High-yield breeding techniques for increasing wool production in Angora rabbits in winter
Scientific feeding. Angora rabbits are somewhat selective about feed. For example, they like leafy feed and sweet-tasting feed, and are especially fond of carrots and sulfur-containing feed. Where conditions permit, adding a small amount of sugar, earthworm powder, or vegetable oil to the daily ration can further improve its palatability. Some sulfur-containing amino acids, such as methionine and cystine, can also be added to the feed. In addition, feed more green fodder rich in vitamin A, such as Chinese milk vetch, carrots, and grasses of the Poaceae family, to ensure the nutrients needed for rabbit wool growth and promote wool production.
Supplemental feeding of zinc sulfate can also promote greater wool production in rabbits. According to relevant data, rabbit wool contains 4.2% sulfur, which is much higher than the sulfur content of ordinary protein. It can be seen that supplemental feeding with ordinary feed is far from enough to meet the sulfur demand of Angora rabbits for wool growth. Supplemental feeding of zinc sulfate can not only ease this contradiction, but the trace element zinc in zinc sulfate can also directly participate in the synthesis of auxin in plants and animals, thereby promoting growth.
Medicated baths to boost growth. Medicated baths can accelerate rabbit wool growth, increase wool yield by more than 20%, and make the rabbit wool white and bright, loose and not easily tangled. At the same time, they can prevent and control the occurrence of sarcoptic mange and reduce other skin diseases.
Preparation method of the medicated bath solution: use 150-200 g of trichlorfon powder, add 50 kg of water to prepare a 0.3%-0.5% trichlorfon solution, then add 150 g of sulfur powder, stir evenly, and use for bathing. Alternatively, use 100 g each of hibiscus bark and Sophora flavescens, add 2.5 kg of water, decoct, pour off the liquid and remove the residue, then add 100 g of sulfur powder and 5 kg of boiling water, stir evenly, wait until warm, and use for bathing. This amount can be used for bathing 20 Angora rabbits.
Raise more female rabbits. For the same breed, the wool yield of female rabbits is about 30% higher than that of male rabbits, and the wool quality is better than that of male rabbits. Therefore, when breeding young rabbits, separate or remove the male rabbits within 10 days so that the young female rabbits can eat their fill, which helps them develop quickly and have fewer diseases.
Reasonable wool harvesting. The method and technique of wool harvesting are directly related to the yield and quality of rabbit wool. The wool harvesting technique should be mastered skillfully to benefit the health of Angora rabbits, promote wool growth, and improve the yield and quality of rabbit wool.
Post-harvest management. 1. Add an appropriate amount of mineral trace element additives such as copper and zinc to the feed, which can promote epidermal cell growth and also increase the curl, toughness, and elasticity of rabbit wool. 2. After shearing, use old ginger slices dipped in 60-proof baijiu to wipe the rabbit's whole body, but do not wipe the mouth, nose, or eyes. In this way, after 5 days the rabbit's body will be covered with fine wool, and it will be relatively neat. 3. Each rabbit can be additionally fed 5-6 g of fresh Chinese chives, and soaked soybeans (soybeans) can be fed at 7-8 pieces per rabbit per day, which can make the rabbit wool grow quickly, increase the coat, and make the wool color glossy. 4. Comb the wool with a comb about once every three days to promote skin blood circulation and hair follicle cell vitality, stimulate the skin layer and accelerate metabolism, speed up rabbit wool growth, and help improve wool quality. 5. Appropriately increasing the rabbit's light exposure time can also improve the yield and quality of rabbit wool. 6. After shearing, inject 250 mL of vitamin B into the buttock muscle, which has an obvious wool-promoting effect and generally can advance shearing by about 10 days.