When is the most economical and cost-effective time to harvest rex rabbit pelts

The main purpose of raising rex rabbits is to harvest their pelts, and the quality of the rabbit pelts directly affects economic returns. To obtain high-quality rex rabbit pelts, in addition to having superior breeding stock and scientific husbandry, one must also understand the molting patterns of rex rabbits and accurately determine the pelt harvesting time.

I. Molting of rex rabbits

The molting of rex rabbits is divided into two types: age-related molting and seasonal molting.

1. Age-related molting: This occurs in young rabbits and growing rabbits. From 30 days to 150 days after birth, young rabbits go through their first age-related molting period. Based on the author's experience, harvesting pelts after the first age-related molting is the most economical. The second age-related molting mostly occurs between 170 days and 240 days of age, and this molting lasts relatively longer. If the first age-related molting coincides with spring or autumn, the second age-related molting often begins immediately.

2. Seasonal molting: This refers to the molting of adult rabbits in spring and autumn. Spring molting generally occurs from early March to the end of April, and autumn molting generally occurs from early September to the end of November. Due to differences in conditions between northern and southern China, the molting times differ by about half a month.

II. Determining the pelt harvesting time for rex rabbits

To determine the pelt harvesting time for rex rabbits, two principles must be followed: first, the right age; second, the right timing.

1. Right age: This means selecting growing rabbits after the end of their first age-related molting and before the start of their second age-related molting, that is, at 5 to 6 months of age, when body weight reaches about 2.75 kg, for slaughter and pelt harvesting. At this time, the pelt area can reach 0.1111 sq m, meeting the grade requirements. From the perspective of pelt maturity, slaughtering and harvesting pelts after the end of the second age-related molting is even better, but this requires raising them for more than two extra months, which increases feeding and management costs.

2. Right timing: This refers to the pelt harvesting time for adult rabbits, older rabbits and culled rabbits, which should be chosen during late winter and early spring, that is, from the end of November to before March of the following year. This is because pelts harvested during this period have sufficient underfur, do not shed fur, have superior pelt quality and yield high returns.