Description and characteristics of gray giant rabbits, how to breed them
Massive rabbits of the gray giant breed are bred for meat and skin, are distinguished by a weight of 5-7 kilograms, resistance to diseases and high productivity. These qualities determined the popularity of the breed and its prevalence in the countries of the former USSR, in the southern regions of Russia, in Ukraine and Moldova. Breeding work is underway to improve the quality of the coat of these rabbits.
The origin of the gray giant breed
This breed was developed in the post-war years near Poltava by crossing local rabbits without a specific breed with albino flanders. In the future, careful selection was carried out in order to select individuals suitable for the breed standard.
The breeding work was completed by 1952, which is considered to be the date of the "birth" of the gray giants.
Description and characteristics of the rabbit
Features of the gray giant rabbits:
- Massiveness.
- Powerful physique.
- Strong, strong bones.
- Oval body with rounded back.
- Large, fleshy ears, wider in the middle than at the base and at the tips, set in a V-shaped pattern when viewed from the front.
- The head is large, elongated, with a rough constitution.
- The limbs are strong and strong.
- Accelerated weight gain. On average, the rabbit weighs 5-6 kg, adult male record-holders reach 7 kg.
They are energetic and cheerful, mobile animals, hardy, rapidly growing, fertile, resistant to diseases. With good feeding, the gray giant rabbits can be used for broiler breeding for meat.
The pelt of the gray giant is not too thick, with soft low fur and dense elastic thin flesh. The following colors are found:
- Agouti is the most common, gray-hare, with white legs and abdomen.
- Kangaroo, or dark gray with a brown tint - with a lighter underside of the tail of a smoky shade.
- Ferruginous gray - dark with uniform "gray hair".
- Golden - a rare color, the result of a mutation.
- Black Rabbit.
- White color.
The last two colors, like the golden variation, are rare.
What are its advantages and disadvantages?
The following properties are among the undoubted advantages of the gray giant:
- Unpretentiousness. These animals are not capricious, rarely get sick, grow well and reproduce, do not require increased attention from their owners.
- Early maturity. Thanks to this property, the animals can be reared for obtaining tender meat by the broiler method.
- Large body mass. Rabbits weigh up to 5-6 kg, which is an excellent indicator, especially when you consider the speed of weight gain.
- Productivity. The female, on average, brings 7-8 young rabbits per okrol.
Gray giants have no obvious flaws. These include the gluttony of animals, but this quality helps them quickly gain weight. Their skin does not meet the standards of such "stars" as a Soviet chinchilla or a white giant, a butterfly or Viennese blue, but it is quite suitable for the production of inexpensive fur products.
Maintenance and care of the rabbit
Gray giants are kept in cages located on the sunny side, but protected from direct exposure to ultraviolet rays. An important condition for all rabbits is hygiene, the presence of clean water and the absence of drafts and dampness.
These rabbits are unpretentious and do not need special conditions, it is important to feed them well, as animals have excellent appetite.
Despite the fact that the breed is considered resistant to diseases, the cells are regularly disinfected to prevent massive infections. Most often, bleach is used for these purposes, but blowtorch firing is also suitable.
Diet
Rabbits of the gray giant are not picky about food, they gladly absorb fresh grass in the warm season and hay in winter, eat fresh and boiled root crops, greens, tree branches. In the ration for accelerated weight gain, it is necessary to add cereals and protein mixtures before finishing feeding.
With a good appetite, animals should not be overfed, as this can negatively affect their digestion and overall health. In order for rabbits to get enough calories for successful weight gain, they need to be fed frequently, but not in excess. It is very important to follow the feeding schedule - the animals quickly get used to it.
After the animals have eaten, all food debris must be removed, because decomposing scraps can cause infection and disease in the livestock. It is equally necessary to monitor the cleanliness and freshness of the water in the drinkers.
Breeding nuances
Rabbits gray giants can bear up to 8 cubs, but up to 14 babies can be in the offspring. At the same time, the females are distinguished by their milkiness, they are devoted to mothers, take care of the offspring, do not trample or eat rabbits, they warm them in a well-equipped nest.
With good nutrition, animals quickly gain weight, their meat is of high quality, tender, dietary. But when growing this breed, there are certain features:
- In recent years, the breed has been considered obsolete, since now there are rabbits that are capable of gaining several kilograms of mass more at the same time and with less feed.
- Massive animals need stronger cages.
- The skin of gray giants is not of brilliant quality, it is uninteresting in color and has an uneven distribution of pile density.
In modern conditions, these rabbits are more suitable for growing in private and private farms, as they belong to universal breeds, which provide both skin and dietary tasty meat. It is also important that they are unpretentious in food, they will gladly eat any vegetables and herbs from their garden, the main thing is that they are clean and not wet, as well as that there is grass or hay on the menu every day.
What are they sick with?
Rabbits of this breed are considered disease resistant. They were bred specifically so that breeders have a minimum of problems during mass breeding. They are suitable for living indoors, but when kept in cages with metal mesh floors, they can develop pododermatitis.
This disease is an inflammation of the pads of the fingers, the folds between them, sometimes with the involvement of the claws in the process. In rabbits, the gray giant pododermatitis can be triggered by damage to the skin caused by contact with metal. They are characterized by weak pubescence of the legs and significant weight.
This breed was developed for the southern regions, where the climate is mild or temperate, without sudden changes in temperature. Based on this, rabbits in harsh weather conditions can only be kept in insulated rooms, protecting them from frost, drafts and high humidity.
Where to buy, approximate cost?
Breeding animals must be purchased from trusted producers. It is better to do this in professional rabbit farms, such as Petrovsky fur farms in Ukraine, in the Poltava region, Krasnaya Polyana in the Kirovograd region, Luch in Tatarstan, in the Crimea, and so on.
The cost of rabbits starts at 250 rubles per head. On average, they ask for 400-600 rubles for the manufacturer. Gray giants are profitable rabbits for breeding, suitable for growing both for meat and for skin, they are healthy, gain weight in 2-3 months, therefore they are used in private household farms and for industrial cultivation.
