Five Methods of Stimulation for Raising Rabbits to Improve Farming Returns

I. Estrus Stimulation Method

When a female rabbit does not come into estrus, a male rabbit can be used for forced mating to stimulate the female rabbit to come into estrus and ovulate. To induce estrus with estradiol benzoate, use 0.1 ml per rabbit, injected intramuscularly. One day later, the female rabbit will come into estrus and accept mating from a male rabbit, but at this time conception will not occur; mating again after two more days is required for conception to occur.

II. Labor Induction Method

Female rabbits generally give birth 30 days after conception. For female rabbits that go past their due date, hormone-induced labor should be used to promote delivery. For female rabbits 31 days pregnant, 3-4 units of oxytocin can be injected intramuscularly into the inner thigh. After injection, delivery generally occurs within 10-15 minutes, and in fast cases the young can be born just two minutes after injection. It must not be used for female rabbits less than 30 days pregnant.

III. Milk Let-Down Stimulation Method

After giving birth, normal young rabbits do not need to have the sticky fluid on their bodies wiped dry by hand; the female rabbit can be allowed to lick them dry herself, which not only stimulates milk let-down in the female rabbit but also promotes the bond between mother and young. For female rabbits lacking milk after giving birth, appropriately increasing the feeding of some raw sesame, black beans and other feed as well as green, succulent feed has the effect of promoting milk secretion.

IV. Fattening Method

Mix tetracycline feed powder and oxytetracycline feed powder (each gram containing 3000-5000 units of tetracycline or oxytetracycline) into the feed and give it to young rabbits. The method and dosage: for 30-day-old young rabbits, 1 gram per day, mixed into the feed in the morning for one oral dose. Thereafter, for every additional 10 days of age, increase the feeding by 1 gram of tetracycline or oxytetracycline feed powder. According to experimental measurements, young rabbits fed the medication gained 5-10 grams more weight per day than young rabbits not fed the medication.

V. Fur Growth Stimulation Method

Using thyroxine to stimulate fur growth can increase wool production by about 15%. Feeding method: initially give each adult rabbit 10 mg per day, mixed into the feed; thereafter gradually increase it, and by 60 days it can be increased to 40 mg, reaching the peak period. After this, gradually reduce the feeding amount, and 30 days after the peak period reduce it to zero. When feeding begins, the rabbits show restlessness and agitation, and they gradually return to normal after one week. Chen Yankai