The Rhyme of Rabbit Habits and Physiology: Helps You Easily Master Rabbit-Raising Knowledge
The Rhyme of Rabbit Habits and Physiology
Every animal has its own traits, and rabbits are especially different. Gentle in temperament and timid, they rest by day and move by night, fearing disturbance most of all. They like to gnaw and eat their own droppings, have dense fur, fear heat but not cold. They refuse to live in groups and prefer dryness, have a keen sense of smell and love to thump. Their digestive physiology is also special: stimulation triggers ovulation, and they have a double uterus. Gestation lasts 31 or 32 days, and the newborn kits are born naked and red. At 11 or 12 days the kits open their eyes, and five days later they grow fur. They have strong resistance to toxins and a large liver, well-developed stomach and intestines, and are herbivorous. Rabbits of the same sex like to fight, and they molt in spring and autumn.
The Song of Managing Breeding Bucks
When raising bucks, remember well: strong libido, sturdy body, and testes not hidden. The hutch should have half sun and half shade, and a jumping platform should be set up for frequent exercise. Feed should be varied and nutritious, and mating twice a day should not be exceeded. The age for first mating must be timely, and body weight should reach 4 kg. Do not mate right after feeding, and after mating avoid drinking cold water. As long as breeding bucks are raised well, a strong group of offspring is guaranteed.
The Song of Caring for Pregnant Does
After mating, during the doe's pregnancy, increase nutrition and care for her carefully. First of all, keep the hutch quiet, and forbid noise and loud impacts. After 15 days she is prone to miscarriage, so avoid frequent catching and lifting. Do not change feed suddenly, and clear away leftovers without being sparing. Do not feed frozen or moldy food; preventing miscarriage and protecting the fetus comes first. On day 25, place a kindling box, with soft bedding spread on the bottom of the nest. One or two days before kindling, stopping or reducing food is the rule. Prepare water and feed in time to prevent postpartum thirst and hunger.
The Song of Managing Does
Eyes bright and spirited, coat shiny, limbs steady, body strong. She should have at least four pairs of teats, and the genital area should be clean with no inflammation or injury. Mate at the proper time in the 7th or 8th month, and provide high nutrition during pregnancy. The hutch door must be secure and the shed quiet, which can prevent stillbirth and miscarriage. On day 25 appetite drops, so give more green feed and place the kindling box. Do not disturb her at kindling time, and after birth water and feed must be provided promptly. If she does not pull fur, pull it manually; mastitis must be prevented early. Frequently check whether kits are hungry or full, and only then will you know how to supplement the doe's nutrition. She can produce four or five litters a year, and both the kits are good and the doe stays strong.
The Song of Managing Kits
For artificial nursing, find a foster mother; let them drink colostrum and prevent chilling. Eliminate rat damage and prevent accidents, and prevent yellow urine disease early at 3 days. If milk is insufficient, prevent dangling-teat nursing; if the mother has mastitis, they should be foster-nursed. As soon as they start eating, prevent coccidiosis; feed frequently and give little to prevent digestive injury. Arrange breeding density skillfully, and wean at the proper time so both doe and kits are strong.
The Song of Managing Young Rabbits
Within 100 days they are called young rabbits, and raising them certainly requires effort. Appetite is strong and growth is fast, and overeating often causes bloating and distension. Indigestion easily causes diarrhea, so remember to limit feeding. Feeding frequently and giving little is the principle, and feed nutrition must be rich. Wean in time and inject vaccines, and after leaving the mother they still need to live in the original hutch. Environmental sanitation must be dry, and feed troughs and cage equipment should be disinfected often. In winter do not feed frozen feed, and in summer do not feed grass with dew. Pay attention to preventing coccidiosis, and they will leave the pen fat and strong.
The Song of Raising Rabbits in Autumn
In spring and autumn the fields are green with hundreds of grasses; cutting grass to feed rabbits is the wisest way. Green grass contains many vitamins, saves feed, and increases body weight. Set up a hay rack in the rabbit hutch, which can prevent hairball disease. Pay attention to regular and measured feeding. Never change feed suddenly. The temperature difference between day and night easily causes colds, so keep preventing rabbit diarrhea in mind. Adjust bucks and does and reorganize the rabbit group, and seize the time to mate and produce young. In the golden season raise more rabbits; rabbits are a sign of good fortune, and people will not be poor.
The Song of Raising Rabbits in Midsummer
Raising rabbits, people fear midsummer most: hot weather and dampness bring a mix of diseases. Young rabbits easily catch coccidiosis, and unclean forage causes diarrhea. Often add disease-resistant drugs to the feed, including furazolidone and chlorobenzoguanide. Direct sunlight easily causes heatstroke, so a shade awning should be built over the hutch. When the weather is hot and they pant, appetite drops, so add more forage at night. In the daytime feed more watermelon rind, and do not forget to add salt to drinking water. Disinfect often and kill mosquitoes and flies, and stop breeding to get through midsummer. Preserve strength and build up constitution, and wait until after autumn to make money.
