How to raise Sima rabbits? Key points on building housing, feeding, breeding and disease prevention management in rural areas

RuralKnowledge on building housing, feeding, breeding and disease prevention management for Sima rabbit farming. Across China, many ordinary people like to raise a special kind of rabbit. It is lively and active, cute in appearance, and has smooth fur, with colors such as gray, hemp, yellow, and black. It is an improved high-quality rabbit breed, the Sima rabbit. It likes dry environments, has strong adaptability, and tolerates coarse feed. It is suitable for raising in both southern and northern China. This rabbit has a relatively high reproduction rate. It can be mated from birth to 4 months, with a gestation period of about 30 days, and an average litter of 6 to 8 kits. The Sima rabbit has a relatively long body, a large frame, and thick muscle. Adults can reach 4-6 kg, and it is also a good meat rabbit. Sima rabbit meat is a meat with high protein, low fat, and low cholesterol. The protein content of Sima rabbit meat is as high as 70%, higher than general meats, while its fat and cholesterol content is lower than all meats. It is especially favored in the catering industry, and currently the price of meat rabbits is relatively high. Because demand for Sima rabbit meat is large, the market often sees a phenomenon of a price available but no goods, so this is also the main reason many ordinary people develop it. In rural areas, following market development to do farming is right. Only with a market is there potential. This is the business way of farming. How should newly started farmers raise Sima rabbits? Today the author will share this popular farming knowledge with everyone:

   In rural Sima rabbit farming, the first consideration is the construction of the rabbit house. The rabbit house should be built in a ventilated and dry place. A site can also be built underground to raise breeding male rabbits, warm in winter and cool in summer, ensuring balanced production of the rabbit farm in all four seasons. The rabbit farm site should be selected in a place with high terrain, an appropriate slope, facing away from the wind and toward the sun, a low groundwater level, and good drainage. Low-lying, damp sites with poor drainage are not conducive to body heat regulation of domestic rabbits, but are conducive to the growth and reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms, and are especially suitable for the survival of parasites (such as mites, coccidia, etc.). To facilitate drainage, the ground of the rabbit farm should be flat or slightly sloped (1%-3% is suitable). For small-scale sideline farming, simple rabbit house building forms are suitable. Old sheds or idle houses can be used for free-range or pen raising; for rabbit farming of a certain scale and belonging to the main business, it is better to build relatively standardized rabbit houses and implement cage raising, so as to facilitate daily management; in northern China, where winters are long and the climate is cold, rural areas can use cellar raising, which is not only warm in winter and cool in summer, but also economical and practical. Cage raising is a relatively ideal raising method. Compared with several other raising methods (such as free-range, pen raising, cellar raising, etc.), cage raising makes it easier to control the living environment of domestic rabbits, facilitates feeding management, mating and reproduction, and disease prevention and control, and is beneficial to the growth and development of Sima rabbits and the improvement of fur quality. Therefore, it is a raising method worth promoting.

   In terms of feeding Sima rabbits, local agricultural by-product resources must be fully utilized, using mixed feed such as peanut vines, sweet potato vines, and corn stalks to feed the rabbits. Also, according to the needs of different periods, timely collect wild grasses with medicinal herb effects that have health benefits for Sima rabbits, such as plantain, houttuynia, dandelion, mugwort leaves, and garlic stems, to make feed additives, and regularly add them to the feed for feeding, so as to enhance the rabbit body's resistance, reduce the occurrence of diseases, and lower the cost of raising rabbits. Large-scale rabbit farming can also plant forage grass for feeding. For high-fiber forage grass, choose hybrid hn-mc Youyou Pennisetum, hn-mc Youyou rye, etc. When feeding rabbits with fresh green forage grass, the amount per rabbit per day is about 0.75 kg. In addition, rabbits must also be fed concentrate once a day, with an amount of about 70 grams per rabbit. In the concentrate feed, grains such as corn and wheat should account for 40%, bran and chaff should account for 40%, soybean cake should account for 15%, and fish meal should account for 3%, plus an appropriate amount of salt, trace elements, and mineral feed. The specific formula should be adjusted according to the needs of different rabbit breeds and different growth stages. The concentrate should be made into pellet feed according to the formula or crushed and mixed with an appropriate amount of water for feeding. Sima rabbits have a very urgent need for water, and sufficient water must be supplied to the rabbits through equipment such as automatic drinkers or water basins.

   In terms of breeding, after breeding rabbits mate, immediately pat the doe on the rump with your hand to stimulate hindquarter contraction and increase the conception rate. At the same time, the "double mating method" can be used, that is, mating with one buck in the morning and another buck in the evening; or the "repeat mating method," that is, mating with one buck in the morning and still using this buck in the evening, so that the doe gives birth to more kits. Newborn kits should be carefully managed and protected. After the doe gives birth to the kits, feed some brown sugar water and salt water to prevent her from becoming thirsty and eating the kits. In winter, kits should drink milk for a few more days to strengthen their physique and resist severe cold. When the kits reach 16-19 days of age, they can begin to try eating feed. In the early stage, a small amount of soybean milk and rice soup can be fed, and after a few days, wheat flour and bean dregs can be added. After another 6-7 days, mineral feed can be mixed in, and an appropriate amount of carrots, etc., can be fed. Kits should be fed 4-5 times a day, with one additional feeding at night. Young rabbits should be allowed to exercise more and bask in the sun more to improve the survival rate. 

In terms of disease prevention management, farmers should do a good job in disease prevention and control. In winter, in addition to preventing Sima rabbits from getting cold and freezing, they should also often feed garlic, ginger, yeast tablets, etc., to prevent the occurrence of diseases. If rabbit disease occurs, immediately isolate and treat according to symptoms to prevent spread.