How much compound feed does a rabbit usually eat per day?
Nowadays, one of the most popular domestic animals, the breeding of which has been quite active lately, is the rabbit. To keep your rabbit healthy, you need to take good care of it, including monitoring its daily diet. Anyone who is faced with raising this pet for the first time often wonders how much compound feed a rabbit eats per day. Consider how to properly feed this animal and what should be the daily rate of food consumed by it.
How much compound feed does a rabbit eat per day
Varieties of feed
Before clarifying the question of how much compound feed a rabbit needs for normal growth in one day, you should figure out what types of such feed exist. Among them, it is worth highlighting the food:
- rude;
- green;
- juicy.
If we consider the rough type of compound feed, then it should include a number of elements, which include: flour, hay, tree branches, dried grass and other options. If you decide to give the rabbit branches, then pay attention to the fact that the animal organism has a negative attitude towards apricot. Linden and ash branches may be the best option. As for the preparation of hay, it should only be harvested from the grass that he eats daily raw.
If we talk about green food, then this includes cabbage and the most common greens. Such a feeding ration should be present in the summer, at other times of the year it is advisable to use a different diet. In addition, it is important to pay attention to the fact that not all types of herbs that exist can be consumed by the rabbit. The best options are clover, lupine, legumes, and grains. Among vegetables, preference should be given to potatoes and beets. If a rabbit eats too much green food, you need to carefully monitor its body, as sometimes problems can arise in its digestive system.
An equally interesting option is juicy feed. This includes various fruits, berries and other fruits. In fact, this animal is a real gourmet, so sometimes it can eat carrots, pumpkin and even watermelon. An excellent option would be silage made from root vegetables and well-grated grass.
What is compound feed, how much does a rabbit need?
If it is not possible to give the animal natural food, you can give preference to the most common compound feed. This feed contains a balanced amount of vitamins and minerals. It also contains the required amount of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. In addition, it also contains the protein necessary for the rabbit's body. The body assimilates this kind for a long time, so it should be introduced gradually and over a huge period of time. The most nutritious and useful elements of compound feed are:
- corn;
- oats;
- barley;
- wheat.
For feeding, these products are very suitable for the animal and give it an incredible amount of energy and strength. Naturally, the best feeding option both in winter and in summer is compound feed, although it is quite expensive. It is worth highlighting the following types of it:
- complete;
- special feed additives;
- feed in the form of a concentrate.
In the full-feed version of the compound feed, the normal ratio contains the necessary vitamins and other useful substances, which will be enough for the normal life of such an animal. Among the feed additives, a variety of minerals and vitamins should be distinguished. When introducing such elements into feeding, you should know some of the characteristics of the animal's body. In the absence of vitamin A in the normal amount, the rabbit may develop vision and reproductive problems. Vitamin B will help the digestive system to work. But to maintain immunity at a good level, the decorative rabbit needs vitamin C.
If we consider the so-called concentrate feed, it is a mixture of cereals and legumes. In fact, it is this feeding option that should be present in every animal. Often, it contains almost the same elements, among which you can find bran, yeast, pieces of meat, grains and various vitamins and minerals.
How many of these foods should a rabbit eat in one day?
When a question arises, what should be the daily rate of feed eaten by a rabbit, one must proceed from the breed and age of the pet. The daily rate can be calculated in several ways.
- The so-called feed unit can be calculated. For example, 100 g of oats or other crops can fall on 100 g of a feed unit.
- Calculate the daily intake of proteins. For animals that have not yet reproduced, the daily rate should be in the order of 150-160 feed units. For an adult male, these indicators per day should be 180 feed units, but a female who gave birth and is nursing should consume about 300-700 feed units. The daily allowance may even depend on the color of the rabbit. A light rabbit eats much less than a representative of a dark color. During the mating season, much more food should be given per day than during the normal period. When raising an animal for further slaughter, it is necessary to fatten it up in advance, thereby increasing the amount of food not only per day, but also per month. In this case, you can determine the norms that are necessary for the rabbit's body.
- Adults weighing up to 5 kg need to eat about 5-6 kg of food per month.
- If the rabbit is less than 4-5 months old, it will need about 3-4 kg per month.
Based on approximate annual and monthly calculations, you can make up the food that the rabbit should receive per day.
- for a nursing rabbit - about 100 g;
- for sufficiently adult males - 60-70 g;
- for still young rabbits - 40-50 g;
- when growing decorative rabbits - no more than 1 tbsp. l. per day.
It is worth paying attention to the fact that for still small rabbits, the rates of such consumption will be completely different. If the small rabbit is already 35-40 days old, then he can be given about 100-130 feed units for one day. In 1 day, a small rabbit at the age of 60 days eats about 150 feed units. When a question arises, how much is required for a 4-month-old rabbit, such norms should be about 200 feed units. For young stock at the age of 120-130 days, these indicators should be at the level of 225 feed units.
Disadvantages and advantages of such feeds
In addition to how much food a rabbit can eat during the day, it is worth paying attention to the advantages and disadvantages of compound feed. The main advantages are:
- providing the body with nutrients;
- the possibility of rapid growth and weight gain;
- that it is ideal for nursing rabbits;
- simplicity in terms of transportation and storage;
- the possibility of independent use at home.
In addition to the advantages, there are certain disadvantages, which include:
- quite high price;
- the need for the correct selection of food for each animal;
- short shelf life;
- the need to constantly monitor the composition so that certain elements are not in excess.
If a decision is made to breed rabbits on the farm, it is imperative that you take a responsible attitude to their nutrition so that the pets grow up healthy.