The Song of Raising Rabbits in Winter
In winter, raising rabbits first means preventing freezing, and the rabbit hutch must be warm and guarded against draft. Move rabbits outside the shed indoors, or build a plastic shed. Do not forget to close doors and windows, and ventilation and air exchange is one task. There must be a warm box in the cage, and young rabbits should roost at night in soft grass. When days are short and nights long, add feed at night, with slightly more concentrate and no interruption of green feed. In winter cold, do not shear wool rabbits, to prevent colds and pneumonia. Feed more root vegetables and carrots, and give rabbits warm water so it does not freeze. Expose them to more sunlight and exercise frequently, and only then will bucks and does develop libido. Winter-born kits have a high survival rate, so seize winter breeding and break tradition.
The Rhyme of Selecting Breeding Rabbits
Big head, broad chest, round rump and back; many teats and sound testes. Eyes spirited and coat shiny, limbs steady and toes not bent. Strong reproductive ability and good performance, with stable heredity, should come first. Test individuals, relatives, and offspring, and keep the three-level selection in mind. Only good breeding stock can produce good young, so guard the pedigree and health barriers well. In raising rabbits, as long as breeding stock is well selected, they will be fat and strong and fill the pen.
The Song of Selecting and Mating Breeding Rabbits
Homogeneous mating is the simplest: choose superior animals of the same breed. Mate a good buck with a good doe, and the young resemble both parents with stable heredity. Heterogeneous mating is the opposite, with the purpose of passing the improvement stage. Mate males and females of different qualities to overcome defects and make up shortcomings. If you want stable heredity, it is best to select by age. A strong buck can be mated with young or old does, but do not pair young and old as a couple. There is also selection by kinship grade, grouping by similar nature and appearance. Father-daughter and mother-son must not be randomly mated, and full siblings should not be paired. Set the mating according to need, and it is best that both parents have no blood relation.
The Song of Collecting Forage for Rabbits
Rabbits love to eat a hundred kinds of grass; collect more and match them skillfully for therapeutic feeding. Inula flower and sweet wormwood relieve asthma, calm cough, and treat colds. Shepherd's purse is tender and rabbits love it; its taste is pungent, nature cold, a leafy seedling. Cockscomb with cyperus rotundus clears the liver, brightens the eyes, and lowers high blood pressure. Chinese lantern plant and Chinese lantern herb, and black nightshade clears heat and detoxifies. Little speedwell has strong palatability; mugwort and oats can be pulled together. Corn spurry and horned poppy, and hidden-flower dogtooth are picked by rabbits with delight. Baby's breath clears heat and detoxifies; large and small baboon flower dispel wind and release the exterior. White mugwort and tiger grass can all be collected, and rabbits love all kinds of smartweed. To prevent rabbits from urinating blood, use morning glory with white grass. Rehmannia promotes fluid and cools blood; broom cypress astringes and promotes urination. Rooster horn lowers fire and quenches thirst; motherwort prevents disease in pregnant rabbits. Cat's eye treats mastitis; cowherb is good for promoting lactation. Purslane treats diarrhea; morning glory can dissolve food retention. Astringent vine treats coccidiosis; old ox tendon contains little water. Melilotus and dandelion; chicken eye stops bleeding and promotes urination. Saltwort contains calcium and iron; plantain and violet reduce fever. Water chestnut and thorny thorn sprout have special effects in reducing inflammation and stopping bleeding. Duckweed and scouring rush relieve asthma, transform phlegm, and treat cough. Wild vetch invigorates blood and calms the stomach, and can be found by roadsides and in wheat fields. False indigo leaves are complete in nutrition; do not let the protein be lost. Willow, poplar, and elm leaves are everywhere, and pagoda tree flowers have the most wondrous effects. For bloody stool and bloody dysentery, collect pagoda tree buds; for colds, look for mulberry leaves. All kinds of fruit peels, vegetable leaves, and vines, and crop straws are all treasures. Banana peel strengthens the stomach and promotes bowel movement; onion and garlic protect the intestinal tract. In midsummer melon rind lowers summer heat; pumpkin stem protects the rabbit fetus. Dried tangerine peel treats abdominal distension; pomegranate peel expels roundworms, tapeworms, and pinworms. Radish roots and sweet potato ends are indispensable as green feed in winter. Cabbage leaves are most palatable; red and white radish leaves should be used skillfully. Wheat straw, bean straw, and peanut vines can be crushed and mixed into winter feed. Bran contains much phosphorus and calcium, is rich in nutrition, and moistens the intestinal tract. Cake-type feeds mostly contain protein, and reasonable matching can increase body weight. When collecting grass, also pay much attention to one thing: preventing rabbit poisoning. Do not cut grass that has been sprayed with pesticide, and do not feed sorghum or corn seedlings. Sprouted potatoes, chinaberry leaves, and castor bean cause rabbits to lift their hooves. Fresh cocklebur buds and datura anesthetize and kill rabbits like poison. Field grasses can be fed to rabbits, with the four natures and five flavors reasonably adjusted. (Note: The plant names used in this rhyme are common local names in Henan Province.)
