Meat rabbits: breeds. Technology of raising rabbits: broiler raising What is easier to raise broilers or rabbits

Farmers often call the broiler breed of rabbits the best, because these animals produce good volumes of meat. Today we will talk about the advantages of breeding such rabbits, their main breeds and maintenance features.

Advantages of breeding broiler rabbits

Raising broiler rabbits, or, as they are also called, meat rabbits, has a number of advantages:

• good fertility - the female usually brings from 7 to 9 rabbits;
• rapid maturation of the offspring, reaching optimal height and weight by 4 months;
• female rabbits have a well-developed maternal instinct, thanks to which young animals are raised without much difficulty;
• the ability to use mature rabbits for mating regardless of the time of year;
• simple maintenance - they can be grown in mesh cages;
• low feed consumption, because using only 2.5 kilograms of feed, you can get 1 kilogram of live weight of a rabbit.

Did you know? In Europe, rabbits are in third place in the ranking of popular pets, second only to cats and dogs.

Breeds of broiler rabbits

When choosing broiler rabbits for raising, you should choose the most suitable breed, because they differ in a number of productive characteristics. Below are the main breeds of meat rabbits.

New Zealand

Among New Zealand broilers there are white, red and black representatives of the trend. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

White

As the name implies, the fur of these rabbits is white and reaches a length of 3 centimeters. Their head is small, their neck is short, and their ears grow up to 10 centimeters and stand erect. The eyes of representatives of this breed are red, the back is fleshy, with a developed rear part. Female rabbits may have a small dewlap.

Did you know? Fur coat manufacturers use white rabbit fur-this is due to the fact that this color lends itself most well to painting.

White New Zealand rabbits have the following productive characteristics:

• the weight of adults is from 4 to 5 kilograms;
• The male's body length is usually 47 centimeters, and the female's is 49 centimeters;
• slaughter age occurs already at 3 months, when the weight of the animal averages 3–3.3 kilograms;
• meat yield is 77.5%;
• The birth of females in one litter brings from 8 to 12 rabbits, which weigh 45 grams.

Red

The color of the coat of representatives of this breed is bright red or reddish-yellow, the hairs on the fur reach 3–3.5 centimeters. Their body is cylindrical, the muscles are well developed, and the chest is deep. Their muzzle is wide and short, their head is small, their neck is short, and their fleshy ears reach 12 centimeters in length. The eye color of these rabbits is dark brown.

The productivity characteristics of representatives of this breed are as follows:

• the weight of adults ranges from 4.5 to 5.3 kilograms;
• body length 47–50 centimeters;
• meat yield 55–60%
• The birth of females produces an average of 8 young rabbits per litter.

Black

The fur of rabbits of this breed has a rich black color, the length of the hairs of which reaches 3.5–4 centimeters. The animals are stocky, with wide bones. The head of representatives of this breed is small, the neck is almost not pronounced, and the length of the ears is 11–12 centimeters. The eyes are red.

Animals of this breed have the following characteristics:

• the weight of adults averages up to 5 kilograms;
• body length - 47–49 centimeters;
• slaughter age occurs at 3 months
• meat yield - 52–57%;
• The birth size, as a rule, is 8–10 rabbits per litter.

Californian

Animals of this breed have white fur, and their ears, tip of the tail and paws are dark brown. The bones are thin and light, but distinguished by great strength, the chest is wide. The head is not large, the neck is not long, the ears are thin and short, 10.5 centimeters long. Their eyes are red.

Important! Sometimes newborn Californian rabbits have no spots-it depends on the genetic pigment. However, don't panic: at the age of 1–It will take 1.5 months for the spots to appear.

The productive characteristics of California rabbits are as follows:

• the weight of adults can reach 4.5–5.2 kilograms;
• body length is about 50 centimeters;
• slaughter age - 5 months;
• meat yield - 60%;
• a litter brings 7–8 rabbits in a litter.

