Safe overwintering methods and key winter management points for bamboo rat farming
Bamboo rat farming has promising prospects, and quite a few people are raising them. When the cold winter arrives, if the farm has not taken good insulation measures or the insulation is not strong enough, it can very easily cause severe stress in bamboo rats, leading to a serious drop in their resistance and triggering a variety of diseases. So how should bamboo rats be overwintered safely? Follow the editor to take a look.
1. Healthy feeding to raise body temperature
In winter, bamboo rats should be given enhanced nutrition, and their appetite should be stimulated to ensure they have enough food. Generally, each adult rat gets 2 liang of concentrate per day. The concentrate is mainly cornmeal plus bran and trace elements, mixed and stirred evenly. Usually one-third water is mixed with two-thirds [concentrate]. In terms of bamboo, their needs should also be met as much as possible, so as to enhance the bamboo rats' own body temperature and help them resist the cold and keep warm.
2. Insulation and warmth
When the temperature is below 15°C, attention should be paid to insulation work. Enough straw should be added inside the pens for bamboo rats to make their nests, and the straw must be dry and not moldy. Because the bamboo rats' excretion, feeding, and the room's moisture will make the straw damp, the straw needs to be replaced once a day to keep the bamboo rat nests as dry and warm as possible. In addition, the temperature of the pens should preferably be kept above 10°C, and for birthing rooms, young bamboo rats, and other weak bamboo rats, it is best to keep it above 12°C. If conditions permit, infrared lamps, heating electric stoves, charcoal fires, etc. can also be used for warmth. If the space is relatively small, infrared lamps or heating electric stoves can be chosen for warmth, while if the space is relatively large, charcoal fires can be chosen for warmth.
3. Ventilation
When keeping the pens warm, many farmers choose high-density rearing and keeping doors and windows closed for long periods, which leads to poor air circulation in the pens, poor air quality, and high concentrations of harmful gases, very easily inducing respiratory diseases and even causing poisoning and death. Therefore, while keeping warm, do not forget ventilation. Doors and windows should be opened regularly to let air flow inside the bamboo rat house, replenish oxygen, and reduce the concentration of harmful gases, so as to achieve the purpose of ventilation, air exchange, and air purification. Ventilation should be flexibly controlled according to the structure of the bamboo rat house, ventilation equipment, and weather conditions, especially at night and on rainy days when ventilation and air exchange work must be done even more carefully.
The above is an introduction to how to overwinter bamboo rats safely in farming. I hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please follow us.