The Song of Comprehensive Prevention and Treatment of Rabbit Plague
Suddenly jumping wildly and giving a cry, with nosebleed: rabbit plague. The rabbit group is destroyed with high mortality, and drug treatment does not work. Necropsy of sick rabbits shows enlarged liver, degenerated texture, and dark red color. The kidneys have spotted markings, the lungs are congested, and the spleen turning blue is characteristic. The disease comes on urgently and spreads quickly, so remember daily prevention. Inject compound Isatis leaf, 2 mL of vitamin C. Decoct and take orally cactus, and often dissolve Isatis root in drinking water. Inject vaccine in time at one month old, twice a year, and it cannot be omitted. When introducing breeding stock, pay special attention and first check whether there is epidemic disease. Set up a disinfection pool at the rabbit hutch and decline visits without leniency. Several commonly used disinfection methods: lime, caustic soda, and flame lamp. Catch and kill rats and eliminate mosquitoes and flies, and use formalin for fumigation. If the above methods can be done, rabbit plague can certainly be prevented.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Pasteurellosis
Pasteurellosis is special, occurring mostly in the two seasons of spring and autumn. All kinds of rabbits are susceptible, and it harms young rabbits most savagely. Sick rabbits are generally listless, with increased body temperature and nasal discharge. After death, liver degeneration is often seen, and the intestines are swollen with membrane hemorrhage. It is a virulent infection with high mortality, and vaccine prevention can solve it.
The affected sites differ, and treatment methods are divided accordingly. Conjunctivitis causes tearing, and genital or testicular disease causes congestion. Middle ear disease makes rabbits tilt their heads, so eliminate the source promptly. For rhinitis, drip chloramphenicol, and inject gentamicin or kanamycin. Often add olaquindox to feed; compound sulfamethoxazole has a special effect. If there is a syndrome, inject penicillin-streptomycin solution. Lysol is often used for disinfection, and lime and caustic soda are often chosen. Strengthen management and prevent stress, and do not let dogs or cats enter the rabbit hutch.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Clostridium Welchii Disease
Clostridium welchii enteritis causes black watery diarrhea. Blood-tinged gelatinous material is characteristic, and gas fills the middle of the intestines. At the beginning of illness the belly is distended and the rabbit's fur is ruffled, and touching the abdomen gives a watery feel. Generally body temperature does not rise, and loose feces often stick to the anus. After two or three days the body becomes deformed, and once sick it is hard to pass the death barrier.
Drug treatment is not very effective; feeding management is key. Prevent stress during sudden weather changes, and keep the hutch dry and warm. Inject vaccine in time at one month old, and add olaquindox powder to feed. Generally use common disinfectants: benzalkonium bromide and caustic soda.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Bordetella Disease
Bordetella disease is common, chronic, frequently occurring, and widely spread. It mainly attacks the respiratory tract, and once this disease is contracted it is most troublesome. Early in the disease the nasal mucosa bleeds, and rabbits have thick, sticky nasal discharge. In severe cases it often blocks the nose, and lung infection makes breathing difficult. Rabbits often scratch their noses and sneeze, and sprayed droplets become a source of infection. Prevent by injecting vaccine in time, and select breeding stock with good health. Strengthen management and prevent stress, and keep the air in the rabbit hutch fresh. Use kanamycin for treatment, one vial each time, twice a day. Use penicillin and streptomycin mixed, with an injection unit of 200,000. For nasal drip choose chloramphenicol, three times daily without interruption. To eliminate Bordetella disease, culling sick rabbits is key.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Colibacillosis
Colibacillosis is common, also called mucous enteritis. It occurs mostly in young rabbits after weaning, and mass death is truly pitiful. The most acute form causes rapid death, and the subacute form lasts six or seven days. At first onset most are depressed, with poor appetite and string-like feces. Symptoms of sick rabbits are easy to identify, with gelatinous feces attached. After death the stomach is mostly swollen, and the gastrointestinal mucosa has blood spots. Transparent gelatinous material is in the cecum, and colonic feces are transparent and sticky. For oral medicine use furazolidone, and inject streptomycin 40,000. Combine gentamicin with vitamin B1, and sulfamethoxazole with baking soda tablets. Early treatment of disease gives good results, and often add norfloxacin to feed. Isolate sick rabbits as soon as found, and do not suddenly change the feed formula. Disinfect environmental sanitation often, and do not let feces contaminate grass. Persist in inspecting fecal changes, and often use caustic soda for disinfection.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Oral Inflammation
When young rabbits drool from the mouth, the disease is called oral inflammation. It comes on urgently and spreads quickly, and rabbits in the same litter easily catch the same disease. When this disease is found, treat it quickly, and use medicine immediately without delay. For Western medicine, oxytetracycline can be used, half a tablet sprinkled in the mouth and half swallowed. The special-effect compound sulfamethoxazole, ground into powder and applied to the mouth, shows clear results. Oral Chinese patent medicine can also be used: Liushen Bao Chi Xiaoyan pills. Purple violet and Isatis leaf, honeysuckle and wild chrysanthemum, decoct in water. Although miraculous medicine can cure the disease, management should know prevention comes first. Do not feed rabbits spoiled feed, and beware of sharp objects piercing the mouth. Brush and wash feed troughs and water troughs often, remove leftovers and replace them. Disinfect rabbit hutches and cage equipment often, and guard well the gate of disease entering by mouth.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Staphylococcosis
