What are the key points for winter management of Rex rabbits?

The Rex rabbit, also called the Rex, is a rabbit with relatively high economic value in fur and skin, and it feels cool to the touch. Management of Rex rabbits is relatively important, especially in winter, when lower temperatures bring a certain degree of difficulty to management. So what are the key points for Rex rabbit(Rex rabbit) winter management?

1. Do a good job of rabbit hutch hygiene and deworming before winter

In winter, special attention should be paid to doing a good job of environmental hygiene in the rabbit hutch, and the hutch should be disinfected regularly. For disinfection, use two or more disinfectants in rotation to prevent the development of drug resistance; the rabbit hutch should be cleaned frequently, with feces and filth removed every day, and quicklime used to prevent dampness, keeping the inside of the hutch clean, hygienic and dry, to prevent the accumulation of feces and urine, reduce the production of irritating gases such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, and prevent respiratory diseases such as rhinitis and pneumonia. In addition, disinfection must be done carefully, and the rabbit hutch must be kept dry. To keep warm, the rabbit hutch is more tightly closed in winter, but poor ventilation leads to an increase in harmful gases such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide, which easily induces diseases such as conjunctivitis and rhinitis in Rex rabbits. Therefore, ventilation devices should be installed and automatic ventilation strengthened. Doors and windows can be opened from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day to use natural wind for air exchange, with the timing controlled according to the strength of the odor. To help Rex rabbits overwinter safely and strengthen their physique, before winter (in late autumn), drugs such as ivermectin or avermectin and tetramisole should be used, by injection or mixed into feed, to carry out one round of treatment against internal and external parasites for all adult rabbits and young rabbits, to prevent the invasion and harm of parasitic diseases.

2. Do a good job of cold prevention and heat preservation

Rex rabbits fear heat and are relatively cold-tolerant, but their cold tolerance has a certain limit. When the temperature drops below 5°C, they will feel uncomfortable. Hairless, colorless newborn rabbits are especially afraid of freezing; below 10°C they will become stiff with cold, and below 5°C they will freeze to death. Therefore, doing a good job of cold prevention and warmth preservation in winter is very important for raising Rex rabbits well.

1. Although winter temperatures are low, except for newborn rabbits, the rabbit hutch temperature is not required to be very warm, but it is required to be relatively stable and not suddenly cold or hot. In winter, the optimal temperature for Rex rabbit growth should be 15°C~25°C. 2. Increase stocking density and rely on the body heat of the rabbits to raise the temperature; young and juvenile rabbits must never be raised in single cages, and newborn rabbits must be moved into heated rooms.

3. When raising rabbits indoors, doors and windows should be closed properly to prevent drafts from invading; when raising rabbits outdoors, straw curtains should be hung on the cage doors to prevent cold wind from entering. Try to reduce ventilation to the minimum so as to preserve the heat produced by the rabbits' bodies.

4. Sufficient and reasonable lighting is an essential condition for the normal growth and development of Rex rabbits. Generally, two methods are used: artificial lighting and natural lighting. Transparent plastic film can be covered over the front and back of the rabbit hutch to make full use of sunlight, increase indoor light intake as much as possible, and achieve artificial warming. Rex rabbits can achieve good production performance under 12 hours to 16 hours of light per day. If conditions permit, heating equipment such as radiators, electric heaters and stoves can also be installed inside the hutch.

3. Do a good job of winter breeding and mating

While doing a good job of cold prevention and warmth preservation, arranging winter breeding and winter rearing is very important. Its advantages are a high survival rate of newborn rabbits and a high rate of rabbits ready for market. The newborn rabbits grow quickly, have large body size, are robust in physique, and have high wool production, making them most suitable for retention as breeding stock. As long as cold prevention and warmth preservation work is done carefully, winter breeding and mating can still achieve relatively good results, especially with a high survival rate of newborn and young rabbits and few diseases. In actual production, as long as the kindling box is kept warm, with dry, soft bedding straw that has strong warmth retention and good moisture absorption, and the hutch temperature is maintained above 5°C, relatively good winter breeding results can be obtained.

In winter, temperatures drop, pathogenic microorganisms are not active, there are few infectious pathogenic microorganisms, there is little rabbit disease, and the survival rate of newborn rabbits is high. As long as a constant-temperature environment is created for Rex rabbits, winter breeding and winter rearing are entirely possible. Although estrus in breeding female rabbits is not very obvious, they can after all go into estrus and can ovulate normally. Therefore, we should seize the opportunity to mate breeding female rabbits, and the mating time should be chosen for noon on clear, windless, warm days. Mating should follow the farming proverb: pink is early, black-purple is late, bright red is just right. To improve the conception rate, the mating method can use repeat mating or double mating. In addition, 12 days after mating, breeding female rabbits should be checked for pregnancy in time. The method of pregnancy checking is as follows: the checker holds the female rabbit's ears and neck skin with the left hand, fixes the female rabbit on flat ground or a tabletop, with the rabbit's head facing the checker's chest, and places the right hand in an inverted splayed shape under the female rabbit's abdomen, gently probing from back to front. Embryos are round and elastic, while fecal pellets are hard and spherical with no elasticity. Empty female rabbits that are not pregnant should be mated again in time. In addition, the lactation period for winter-bred newborn rabbits should be longer, and blood mating should generally not be used; it is advisable to breed 1 to 2 litters.