Feeding and Management Methods for Keeping Caged Rabbits Safe Through the Summer
Heat dissipation and temperature control: Plant some vine-type plants such as melons, beans, grapes, and pumpkins around the rabbit hutch to prevent direct sunlight, and you can also apply a layer of lime slurry to the inner and outer walls of the rabbit hutch so that direct sunlight does not reach the rabbit cages; open-air rabbit hutches should have a shade canopy set up, with doors and windows opened to allow air convection; for wool rabbits, the wool should be cut short along with the hair on the head and face, and the rabbit cages should not be too crowded; when the room temperature exceeds 30°C, sprinkle some cool water every 2-3 hours, or use a new brick, soak it in cool water for several minutes, and once it has absorbed enough water (no longer bubbling), place it in the rabbit cage; the heat dissipation and cooling effect is very good.
Skillful feed adjustment: In terms of feed composition, in summer more green, succulent feed should be given, along with an appropriate increase in protein-rich concentrate, and as little high-energy feed as possible. To prevent rabbits from having loose stools, also feed some high-quality green hay and provide sufficient clean cool water (preferably with 1-2% salt added to supplement salt), allowing them to eat and drink freely; in terms of feeding method, because summer is hot, during the day most rabbits lie still, and feeding and activity are concentrated at night, so you should "feed breakfast early, lunch fine and little, dinner full, and at night feed more grass" to increase their feed intake and promote growth and development.
Stop breeding: In the height of summer, the semen quality of bucks is low, and does are not in normal estrus. Breeding at this time very easily results in infertility, and even if mating is successful, the newborn rabbits are mostly prone to illness due to poor body condition, with a low survival rate. From mid-June to mid-August, these two months, breeding and reproduction should be stopped to let bucks and does rest well and reduce physical consumption, which is very beneficial for autumn breeding.
Careful feeding of young rabbits: Young rabbits are very difficult to raise in summer. After birth, young rabbits should be allowed to suckle colostrum as early as possible. Adjust the litter size in time; generally 6-8 per litter is suitable. After young rabbits start eating, promptly administer 0.5% licorice water by dropper. For every 100 milliliters of licorice water, add 10 grams of brown sugar, 10 grams of glucose, 0.5 grams of compound diaveridine, and 0.5 grams of furazolidone, feeding twice a day, 5 milliliters per rabbit. Pay attention to cooling and mosquito prevention, prevent harm to young rabbits from natural enemies such as dogs and cats, and keep the bedding clean and dry.
Strictly prevent epidemics: Summer is hot and humid, and rabbits are prone to intestinal infectious diseases and coccidiosis. Add some chopped plantain, dandelion, scallions, and garlic to the feed, and have each rabbit orally take 2 tablets each of diaveridine and chlorobenzoguanide daily for two consecutive weeks, then stop for one week; double the therapeutic dose. This can effectively prevent and treat intestinal infectious diseases and coccidiosis. Mix pediatric an, oxytetracycline powder, and rendan into the feed for young rabbits, and frequently feed mung bean and white sugar soup, huoxiang water, etc., to prevent heatstroke in rabbits.