Staphylococcosis is widespread, with chain reactions and mutual infection. In young rabbits, pyosepticemia occurs from abrasions before fur growth. Pododermatitis is caused by injury and ulceration, and pain often makes them shift all four feet. Yellow urine disease in kits has a cause: their mother has mastitis. After eating milk from a doe with mastitis, the disease appears on the third day after birth. The nest box is foul-smelling and the body is wrinkled, and the body is yellow and they sleep limp and soft. Treatment first treats the mother's disease, and they are separated from the mother and foster-nursed by another rabbit. Drop chloramphenicol into the mouth, two drops each time, three times a day. Mastitis causes swelling of the mammary glands, and the skin around the teats is purple or blue. In chronic severe cases hard lumps form, later becoming abscesses like eggs. Apply hot compresses with potassium permanganate water, and then squeeze the milk dry. Use penicillin injection for blockade, injecting 200,000 along the mammary gland. For prevention, orally give sulfamethoxazole, continuously for three days after birth. Combine with feeding cat's eye and cowherb, and wormwood. Disinfect the bedding in the kindling box first, and use ultraviolet rays from sunlight. For abscesses and pododermatitis, use carbolic acid for washing. After washing, apply anti-inflammatory ointment, and keep the cage bottom free of sharp objects, flat and dry. To eliminate staphylococcosis, comprehensive management and prevention come first.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Salmonella Disease
Rabbit salmonella disease is characterized by diarrhea and miscarriage. It mainly attacks pregnant rabbits, occurring after 25 days. Spirit is dull and body temperature is high, feeding stops completely and thirst increases. Feces become sticky with foam, and the vagina discharges purulent fluid. The uterus suppurates and ulcerates, and mummified fetuses remain in the uterus. When both management and nutrition are poor, acute death from septicemia occurs. For treatment, first use chloramphenicol, intramuscular injection 2 mL. For tablets, the first dose is the maximum, and afterward half a tablet without relaxing. Alternately use streptomycin, inject vaccine, and eliminate mosquitoes and flies. Do not let rabbit feed be contaminated by rats, and disinfect regularly and maintain hygiene.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Coccidiosis
When the melon flesh turns red, the rabbit hutch is empty; hot weather and dampness bring many coccidia. The head tilts backward and the feet kick, and before death they give a sharp cry. Once sick, treatment is difficult, so remember prevention first. Listlessness is a warning sign, and the abdomen becomes distended, black, and blue. The conjunctiva is pale and the fur is ruffled, with acute diarrhea and abdominal pain. Chlorobenzoguanide and diaveridine, and furazolidone can treat coccidia. At one month old when they start eating, give it orally, with a course of 3, 7, 15. The first dose is double to prevent poisoning, and maintenance is halved without relaxing. In the plum rain season, wean later, and in hot midsummer do not breed rabbits. Feed should be nutritious and easy to digest, and frequently feed garlic and onion. Keep hygiene in the rabbit hutch, and remove feces and urine every day. After brushing feed troughs, expose them to strong sun, and flame disinfection is best. It is best to raise them in cages with droppings falling through the bottom, and remember not to mix different litters. Feed does and kits in separate cages, and bury dead rabbits deeply and do not throw them around. As long as coccidiosis is controlled, rabbit raising is more than half successful.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Mange
When rabbits grow mange on all four feet, mite infestation is the root cause. To treat the disease, first kill the mites, and remember the operating methods completely. Medicinally use dicofol, and oil-based smearing shows clear results. There is also refined trichlorfon, at 2 percent, and operation must be strict. Soak in hot water to remove scabs, and after medicine rub dry with cinders. Do not forget the three procedures, and strictly prevent poisoning from licking the feet. Best is rabbit mange one-time cure, and after one treatment new fur grows. Chinese medicine tobacco juice plus chili, and chinaberry root decoction for dipping the feet. Do not mate with rabbits that have mange, which can prevent the spread of mange. Culling sick rabbits is a poor policy; the rabbit hutch should face the sun and the cage should be dry. Carry out environmental disinfection often, and kill mite eggs with flame.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Diarrhea
Rabbit diarrhea has three types: ordinary, food-injury, and dysentery type. Ordinary diarrhea occurs when rabbits catch cold, or forage has dew or is frozen. Food-injury diarrhea is mostly from overeating, and appetite remains strong. Dysentery is gastrointestinal inflammation from bacterial infection, and the condition is severe. For treatment, inject berberine intramuscularly, and for prevention often take furazolidone. Combine with rhubarb and baking soda tablets, and also add dried yeast. Pay attention to choosing medicine for young rabbits; the special-effect compound sulfamethoxazole is good. Inject gentamicin, twice a day without stopping. Usually feed regularly, feed frequently and give little, and keep them 80 percent full. Do not feed grass with frost or dew, and throw away moldy feed.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Hairball Disease
In spring and autumn, when they molt, rabbits are prone to hairball disease. Symptoms include abdominal distension and liking to lie prone, difficult defecation, and arching the back. Touching the stomach reveals tangled hairballs, and blockage of the pylorus makes the intestines impassable. They gradually become thin and love to drink water,
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Really great!!! Very helpful for rabbit feed makers and rabbit farmers!! Top
The Song of Managing Breeding Bucks
When raising bucks, remember well: strong libido, sturdy body, and testes not hidden. The hutch should have half sun and half shade, and a jumping platform should be set up for frequent exercise. Feed should be varied and nutritious, and mating twice a day should not be exceeded. The age for first mating must be timely, and body weight should reach 4 kg. Do not mate right after feeding, and after mating avoid drinking cold water. As long as breeding bucks are raised well, a strong group of offspring is guaranteed.
