One of the key questions that arises when breeding rabbits is how to establish proper nutrition for them. Those who are engaged in raising rabbits can be conditionally divided into supporters of natural feed and into those who use various types of compound feed in their practice. Moreover, those who give preference to compound feed have a number of reasons why they consider it necessary to use it.

Benefits of compound feed for rabbits

The use of compound feed has several advantages:

  • Significantly saves time that needs to be spent on caring for livestock.
  • Makes feeding easier and more convenient.
  • It is easy to calculate the daily rate for feeding, since it is possible to control the intake of the entire required amount of cc, proteins and essential trace elements into the individual's body.
  • Reduces the amount of feed that needs to be procured and stored.
  • The combined feed is more balanced, which makes it possible to feed rabbits quickly, and also improves their immunity.
  • The risk of intestinal infections in animals due to poor-quality or spoiled feed is reduced.

Compound feed for rabbits

Composition of compound feed

The composition of mixed feed for rabbits largely depends on their age, breed, purpose. It may also differ, depending on the sex of a particular animal.

A number of ingredients are used for all rabbit varieties, such as, for example: grain of different types, roots, hay or fresh grass, tree shoots. In other cases, there are differences in what compound feed you need to feed the rabbits.

For young animals

This group includes individuals from 30 to 135 days old. They are seated separately and have a certain diet. The composition of the compound feed required for this group should include: slightly less than a third of the grass meal; 1/5 shredded wheat or oats; the same amount of ground corn or barley; slightly less wheat bran and soybean meal (or sunflower meal); small amounts of fishmeal, hydrolysis yeast and other ingredients.

Compound feed

For adults and fur breeds

The compound feed recipe for these categories of animals differs very slightly. The list of ingredients for them is almost identical. Most are barley and ground corn; also a significant part - oats and ground wheat; wheat bran, sunflower meal are represented in smaller quantities; quite insignificantly - chalk and table salt.

For pregnant and lactating rabbits

This is a category that needs a particularly careful approach to feed selection. This is due to the fact that during these periods the rabbit's body experiences particularly severe stress and heavy loads. Therefore, it is necessary to provide her with enhanced nutrition. For this purpose, feed is used in the following proportion: slightly less than 1/3 of grass flour; 1/5 barley and oats; about 13% of wheat and sunflower meal; feed yeast, table salt and bone meal in minor amounts.

Compound feed for nursing

Composition of compound feed for meat breeds

If the rabbits are kept to get meat, then in order to get rabbit meat with the necessary qualities, the composition of the feed mixture should be as follows:

  • slightly less than 1/2 herbal flour;
  • almost 1/3 of barley;
  • sunflower cake and peas 1/10;
  • 1/20 wheat bran;
  • a small amount of molasses
  • meat and bone meal,
  • table salt and feed phosphate.

Varieties of compound feed

Feed mixtures for rabbits differ in different parameters. For example, they have a different form of release. Loose and granulated feed are used. In pure form, granulated feed is the most popular, since it is more convenient to store, transport, and also the safest for rabbits. Loose ones are used to a greater extent as part of any mixtures.

Attention! Experts do not recommend soaking pelleted feed, as this can lead to spoilage.

Compound feeds, which are intended for feeding rabbits, are marked in the industry in the following form: complete - "PK 9X-X"; concentrated - "K 9X-X". In this context, X is a numeric value.

The following types of industrial feed mixtures for rabbits in accordance with GOST are actively used:

  • Compound feed PK 90 for rabbits, the composition of which is well suited for feeding small rabbits, which have just been transplanted separately from adults. It can be used starting from the age of 30 days and up to 130. PC 90-1 is also used for this.
  • K 91-1 is also well suited for young animals.
  • Varieties such as K 92-1 and K 92-2 can be fed to fur-bearing rabbits as well as adults.
  • K 93-1 is used for fattening meat breeds. This feed provides good weight gain. For such purposes, two-month-old rabbits are taken from the rabbit. They can grow up to 2.5-3.5 kg.
  • PK 122-2 is used very rarely. Used for feeding laboratory rabbits.

On a note. Purina is popular - universal rabbit food. Purina is equally suitable for all categories, the only difference is the dosage.

Daily dosage in the diet

Under normal conditions it is possible to combine the use of compound feed and conventional green feed. Their ratio may depend on the season, age of the individual, purpose, and other factors. When choosing food for rabbits, you need to know how to use it correctly.

Interesting. Meat breeds of rabbits need to be fed with compound feed to a greater extent than fur breeds.

In industrial breeding, rabbits can feed exclusively on compound feed.

The daily dose of their use also depends on factors such as the season, the breed of the rabbit, its age and purpose:

  • Adult: when fed exclusively with compound feed, the daily rate is approximately 100-110 grams. If green food is also used for nutrition, then this is approximately 40-50 grams in summer and about 60-70 grams in winter.
  • Before mating, the norm is approximately 70-80 grams in the summer and 90-100 grams in the winter.
  • Pregnant rabbits eat 70-90 grams of compound feed in summer and 100-130 grams in winter.
  • The largest amount is necessary for lactating females: 120-150 g. In summer and 140-160 g. In winter.
  • After jigging from adults, young eared ears receive 30-40 grams of compound feed per day for 3-4 feedings. The daily rate increases gradually by 10 grams per month.

Rabbits

Compound feeds for other animals for rabbits

Different rabbit breeders give different answers to the question of which compound feed is best for rabbits.

Many believe that they can be fed with compound feed intended for other animals, for example, pork or chicken. It is possible, however, to achieve better results, it is better to use a specialized feed for rabbits.

How to make compound feed with your own hands

In order to be able to make compound feed on your own, you need to stock up on a device for grinding ingredients. In addition, a device that will compress them into granules can help to achieve better results, but if desired, you can do without a granulator. This will create a crumbly food that can also be mixed.

DIY compound feed

Making compound feed at home has a number of advantages:

  • This makes keeping livestock cheaper.
  • Gives confidence in the quality of the product.

Compound feed in the diet of rabbits is necessary in one way or another. Its use allows you to organize a balanced diet and ensure that the animal's body is supplied with everything necessary for growth and life.