The color of their skin is dazzling white, their body is elongated, and their head is neatly set. The ears are erect and of medium length. The neck is short and the chest is well developed, the muscles are well defined, and the bones are light. The eyes of representatives of this breed are red.

Important! Male broiler rabbits are often used by breeders to improve the qualities of other breeds.

The productivity characteristics of these animals are as follows:

• the weight of adults is about 5 kilograms;
• body length - 60 centimeters;
• slaughter age occurs at 3 months;
• meat yield - up to 62%;
• the birth size is 9–10 cubs per litter.

Features of maintenance and care

Broiler rabbits are easy to care for, but some features of their proper maintenance must be adhered to:

• they do not need a lot of space to live - arrange small cages;
• For pets, you need to make good ventilation in your home - the accumulation of harmful fumes has a bad effect on their immunity;
• It is necessary to maintain cleanliness in the cages and rabbitry. Animal waste products and remaining feed must be removed daily. Feeders and drinkers are periodically washed and disinfected;
• carrying out the necessary vaccination. Eared pets must be vaccinated against diseases such as myxomatosis and VGBV. Vaccines for other diseases are used as needed;
• to protect broilers from diseases, it is necessary to protect them from dampness and drafts;
• it is important to constantly monitor the health of the animals and pay attention to the slightest ailment, such as poor appetite, lethargy, dull coat, upset stomach, etc.;
• feed 2-3 times a day with balanced feed, hay and water;
• Use meat and fish flour, dairy products, and cake as dietary supplements.

Broilers have received a special favor among rabbit breeders due to their high-quality reproduction and rapid growth; in addition, their maintenance will not cause much trouble either. By choosing a suitable breed of broiler rabbits for breeding, you will be fully provided with good dietary meat.

Rabbit farming is an ancient trade. Rabbits have been bred since time immemorial. They have dietary meat, and clothes are made from their skins.

Rabbits meat breeds They are especially popular, they reproduce well and grow quickly.

Particularly popular are rabbits of meat breeds, which reproduce well and grow quickly. They do not require much space or feed to maintain them. Let's consider which breeds of rabbits are best bred in private backyards.

Based on productivity, all breeds are divided into the following areas:

• skin-on meat.
• Animals are raised for their meat and skins;
• meat. These are broiler animals that have a special body structure to ensure maximum meat yield;
• sandpaper. The fur of these animals is valued for its beauty. It imitates the skins of other animals: chinchillas, squirrels, lynxes, foxes;

downy Breeds of this direction have long fur (up to 12 cm). Closes the classification decorative types

and outbred (village) rabbits.

The best meat rabbit breeds are small in size, but have the highest meat yield (more than 60%). His taste qualities excellent, there is no excess fat on it.

Rabbits of meat breeds have good fertility (8-11 rabbits in a litter), they grow quickly: a 2-month-old rabbit weighs 2 kg, and an adult male at 5 months weighs 4-5 kg. All meat animals are early maturing. Young animals reach sexual maturity at the age of 5 months. Due to the high milk production of the female rabbit and her good maternal qualities, the survival rate of the offspring is, as a rule, very high.

Animals are unpretentious, with proper care They practically do not get sick and can live in any climatic conditions.

Rabbits of meat breeds are unpretentious, with proper care they practically do not get sick, and can live in any climatic conditions.

The best breeds

The best breeds of meat rabbits have compact body sizes, a small head with short ears, and developed muscles. All of them have a high-quality, pleasant-to-touch fur coat. The weight of adults is within 5 kg. These include the following breeds:

1. New Zealand (white and red). It was the result of crossing a giant Flanders hare with a Belgian hare. The main color is red and white. Representatives of these species are characterized by a cylindrical body, a wide chest, a rounded back and a muscular croup, and straight, strong legs. The young weigh about 3 kg at 3 months. Animals of the New Zealand breed have a good character: they are friendly, obedient, do not show aggression, and communicate well with children and other animals. The ears and muzzle may have a slight dark edging.
2. Californian. In Europe, the breeding of Californian rabbits began 40 years ago. When crossing, representatives of 3 breeds were used: chinchilla, white New Zealand, Himalayan. The main color of Californians is white. Black spots begin to appear on the skin (on the limbs, nose, ears, tail) when the young are 2 months old. The animals are well suited for industrial breeding and can live even in poor conditions. With good fattening, young animals can reach a weight of 2.2 kg at 2 months.
3. The white pannon is the result of crossing animals of 3 species: white giant, Californian, and New Zealand white. Pannon has a small head with short protruding ears and fluffy white skin. Meets all the qualities of representatives of meat breeds.