The Song of Caring for Pregnant Does
After mating, during the doe's pregnancy, increase nutrition and care for her carefully. First of all, keep the hutch quiet, and forbid noise and loud impacts. After 15 days she is prone to miscarriage, so avoid frequent catching and lifting. Do not change feed suddenly, and clear away leftovers without being sparing. Do not feed frozen or moldy food; preventing miscarriage and protecting the fetus comes first. On day 25, place a kindling box, with soft bedding spread on the bottom of the nest. One or two days before kindling, stopping or reducing food is the rule. Prepare water and feed in time to prevent postpartum thirst and hunger.
The Song of Managing Does
Eyes bright and spirited, coat shiny, limbs steady, body strong. She should have at least four pairs of teats, and the genital area should be clean with no inflammation or injury. Mate at the proper time in the 7th or 8th month, and provide high nutrition during pregnancy. The hutch door must be secure and the shed quiet, which can prevent stillbirth and miscarriage. On day 25 appetite drops, so give more green feed and place the kindling box. Do not disturb her at kindling time, and after birth water and feed must be provided promptly. If she does not pull fur, pull it manually; mastitis must be prevented early. Frequently check whether kits are hungry or full, and only then will you know how to supplement the doe's nutrition. She can produce four or five litters a year, and both the kits are good and the doe stays strong.
The Song of Managing Kits
For artificial nursing, find a foster mother; let them drink colostrum and prevent chilling. Eliminate rat damage and prevent accidents, and prevent yellow urine disease early at 3 days. If milk is insufficient, prevent dangling-teat nursing; if the mother has mastitis, they should be foster-nursed. As soon as they start eating, prevent coccidiosis; feed frequently and give little to prevent digestive injury. Arrange breeding density skillfully, and wean at the proper time so both doe and kits are strong.
The Song of Managing Young Rabbits
Within 100 days they are called young rabbits, and raising them certainly requires effort. Appetite is strong and growth is fast, and overeating often causes bloating and distension. Indigestion easily causes diarrhea, so remember to limit feeding. Feeding frequently and giving little is the principle, and feed nutrition must be rich. Wean in time and inject vaccines, and after leaving the mother they still need to live in the original hutch. Environmental sanitation must be dry, and feed troughs and cage equipment should be disinfected often. In winter do not feed frozen feed, and in summer do not feed grass with dew. Pay attention to preventing coccidiosis, and they will leave the pen fat and strong.
The Song of Raising Rabbits in Autumn
In spring and autumn the fields are green with hundreds of grasses; cutting grass to feed rabbits is the wisest way. Green grass contains many vitamins, saves feed, and increases body weight. Set up a hay rack in the rabbit hutch, which can prevent hairball disease. Pay attention to regular and measured feeding. Never change feed suddenly. The temperature difference between day and night easily causes colds, so keep preventing rabbit diarrhea in mind. Adjust bucks and does and reorganize the rabbit group, and seize the time to mate and produce young. In the golden season raise more rabbits; rabbits are a sign of good fortune, and people will not be poor.
The Song of Raising Rabbits in Midsummer
Raising rabbits, people fear midsummer most: hot weather and dampness bring a mix of diseases. Young rabbits easily catch coccidiosis, and unclean forage causes diarrhea. Often add disease-resistant drugs to the feed, including furazolidone and chlorobenzoguanide. Direct sunlight easily causes heatstroke, so a shade awning should be built over the hutch. When the weather is hot and they pant, appetite drops, so add more forage at night. In the daytime feed more watermelon rind, and do not forget to add salt to drinking water. Disinfect often and kill mosquitoes and flies, and stop breeding to get through midsummer. Preserve strength and build up constitution, and wait until after autumn to make money.
The Song of Raising Rabbits in Winter
In winter, raising rabbits first means preventing freezing, and the rabbit hutch must be warm and guarded against draft. Move rabbits outside the shed indoors, or build a plastic shed. Do not forget to close doors and windows, and ventilation and air exchange is one task. There must be a warm box in the cage, and young rabbits should roost at night in soft grass. When days are short and nights long, add feed at night, with slightly more concentrate and no interruption of green feed. In winter cold, do not shear wool rabbits, to prevent colds and pneumonia. Feed more root vegetables and carrots, and give rabbits warm water so it does not freeze. Expose them to more sunlight and exercise frequently, and only then will bucks and does develop libido. Winter-born kits have a high survival rate, so seize winter breeding and break tradition.
