Which tree branches can be given to rabbits and the technology of harvesting the product
In the diet of rodents, coarse types of feed must certainly be present. With their help, it is possible to replenish the lack of fiber and maintain normal metabolic processes in the body. In the cold season, instead of succulent feed, farmers often use tree branches or shrubs. Rodents can sharpen constantly growing incisors on such food. It is important to know which branches can be given to rabbits.
What tree branches can you give to rabbits?
For feeding rabbits, it is permissible to use branches of a wide variety of trees. Most of them can be easily found. Animals like fruit trees and shrubs as they contain many vitamins. These include the following:
- grapes;
- Apple tree;
- gooseberry;
- blueberries;
- currant;
- Rowan;
- hawthorn.
It is recommended to introduce branches of deciduous crops carefully, limiting their number. Most often, rodents are given the following types of shoots:
- Linden;
- weeping birch;
- willow;
- aspen;
- Walnut.
At the same time, oak bark and alder contain many tannins that can cause constipation. Therefore, such food should be introduced into the diet of rabbits in the summer, when an excess of vegetables and greens provokes diarrhea in them.
Birch is characterized by pronounced diuretic characteristics. Therefore, the constant use of such food provokes dehydration in rabbits. Willow helps to treat pathologies of the digestive system. However, you should not abuse it, since there is a risk of negative consequences.
Good for rodents and needles. Animals like these branches:
- spruce;
- fir;
- Pine.
Such feed is allowed to be used for almost a whole year. At the same time, since February, they stop giving it to the animals. This is due to the release of resin from the trees, which gives the branches a bitter taste. The needles contain many vitamins and bactericidal components. It is worth gradually adapting rabbits to it. For this, it is recommended to give such food to rodents with an interval of 14 days. The indicated tree species are allowed to be given to common and decorative rabbits.
Benefits in the diet of rabbits
The branches of trees and shrubs are of great benefit to rabbits. They help animals to grind their teeth and contain a lot of minerals, vitamins, fiber. Thanks to this, the animals manage to replenish the deficiency of valuable substances in the body. Such food is very relevant with a lack of hay.
The advantages of such food include the following:
- economic benefit - this type of feed is considered almost free;
- availability - branches are allowed to be used from early spring to late autumn;
- prevention of rabbit pathologies;
- increasing the digestibility of feed;
- normalization of the functions of the digestive tract;
- therapeutic effect - for example, willow shoots include antimicrobial components;
- increasing the activity of animals - this improves their emotional state.
What branches cannot be given?
When using this type of food, it is important to understand that there are trees, fragments of which are strictly prohibited for animals. They contain poisonous components, which can provoke negative consequences for the rodent organism.
According to experts, stone fruits include hydrocyanic acid. But the problem is not only caused by the presence of this substance. So, prussic acid is absent in cherry shoots. However, it is still forbidden to give them to these rodents. This product contains many astringent and tanning agents. They can harm rabbits.
In addition, shoots of such plants should not be used to feed the animals:
- apricot;
- elder;
- plum;
- peach;
- lilac;
- wolfberry;
- bird cherry.
In the composition of these branches, hydrocyanic acid or toxic components are indeed present, which will bring great harm to rabbits.
How to feed?
Rabbits eat almost all types of trees. However, it is recommended to alternate such food periodically. Of no small importance is the gradual accustoming of rodents to this diet. It is undesirable to feed animals with such food every day. After 2 weeks of such nutrition, the animals are recommended to take a break for 10 days.
The best option is to use branches every other day. It is important to be careful when doing this. In winter, it is not recommended to give needles to animals. Since February, it secretes tar, which makes food bitter.
Spruce shoots should be given infrequently as they contain a lot of essential oils. When the respiratory organs are infected, the volume of such food can be increased. It is recommended to give larch to animals quite rarely. It is important to consider that it helps to heal the respiratory organs.
Branch feed preparation technology
Rabbits can eat branches throughout the year. However, it is best to use them in winter. In this case, it is permissible to pluck the branches directly from the trees. To facilitate the feeding of animals, raw materials can be procured in summer. At this time, wood includes a maximum of useful components.
It is recommended to harvest in June. In this case, it is worth giving preference to branches that have many leaves. They contain a maximum of vitamins. It is not recommended to use branches of trees growing near highways or on city streets. They accumulate a lot of toxins.
Shoots of trees less than 1 centimeter thick are recommended to be collected in brooms and dried. Animals cannot eat thicker branches completely - they only gnaw the bark. This type of food helps rodents to sharpen their teeth.
As for the needles, fresh shoots are most useful. The best option is considered to be spring raw materials, which have barely blossoming buds. This feed contains many vitamins and active ingredients.
The branches of the trees are of great benefit to rabbits. They allow you to sharpen your teeth and saturate animals with valuable substances. At the same time, it is important to understand which shoots will benefit rodents, since there are plants that contain many harmful substances.