All listed rabbits are broilers.

Who are broilers

Broilers are early maturing hybrids. These include strictly meat breeds. Broiler rabbits are quite easy to breed. The animals grow especially quickly during the first 3 months, gaining weight up to 2.5-3 kg. From the age of 2 months, young animals go to slaughter. The younger the age, the greater the meat yield will be.

Those rabbit breeders who raise broilers receive good results by crossing Californian females with New Zealand males. The resulting hybrids turn out to be the best rabbits in terms of their qualities, but are not suitable for breeding stock, because the next generation will show deteriorated qualities.

Rabbit meat is a dietary product. It is very useful and easy to digest. Therefore, it can be consumed at any age.

Raising rabbits for meat is quite accessible both on a private farm and on a large farm.

How to raise a rabbit for meat and reduce the cost of breeding it?

First of all, you need to decide on the breed. Naturally, it is better to breed meat breeds of rabbits for meat.

“Meat” breeds

The most common meat breeds include:

• New Zealand white;
• New Zealand red;
• Californian;
• Risen, or the German giant;
• French ram;
• Soviet chinchilla;
• gray giant;
• white giant;
• silver;
• Flanders;
• European silver;
• Poltava silver.

New Zealand white

The weight of the animals reaches 4-6 kilograms. A female rabbit gives birth to 7-12 babies. Rabbits are characterized by rapid growth: at 3 months their weight reaches 3 kilograms. The animals are well adapted for being kept on mesh floors: their soles are hairy.

New Zealand red

Weight is 4-6 kilograms, while females are larger than males. On average, there are 8-9 rabbits in a litter. Babies are characterized by rapid weight gain.

Risen

Rabbits of this breed reach 7 kilograms in weight, and some individuals reach 12-14 kilograms.

Gray giant

This breed was developed quite a long time ago, but is still widespread. The weight of rabbits is 5.3-6.8 kilograms. The female rabbit brings 7-8 young rabbits, which are characterized by early maturity, grow very quickly and gain weight. At 3 months, rabbits reach two kilograms in weight. The meat is of average quality. Together with the meat, you can get large and especially large skins.

White giant

Representatives of this breed weigh 5.5-8 kilograms. There are 7-8 rabbits in a litter.

Californian

Average weight – 4-5 kilograms. At the age of 3-4 months they are distinguished by high growth energy: per day the weight increases by 30-40 grams. At 3 months, rabbits weigh 2.7-3.4 kilograms, and at 5-4.2 kilograms. There are 8-10 babies in a litter. In a year, one female can produce 30-35 young individuals. The skin also has good qualities: their wool is thick and dense.

European silver

Representatives of the breed are becoming increasingly famous every year. The average weight of rabbits is 4.5 kilograms. Often there are specimens reaching 5.8-6.6 kilograms. On average, a female rabbit produces 8 young rabbits, which are highly precocious. At two months of age they weigh 2 kilograms, and at three months - 3. Rabbits of the European silver breed are unpretentious, require a minimum of feed, and easily survive severe frosts. They have a calm character. The skin is characterized by thickness and softness.

Poltava silver

Rabbits weigh on average 4.5 kilograms, often reaching 5.8-6.6 kilograms. There are about 8 rabbits in the litter. Rabbit meat is very juicy and tasty. The fur is fluffy and valued for its original coloring. They are resistant to frost.

French ram

They weigh on average 5-5.5 kilograms, in some cases 7-8 kilograms, and sometimes even 12 kilograms.