The Rhyme of Selecting Breeding Rabbits
Big head, broad chest, round rump and back; many teats and sound testes. Eyes spirited and coat shiny, limbs steady and toes not bent. Strong reproductive ability and good performance, with stable heredity, should come first. Test individuals, relatives, and offspring, and keep the three-level selection in mind. Only good breeding stock can produce good young, so guard the pedigree and health barriers well. In raising rabbits, as long as breeding stock is well selected, they will be fat and strong and fill the pen.
The Song of Selecting and Mating Breeding Rabbits
Homogeneous mating is the simplest: choose superior animals of the same breed. Mate a good buck with a good doe, and the young resemble both parents with stable heredity. Heterogeneous mating is the opposite, with the purpose of passing the improvement stage. Mate males and females of different qualities to overcome defects and make up shortcomings. If you want stable heredity, it is best to select by age. A strong buck can be mated with young or old does, but do not pair young and old as a couple. There is also selection by kinship grade, grouping by similar nature and appearance. Father-daughter and mother-son must not be randomly mated, and full siblings should not be paired. Set the mating according to need, and it is best that both parents have no blood relation.
The Song of Collecting Forage for Rabbits
Rabbits love to eat a hundred kinds of grass; collect more and match them skillfully for therapeutic feeding. Inula flower and sweet wormwood relieve asthma, calm cough, and treat colds. Shepherd's purse is tender and rabbits love it; its taste is pungent, nature cold, a leafy seedling. Cockscomb with cyperus rotundus clears the liver, brightens the eyes, and lowers high blood pressure. Chinese lantern plant and Chinese lantern herb, and black nightshade clears heat and detoxifies. Little speedwell has strong palatability; mugwort and oats can be pulled together. Corn spurry and horned poppy, and hidden-flower dogtooth are picked by rabbits with delight. Baby's breath clears heat and detoxifies; large and small baboon flower dispel wind and release the exterior. White mugwort and tiger grass can all be collected, and rabbits love all kinds of smartweed. To prevent rabbits from urinating blood, use morning glory with white grass. Rehmannia promotes fluid and cools blood; broom cypress astringes and promotes urination. Rooster horn lowers fire and quenches thirst; motherwort prevents disease in pregnant rabbits. Cat's eye treats mastitis; cowherb is good for promoting lactation. Purslane treats diarrhea; morning glory can dissolve food retention. Astringent vine treats coccidiosis; old ox tendon contains little water. Melilotus and dandelion; chicken eye stops bleeding and promotes urination. Saltwort contains calcium and iron; plantain and violet reduce fever. Water chestnut and thorny thorn sprout have special effects in reducing inflammation and stopping bleeding. Duckweed and scouring rush relieve asthma, transform phlegm, and treat cough. Wild vetch invigorates blood and calms the stomach, and can be found by roadsides and in wheat fields. False indigo leaves are complete in nutrition; do not let the protein be lost. Willow, poplar, and elm leaves are everywhere, and pagoda tree flowers have the most wondrous effects. For bloody stool and bloody dysentery, collect pagoda tree buds; for colds, look for mulberry leaves. All kinds of fruit peels, vegetable leaves, and vines, and crop straws are all treasures. Banana peel strengthens the stomach and promotes bowel movement; onion and garlic protect the intestinal tract. In midsummer melon rind lowers summer heat; pumpkin stem protects the rabbit fetus. Dried tangerine peel treats abdominal distension; pomegranate peel expels roundworms, tapeworms, and pinworms. Radish roots and sweet potato ends are indispensable as green feed in winter. Cabbage leaves are most palatable; red and white radish leaves should be used skillfully. Wheat straw, bean straw, and peanut vines can be crushed and mixed into winter feed. Bran contains much phosphorus and calcium, is rich in nutrition, and moistens the intestinal tract. Cake-type feeds mostly contain protein, and reasonable matching can increase body weight. When collecting grass, also pay much attention to one thing: preventing rabbit poisoning. Do not cut grass that has been sprayed with pesticide, and do not feed sorghum or corn seedlings. Sprouted potatoes, chinaberry leaves, and castor bean cause rabbits to lift their hooves. Fresh cocklebur buds and datura anesthetize and kill rabbits like poison. Field grasses can be fed to rabbits, with the four natures and five flavors reasonably adjusted. (Note: The plant names used in this rhyme are common local names in Henan Province.)
