability of Angora rabbits, appropriate exercise should be maintained for Angora rabbits in autumn and winter. Those kept indoors should be exercised at any time. For those kept in cages, about every 10 days, choose windless and clear weather and place the Angora rabbits in a place with ample sunlight, shelter from the wind, and good air circulation for exercise.