Meat breeds of rabbits differ:

• early maturity - rabbits are slaughtered at 3.5-4 months;
• efficiency - for 1 kilogram of weight gain you need 3.5 kilograms of feed;
• fertility - a female rabbit gives birth to 7-9 young rabbits
• unpretentiousness;
• early puberty – they become sexually mature at the age of 4 months;
• genetic adaptation to mesh floors - the soles are pubescent.

Keeping and breeding at home

Although rabbits are herbivores, it is not possible to obtain high-quality meat on grass alone. Therefore, feed and grain are needed to feed them. Beetroot, potatoes, carrots, and cabbage will help diversify the diet and supply animals with vitamins. To meet the calcium needs of rabbits, chalk and meat and bone meal should be added to the feed. To ensure that rabbits' teeth can be ground down, tree branches and bark should be placed in the cages. Prerequisite breeding rabbits - constant availability of clean water.

Rabbits are allowed to mate at the age of 4-6 months with normal fatness: the weight of females must be more than 2.5 kilograms. The female's estrus lasts 3-5 days every 8-9 days. The resumption of estrus after birth occurs on the 1st-2nd day: the female rabbit can be covered immediately. In a year, you can get 4-5 litters from adult females, and 1-2 from young females. The rabbit should not be too thin, but she should not be allowed to become obese. For 8 females they usually leave one male. To increase the growth rate, females are crossed with males of other breeds. Pregnancy lasts about a month. In one litter, the female brings from 6 to 18 rabbits.

Rabbits are slaughtered for meat if they reach a weight of 2.8-3 kilograms at the age of 3-4 months. Further feeding of animals is unprofitable: they eat more feed and grow more slowly. In addition, the meat of young animals differs more delicate taste compared to meat from adult animals.

Feeding, breeding and caring for rabbits

Pregnant and lactating rabbits should receive an enhanced diet: it should be 10-15% higher than the usual diet.

There are 2 known methods of raising rabbits for meat:

1. ordinary;
2. broiler farming.

With normal breeding Rabbits are separated from their mother at the age of 40-45 days. They are fed with cereals and legumes, mixed feed and grain. In winter, it is recommended to add cake or meal, boiled potatoes, and bone meal to the diet. In the diet of rabbits raised for meat, concentrated feed should make up 50-60% of the total feed.

In broiler rearing The young animals are kept together with the female until slaughter at the age of 70-75 days. Sometimes broiler rabbits reach a weight of 1.8-2 kilograms already at the age of 60 days. But this is possible if the females have high milk production, the breed of animals is early maturing and the young animals receive high-quality feeding, including granulated feed containing proteins. With such breeding, the female must be fed generously with expensive concentrated feed to prevent her from “wearing out”. But it should be taken into account that broiler breeding deteriorates the quality of animal skins.

Raising rabbits for meat does not relieve the owner of the need to humanely care for the rabbit. In addition, if an animal develops into comfortable conditions, then his meat will be tastier and more tender.

Video

Modern rabbit breeders raise more than 200 species of these attractive animals. Many of them are bred for aesthetic pleasure, others - to obtain valuable fur and skins. However, the most profitable direction in rabbit breeding is food. Popular , which are characterized by precocity, rapid growth rates and developed muscle mass.

When choosing a breed for breeding, you need to take into account that there are differences between them, namely:

• by fat content of meat;
• according to taste characteristics;
• in terms of productivity.

By choosing the right breed, which is characterized by early maturity and accelerated growth, the breeder will receive a good profit. When giving preference to a breed of meat rabbits, you should first of all focus on broilers.

Review and characteristics of the meat rabbit breed

There are three main breeds of meat production, namely:

1. New Zealand red rabbit.
2. New Zealand white rabbit.
3. California rabbit.

Let us consider the description and productive characteristics of each breed of broiler rabbits separately.