The Song of Comprehensive Prevention and Treatment of Rabbit Plague
Suddenly jumping wildly and giving a cry, with nosebleed: rabbit plague. The rabbit group is destroyed with high mortality, and drug treatment does not work. Necropsy of sick rabbits shows enlarged liver, degenerated texture, and dark red color. The kidneys have spotted markings, the lungs are congested, and the spleen turning blue is characteristic. The disease comes on urgently and spreads quickly, so remember daily prevention. Inject compound Isatis leaf, 2 mL of vitamin C. Decoct and take orally cactus, and often dissolve Isatis root in drinking water. Inject vaccine in time at one month old, twice a year, and it cannot be omitted. When introducing breeding stock, pay special attention and first check whether there is epidemic disease. Set up a disinfection pool at the rabbit hutch and decline visits without leniency. Several commonly used disinfection methods: lime, caustic soda, and flame lamp. Catch and kill rats and eliminate mosquitoes and flies, and use formalin for fumigation. If the above methods can be done, rabbit plague can certainly be prevented.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Pasteurellosis
Pasteurellosis is special, occurring mostly in the two seasons of spring and autumn. All kinds of rabbits are susceptible, and it harms young rabbits most savagely. Sick rabbits are generally listless, with increased body temperature and nasal discharge. After death, liver degeneration is often seen, and the intestines are swollen with membrane hemorrhage. It is a virulent infection with high mortality, and vaccine prevention can solve it.
The affected sites differ, and treatment methods are divided accordingly. Conjunctivitis causes tearing, and genital or testicular disease causes congestion. Middle ear disease makes rabbits tilt their heads, so eliminate the source promptly. For rhinitis, drip chloramphenicol, and inject gentamicin or kanamycin. Often add olaquindox to feed; compound sulfamethoxazole has a special effect. If there is a syndrome, inject penicillin-streptomycin solution. Lysol is often used for disinfection, and lime and caustic soda are often chosen. Strengthen management and prevent stress, and do not let dogs or cats enter the rabbit hutch.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Clostridium Welchii Disease
Clostridium welchii enteritis causes black watery diarrhea. Blood-tinged gelatinous material is characteristic, and gas fills the middle of the intestines. At the beginning of illness the belly is distended and the rabbit's fur is ruffled, and touching the abdomen gives a watery feel. Generally body temperature does not rise, and loose feces often stick to the anus. After two or three days the body becomes deformed, and once sick it is hard to pass the death barrier.
Drug treatment is not very effective; feeding management is key. Prevent stress during sudden weather changes, and keep the hutch dry and warm. Inject vaccine in time at one month old, and add olaquindox powder to feed. Generally use common disinfectants: benzalkonium bromide and caustic soda.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Bordetella Disease
Bordetella disease is common, chronic, frequently occurring, and widely spread. It mainly attacks the respiratory tract, and once this disease is contracted it is most troublesome. Early in the disease the nasal mucosa bleeds, and rabbits have thick, sticky nasal discharge. In severe cases it often blocks the nose, and lung infection makes breathing difficult. Rabbits often scratch their noses and sneeze, and sprayed droplets become a source of infection. Prevent by injecting vaccine in time, and select breeding stock with good health. Strengthen management and prevent stress, and keep the air in the rabbit hutch fresh. Use kanamycin for treatment, one vial each time, twice a day. Use penicillin and streptomycin mixed, with an injection unit of 200,000. For nasal drip choose chloramphenicol, three times daily without interruption. To eliminate Bordetella disease, culling sick rabbits is key.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Colibacillosis
Colibacillosis is common, also called mucous enteritis. It occurs mostly in young rabbits after weaning, and mass death is truly pitiful. The most acute form causes rapid death, and the subacute form lasts six or seven days. At first onset most are depressed, with poor appetite and string-like feces. Symptoms of sick rabbits are easy to identify, with gelatinous feces attached. After death the stomach is mostly swollen, and the gastrointestinal mucosa has blood spots. Transparent gelatinous material is in the cecum, and colonic feces are transparent and sticky. For oral medicine use furazolidone, and inject streptomycin 40,000. Combine gentamicin with vitamin B1, and sulfamethoxazole with baking soda tablets. Early treatment of disease gives good results, and often add norfloxacin to feed. Isolate sick rabbits as soon as found, and do not suddenly change the feed formula. Disinfect environmental sanitation often, and do not let feces contaminate grass. Persist in inspecting fecal changes, and often use caustic soda for disinfection.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Oral Inflammation
When young rabbits drool from the mouth, the disease is called oral inflammation. It comes on urgently and spreads quickly, and rabbits in the same litter easily catch the same disease. When this disease is found, treat it quickly, and use medicine immediately without delay. For Western medicine, oxytetracycline can be used, half a tablet sprinkled in the mouth and half swallowed. The special-effect compound sulfamethoxazole, ground into powder and applied to the mouth, shows clear results. Oral Chinese patent medicine can also be used: Liushen Bao Chi Xiaoyan pills. Purple violet and Isatis leaf, honeysuckle and wild chrysanthemum, decoct in water. Although miraculous medicine can cure the disease, management should know prevention comes first. Do not feed rabbits spoiled feed, and beware of sharp objects piercing the mouth. Brush and wash feed troughs and water troughs often, remove leftovers and replace them. Disinfect rabbit hutches and cage equipment often, and guard well the gate of disease entering by mouth.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Staphylococcosis
