How to improve the survival rate of newborn rabbits? Practical breeding technical measures

1. Let them drink enough colostrum in time. Colostrum is rich in nutrients and also contains immunoglobulins. Newborn rabbits should be allowed to drink enough colostrum 4-6 hours after birth, so that they grow and develop quickly and have a strong physique.

2. Adjust foster nursing of newborn rabbits. Some of the newborn rabbits from large litters and those whose mothers have insufficient milk should be fostered to does with good milk production and small litters. If there is no doe available for foster nursing, then the small-sized and some male newborn rabbits should be culled. When necessary, artificial feeding can also be carried out.

3. Prevent "milk dragging." "Milk dragging" means that when a doe is nursing and is suddenly startled, she jumps out of the nest box and drags the nursing newborn rabbits out of the box with her. Therefore, the environment should be kept quiet to avoid the occurrence of "milk dragging."

4. Prevent "nest steaming." Before their eyes open, newborn rabbits always huddle close together, and the water vapor they exhale makes the micro-environment very humid. Newborn rabbits have thin skin and tender flesh, so skin rashes or ulcers are very likely to occur. Check frequently, replace wet bedding, and stir the newborn rabbits twice a day to evaporate the water vapor between their skins.

5. Prevent rodent damage. Newborn rabbits within 1 week after birth are susceptible to rodent damage, and 1 rat can bite several newborn rabbits to death in succession. Rabbit hutches should be made tighter to prevent rats from entering. Trapping and poisoning methods can be used to eliminate rats.

6. Prevent suffocation and disability. If the hair pulled by the doe when making a nest wraps around a newborn rabbit's neck, it can easily cause suffocation, and if it wraps around the legs, it can easily cause disability. The hair used for nesting should be replaced with old cotton, scraps of cloth, and the like.

7. Manually help open the eyes. For newborn rabbits that still cannot open their eyes at 15 days of age, apply 2% boric acid water or eye drops to the eye slit, let it soak for a moment, and gently pull outward on both sides of the eye slit with two fingers, and the newborn rabbits can then open their eyes.

8. Start feeding and supplement feed at the proper time. Start feeding newborn rabbits at 20-21 days of age. Tender green grass, green vegetable leaves, and the like can be used, given in small amounts and added frequently. After guided feeding, some easily digestible feed such as wheat bran can gradually be supplemented. By 28 days of age, pelleted feed can be formally given.

9. Wean reasonably. Determine the weaning time according to breeding density, and it should not exceed 42 days at the latest. The weaning method can be one-time weaning, or, according to the strength and weakness of the newborn rabbits, weaning can be done in batches.

10. Prevent diseases. Management of lactating does should be done well to prevent mastitis, so as to avoid causing yellow urine disease in newborn rabbits. Chlorobenzoguanide and other anti-coccidial drugs should be added to the supplemental feed to prevent coccidiosis.