What grain mixture is better to feed rabbits and cooking with your own hands
Breeding rabbits is not an easy task. The result of many days of work depends on the conditions of maintenance and the quality of the feed. It is not easy for beginners - you need to know exactly what grain or grass is best to feed rabbits. It is important to be able to correctly select the composition of the feed mixture and properly prepare it for use. There are many subtleties in breeding eared pets, but the result of efforts is obvious.
Crops for rabbits
The daily diet of rabbits cannot be imagined without the addition of cereals. An animal cannot fully grow and gain weight, feeding exclusively on grass, hay and vegetables. Due to the unique composition of grain crops, the animal receives the necessary amino acids and vitamins.
A mixture of oats, wheat, barley or corn strengthens the immune system and promotes the proper development of pets.
Wheat
Wheat grains are an indispensable component of a grain mixture for rabbits. They contain almost all the B vitamins, as well as the valuable vitamin E. Wheat is the record holder for the content of nutritious fats, carbohydrates and proteins, which means it contributes to the rapid weight gain in meat breeds of rabbits.
Experts recommend feeding animals with fodder grains, but you should not get too carried away with wheat, otherwise bloating in rabbits cannot be avoided.
It is best to feed the animals with crushed or sprouted grains. The amount of wheat grains should not exceed one third of the total mass of the feed mixture. During the winter months, supplementation is essential to replenish pet vitamin stores. The hard shell of the grains acts as an abrasive agent, so animals that regularly gnaw food easily grind their teeth. Wheat is purchased for feed in dry and pure form.
Oats
No grain mixture is complete without the addition of oats. This healthy grain enriches the body of rabbits with copper, silicon, cobalt, manganese, zinc and valuable B vitamins.
The nutritional value of the culture is great, because oats contain 10 g of protein, 8 g of fat and 55 g of carbohydrates per 100 g of product. At the same time, unlike wheat, cereal prevents rapid weight gain in animals, so oats are actively used in the fight against obesity in rabbits.
Grain has a beneficial effect on the health of pets. Oats contain valuable pantothenic acid, which regulates intestinal function and helps the animal's body get rid of harmful substances. A useful, nutritious element is added to the diet of rabbits.
Corn
The culture holds the record for carbohydrate content, so corn is used for rapid weight gain in rabbits.Grains are well absorbed in combination with amino acids and protein. In addition to vitamin E, corn contains nutrients such as iron, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium.
Despite the obvious advantages of the culture, it is given only as a component for the feed mixture. Excessive addiction to a nutritional supplement will inevitably lead to obesity.
Barley
An unchanged component of the daily diet of lactating rabbits and young rabbits. The nutritious cereal contains active substances - choline and lysine. They speed up the development and growth of pets. Barley supplies the body of animals with potassium, calcium and B vitamins.
Before feeding, the barley is crushed, otherwise the shell covering the grains can interfere with the digestion of food.
Rye
Occasionally, rye can be included in the grain mixture. The culture is rich in amino acids and promotes the development of immunity. For feed, not only grains are used, but also plant stems. Rye is a common cause of bloating and intestinal upset in animals, which is why most farmers do not like using the crop to feed their animals.
In what form to give
Each owner decides for himself in what form to give grain to pets. In any case, the ingredients must be carefully examined and any spoiled grains must be removed. The feed may become unusable due to fungal or insect damage. Rabbits should not be fed unripe, raw, or overdried grains. High quality feed materials are processed in different ways.
Yeast
The food preparation method is often used to feed meat breeds of rabbits. This kind of "doping" whets the pet's appetite and helps to increase the weight of the animal. Food preparation consists of several stages:
- Raw materials are crushed and poured with clean water. The optimal proportions are 1: 2.
- 35 g of yeast is diluted in 2 liters of warm water.
- The prepared ingredients are mixed and left to ferment overnight.
- The formula is ready in 8-9 hours. During infusion, the mass is periodically stirred.
3 tablespoons of the resulting yeast mixture is added to the trough, diluting the dry grain mass intended for feeding.
Steaming cereals
A favorite, simple method of preparing nutritious food for long-eared pets. Selected grains are placed in a bucket. It is not necessary to fill the container completely, the steamed raw material will increase in size, and the mass will "overflow the banks". Pour boiling water over the grain, add 1 tbsp. l. salt and insist for 5-6 hours. Animals are fed with a swollen mass of sweet grains.
Germination
Sprouted grains help cleanse the intestines and increase the immunity of pets. Unlike dry raw materials, sprouted cereals and grains are fully assimilated by animals.
The fodder mixture is prepared as follows: dry grains are poured with warm water and left to swell for 24 hours. After soaking, the raw materials are laid out in baking sheets. Then the grains are covered with a piece of wet gauze and left to germinate. When the first green sprout beaks appear, the feed is ready to eat.
Crushed grain
Oats, wheat, corn or barley are crushed and given to the animals. Such a mixture is not difficult to find on sale or to make yourself.
Do-it-yourself grain mixture for rabbits
Some farmers prefer to prepare their grain mixture at home. There are many recipes for nutritious food. Each owner has his own, verified over the years, the composition and proportions of the grain mixture.
It's easy for a beginner to prepare this cereal mix:
- 25 kg of corn;
- 15 kg of oats;
- 35 kg of barley;
- 10 kg of sunflower meal;
- 5 kg of wheat.
Kormosmesi
In order for rabbits to eat balanced in winter, it is necessary to properly formulate the feed mixture.Compliance with the proportions will help the owner to provide pets with a high-quality diet. As a percentage, the daily ration of adult animals consists of 20% barley, 20% wheat, 10% corn, 40% oats and 10% bran.
Rabbit feeding rules
The daily norm of grain feed for a medium-sized rabbit (up to 5.5 kg) is 60 g. During pregnancy and lactation, the norm for rabbits is increased to 100 g. Rabbits are given a mixture of 25% barley, 50% wheat and 25% corn ...
Feeders are installed in simple, in the form of a gutter. It is convenient to fill them with grains and mixed feed. In order for the pets not to overturn the feeder, the device must be carefully fixed.
Zolotukhin method
The technique consists in the selection of the composition of the feed mixture, depending on the sex, age and life span of the rabbit. For example, males are fed a mixture of barley, oats and a little corn. At the same time, pregnant females eat chopped barley.
Yukhnov's method
According to this method, animals are fed only with self-prepared feed mixture. The composition includes such components as bran, barley, wheat, chalk, corn, salt, oats and grass flour. The ratio of ingredients depends on the age, sex and condition of the pet.