Staphylococcosis is widespread, with chain reactions and mutual infection. In young rabbits, pyosepticemia occurs from abrasions before fur growth. Pododermatitis is caused by injury and ulceration, and pain often makes them shift all four feet. Yellow urine disease in kits has a cause: their mother has mastitis. After eating milk from a doe with mastitis, the disease appears on the third day after birth. The nest box is foul-smelling and the body is wrinkled, and the body is yellow and they sleep limp and soft. Treatment first treats the mother's disease, and they are separated from the mother and foster-nursed by another rabbit. Drop chloramphenicol into the mouth, two drops each time, three times a day. Mastitis causes swelling of the mammary glands, and the skin around the teats is purple or blue. In chronic severe cases hard lumps form, later becoming abscesses like eggs. Apply hot compresses with potassium permanganate water, and then squeeze the milk dry. Use penicillin injection for blockade, injecting 200,000 along the mammary gland. For prevention, orally give sulfamethoxazole, continuously for three days after birth. Combine with feeding cat's eye and cowherb, and wormwood. Disinfect the bedding in the kindling box first, and use ultraviolet rays from sunlight. For abscesses and pododermatitis, use carbolic acid for washing. After washing, apply anti-inflammatory ointment, and keep the cage bottom free of sharp objects, flat and dry. To eliminate staphylococcosis, comprehensive management and prevention come first.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Salmonella Disease
Rabbit salmonella disease is characterized by diarrhea and miscarriage. It mainly attacks pregnant rabbits, occurring after 25 days. Spirit is dull and body temperature is high, feeding stops completely and thirst increases. Feces become sticky with foam, and the vagina discharges purulent fluid. The uterus suppurates and ulcerates, and mummified fetuses remain in the uterus. When both management and nutrition are poor, acute death from septicemia occurs. For treatment, first use chloramphenicol, intramuscular injection 2 mL. For tablets, the first dose is the maximum, and afterward half a tablet without relaxing. Alternately use streptomycin, inject vaccine, and eliminate mosquitoes and flies. Do not let rabbit feed be contaminated by rats, and disinfect regularly and maintain hygiene.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Coccidiosis
When the melon flesh turns red, the rabbit hutch is empty; hot weather and dampness bring many coccidia. The head tilts backward and the feet kick, and before death they give a sharp cry. Once sick, treatment is difficult, so remember prevention first. Listlessness is a warning sign, and the abdomen becomes distended, black, and blue. The conjunctiva is pale and the fur is ruffled, with acute diarrhea and abdominal pain. Chlorobenzoguanide and diaveridine, and furazolidone can treat coccidia. At one month old when they start eating, give it orally, with a course of 3, 7, 15. The first dose is double to prevent poisoning, and maintenance is halved without relaxing. In the plum rain season, wean later, and in hot midsummer do not breed rabbits. Feed should be nutritious and easy to digest, and frequently feed garlic and onion. Keep hygiene in the rabbit hutch, and remove feces and urine every day. After brushing feed troughs, expose them to strong sun, and flame disinfection is best. It is best to raise them in cages with droppings falling through the bottom, and remember not to mix different litters. Feed does and kits in separate cages, and bury dead rabbits deeply and do not throw them around. As long as coccidiosis is controlled, rabbit raising is more than half successful.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Mange
When rabbits grow mange on all four feet, mite infestation is the root cause. To treat the disease, first kill the mites, and remember the operating methods completely. Medicinally use dicofol, and oil-based smearing shows clear results. There is also refined trichlorfon, at 2 percent, and operation must be strict. Soak in hot water to remove scabs, and after medicine rub dry with cinders. Do not forget the three procedures, and strictly prevent poisoning from licking the feet. Best is rabbit mange one-time cure, and after one treatment new fur grows. Chinese medicine tobacco juice plus chili, and chinaberry root decoction for dipping the feet. Do not mate with rabbits that have mange, which can prevent the spread of mange. Culling sick rabbits is a poor policy; the rabbit hutch should face the sun and the cage should be dry. Carry out environmental disinfection often, and kill mite eggs with flame.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Diarrhea
Rabbit diarrhea has three types: ordinary, food-injury, and dysentery type. Ordinary diarrhea occurs when rabbits catch cold, or forage has dew or is frozen. Food-injury diarrhea is mostly from overeating, and appetite remains strong. Dysentery is gastrointestinal inflammation from bacterial infection, and the condition is severe. For treatment, inject berberine intramuscularly, and for prevention often take furazolidone. Combine with rhubarb and baking soda tablets, and also add dried yeast. Pay attention to choosing medicine for young rabbits; the special-effect compound sulfamethoxazole is good. Inject gentamicin, twice a day without stopping. Usually feed regularly, feed frequently and give little, and keep them 80 percent full. Do not feed grass with frost or dew, and throw away moldy feed.
The Song of Preventing and Treating Rabbit Hairball Disease
In spring and autumn, when they molt, rabbits are prone to hairball disease. Symptoms include abdominal distension and liking to lie prone, difficult defecation, and arching the back. Touching the stomach reveals tangled hairballs, and blockage of the pylorus makes the intestines impassable. They gradually become thin and love to drink water,
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Really great!!! Very helpful for rabbit feed makers and rabbit farmers!! Top