New Zealand red rabbit- This is one of the most popular and widespread breeds that have been grown for more than 100 years. The New Zealand red rabbit was bred by breeders from America back in 1910. The breed was obtained for the purpose of industrial breeding to meet the increased demand for rabbit meat. Geneticists based the breed on wild rabbits and Belgian hares. The bred breed was called the New Zealand Red rabbit, and was distinguished by its fast growth and fleshy build.

The animal has brown-red, short and thick fur. There are red-yellow and bright red individuals, less often fiery ones. The fur of the New Zealand Red rabbit is highly valued for its high quality. His fur is hard, thick, and shiny. Its length is about 3-4 cm, covering the entire body of the animal evenly and completely. Therefore, many fashion designers prefer to use the skins of this furry animal when sewing outerwear.

The New Zealand rabbit has a small body and a short muzzle. The fleshy ears are about 12 cm long and their eyes are dark brown. New Zealand red animals have very well developed muscles of the chest and back. The legs are short, but quite strong and muscular.

The weight of an adult male is about 4 kg. Females are slightly larger and weigh about 5 kg. The rabbit's body is long, about 50 cm. The animal easily tolerates adverse weather conditions. In terms of nutrition, he is absolutely not picky; he eats almost any food offered by his owner.

There are no great difficulties in keeping and breeding New Zealand mammals of the breed, especially in the summer. Many breeders place the furry animal in portable cages in which the rabbits graze on grass. After it is eaten, the cell is transferred to a new location. It is important to provide the animal with sufficient and high-quality nutrition, which can include the following foods, namely:

• hay and twig food;
• compound feed;
• roots;
• seasonal feed.

It is important to provide a variety of foods that include vitamins and minerals, as well as protein.

Female rabbits are distinguished by their fertility and high milk production. At one time, the female gives birth to about 7 healthy rabbits and copes with feeding them on her own. The babies grow very quickly and gain weight well.

When raising red rabbits, it is important to consider that this is a rather timid animal that is frightened by any loud sounds, and even bright light. Pets and fast-moving people lead to stress, which leads to loss of appetite. Four-legged animals begin to get sick, especially if the listed irritating factors influence them constantly.

Broiler breeds can be supplementedNew Zealand white rabbit,which is bred for valuable skins and dietary meat. This breed of rabbit is the most profitable in terms of meat products. White fluffy animals are distinguished by their calm nature, friendly disposition and resistance to stress factors. New Zealand rabbits are decorated with snow-white wool without any inclusions. The head is small, the eyes are pink. Thin, hairy and erect ears are about 10-13 cm long. The compact body is 47-50 cm long. The live weight of males reaches about 4-5 kg.

Raising New Zealand White rabbits is very profitable. These animals are leaders in early maturity and growth. Females are capable of mating and giving birth to rabbits from 4.5 months. One female rabbit brings about 8 rabbits. The young grow at such an intensive rate that at 3 months of age one individual weighs about 2.8 kg. Studies have shown that if animals are fed high-quality and concentrated feed, then for the consumed 3 kg of feed the meat gain will be 1 kg. Moreover, the meat of New Zealand rabbits does not contain fat.

California rabbit- representative of broilers. The hybrid was developed when breeders worked with the following breeds, namely:

• Russian Gornostaeva;
• New Zealand white;
• Soviet chinchilla.

This breed of rabbit is ideal for breeding on large farms or on small private estates, at home.

California rabbits are easily recognized by their unusual color. Most of the body is painted white. Only long ears and nose, paws and tail are dark brown. The meat lumbar region of the rabbit with well-developed muscles is especially valued by breeders. The bones of California breed rabbits are thin and light, the chest is wide and muscular.

According to the original plan of the breeders, the breed was bred to obtain good and high-quality skins, so the animals’ fur is thick and shiny. California rabbits are classified as meat breeds, but are excellent for breeding to obtain high-quality fur and leather.

The weight of an adult, 7-month-old rabbit is about 5 kg. However, the period of intensive growth ends at 5 months, when the live weight of the animal is about 4 kg. It is during this period that many breeders decide to send the animal for slaughter, since it is no longer practical to keep it.

We invite you to watch a video about broiler rabbits: