What is the prospect of raising Rex rabbits?
For most women, what are the prospects of raising Rex rabbits, as well as the small experiences of rabbit breeding methods and techniques for plant cultivation? The following is a detailed introduction.
Although the start of Rex rabbit breeding is not too early, relying on good profits, it has quickly developed and has a rapid growth momentum. According to statistics, the number of Rex rabbits ranks second in the ranking of rabbit breeding. This also indirectly shows that the potential of Rex rabbit breeding is huge. Different from Angora rabbits, the main economic value of Rex rabbits is reflected in their fur, and the demand for their use and consumption is very high. The market prospect is relatively broad. With the protection of other types of fur and wildlife, Rex rabbits, as high-quality fur animals, are not restricted by such regulations. Overall, there is a good prospect.
Rex rabbit breeding has many advantages over other fur animal breeding, including less investment, low feed cost, and super breeding ability, which can quickly achieve results and other advantages. Rex rabbit breeding should follow the growth habits of Rex rabbits and adopt scientific standardized management to achieve good results.
▶ Daily Habits: Let's first understand the living habits of Rex rabbits. The ancestors of Rex rabbits are wild rabbits living in burrows. Like other rabbit breeds, Rex rabbits are timid by nature, and they have the habits of eating during the day and resting during the day, with higher activity at night. In a natural state, the night-time feeding of Rex rabbits generally accounts for more than 65% of the whole day. Therefore, when breeding Rex rabbits, the rabbit farm should be built in a relatively quiet area to avoid noisy surroundings and prevent the rabbits from being frightened.
▶ Feeding Frequency: In the management of Rex rabbit breeding, the number of visits to the rabbit shed should be minimized. Feed can be given twice a day. According to the eating habits of Rex rabbits, feeding time can be set at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Although the frequency of feeding is not high, the overall effect is still very good. Some breeders feed Rex rabbits four or five times a day, and the frequent entry of personnel does not achieve as good results as feeding twice. Rex rabbit breeding requires a high level of quietness in the environment.
▶ Preventing Animals from Entering: During the breeding period, it is also necessary to prevent the entry of other personnel, which may cause environmental noise and the carrying of germs. Measures should be taken to prevent other animals from entering the rabbit farm. Rex rabbits are naturally timid, especially when threatened by other animals, they will send group signals, which has a significant impact on the breeding group. The entry of other animals can easily cause further losses due to the rabbits being frightened.
▶ Male Rabbits Should be Kept Separate: Although Rex rabbits are timid, they have natural aggressive habits as male animals. When young rabbits are together, they can live harmoniously, but as they mature, male rabbits start to fight each other. During the breeding period, male rabbits reaching two and a half months old should be kept separate, whether they are bred as commercial rabbits or kept as breeding rabbits, to prevent injuries from fighting.
▶ Temperature Management in Rex Rabbit Breeding: Rex rabbits grow fast and mature early. In a suitable and reasonable temperature environment, their breeding speed is very fast. However, temperature also plays a crucial role in the breeding and growth of Rex rabbits. The most suitable temperature for Rex rabbits to grow is between 15-35 degrees Celsius. Although Rex rabbits can withstand low temperatures, such as adult rabbits surviving in temperatures as low as minus 20-30 degrees Celsius, low temperatures can lead to a decrease in feed intake and thus reduce breeding numbers.
High temperatures in summer can also affect the growth of Rex rabbits. When the temperature exceeds 30 degrees Celsius, Rex rabbits may experience a decrease in feed intake but an increase in water consumption, which can significantly affect their physical functions. Therefore, there is also a saying in folk that rabbits should not be bred in summer, which is because the environmental temperature affects the breeding of Rex rabbits.
▶ Management Measures According to Seasonal Changes: Different management measures should be taken according to the changes in temperature and the growth habits of Rex rabbits in each season to ensure that they can grow and breed smoothly.
▶ Spring Management: Spring is the season of revival, and it is also the most active season for Rex rabbits. Their physiological functions are relatively vigorous during this period, and their feed intake and breeding ability are strong. The main tasks in spring include:
1: Focus on seasonal breeding: Take advantage of their vigorous functions in spring to do a good job of breeding Rex rabbits. Especially for breeding that has not been well protected during the winter, Rex rabbits basically stop breeding during winter, so it is even more important to take advantage of the rise in spring temperatures and the旺盛 breeding ability of Rex rabbits to adopt double mating or dual mating operations. It is also necessary to check and palpate the pregnant rabbits in time to reduce the incidence of empty uteri in Rex rabbits.
2: Spring weather is highly changeable, leading to extremely irregular temperatures, and sudden drops in temperature can occur. For young rabbits bred in early spring or winter, careful management is required to prevent the occurrence of colds, pneumonia, and enteritis, which can lead to the death of young rabbits.
3: Ensure adequate nutrition supply for Rex rabbits: Spring is the most vigorous season for the growth and breeding of Rex rabbits, and they require more nutrition than in other seasons. This requires us to increase the proportion of feed and the nutritional content during management. Spring is also the time when Rex rabbits shed their fur, with winter fur gradually falling out and summer fur growing, which also consumes a lot of nutrients. Adding methionine to the feed can achieve good results, increasing the content of sulfur-containing amino acids to over 0.6%. Fresh green feed should be appropriately controlled in feeding during this period. Since Rex rabbits have just come out of winter, they need a period of adaptation to fresh green feed before large-scale feeding. If the amount of fresh green feed is too large, it can easily cause diarrhea and other conditions in Rex rabbits, so it is necessary to feed fresh green feed gradually and increase it slowly.
4: Take preventive measures to prevent diseases: Spring is the peak season for the growth of Rex rabbits and also the most prevalent season for diseases and infectious sources. Preventive measures should be taken at the beginning of spring, such as injecting vaccines to improve resistance. Drugs should also be added to the feed to prevent diseases such as enteritis, colds, Pasteurellosis, and oral inflammation. In spring, the weather is dry and some diseases can easily spread. It is necessary to spray disinfectants regularly in the breeding area as a preventive measure.
▶ Summer Management: Summer is a high-temperature season. As outdoor temperatures rise above 30 degrees Celsius, cooling measures should be taken in the rabbit shed. Preventive measures can be taken in advance, such as planting trees, ivy, or other vines around the rabbit shed to provide shade and reduce the temperature inside the shed.
Black shading nets can also be used to cover the rabbit shed to block the hot sunlight, and painting the shed white can reduce heat absorption. It is also necessary to improve the ventilation environment of the shed and use exhaust fans to improve the air when necessary to lower the temperature inside the shed and prevent Rex rabbits from suffering from heatstroke in the summer. In addition to necessary cooling measures, summer management should also pay attention to the following aspects:
1: Reduce breeding density reasonably: The temperature inside the shed is related to the breeding density. High density can easily generate heat in the summer, keeping the shed at a high temperature. Adjusting the breeding density in summer to reduce it and keep the spacing between rabbit cages wide can reduce the increase in heat.
2: Adjust feed intake reasonably: The main feeding periods for summer should be in the morning and evening. You can follow the saying: "Early breakfast, less lunch, full dinner, and extra grass at night" for feeding Rex rabbits. In summer, the outside is abundant with greenery, and the amount of green feed should be increased. Due to the frequent occurrence of rainy seasons, the uncertainty of temperature, and the increase in cloudy and rainy days, Rex rabbits may experience diarrhea. Adding 1%-3% of charcoal powder to the feed can help regulate this. Food should also be carefully selected to prevent the feeding of spoiled or变质 feed.
3: Pay attention to environmental hygiene: Summer is the season when mosquitoes and flies are rampant. With the increase in temperature, these annoying pests can easily appear in the breeding area, which can easily cause the spread of diseases. It is necessary to do a good job of rabbit farm hygiene and carry out disinfection of mosquitoes and flies in the summer.
4: Ensure adequate water supply for Rex rabbits: The water consumption of Rex rabbits increases significantly with the rise in temperature in summer. Free drinking should be provided in the summer. To prevent intestinal diseases in Rex rabbits, some microorganisms can be added to the water to prevent coccidiosis.
5: Take special care of male breeding rabbits. Create a suitable environment for them to safely survive the hot summer, such as isolating them in a separate area, using basements, cellars, or other cooling methods for individual feeding.
▶ Autumn Management: In autumn, the weather is clear and the temperature is suitable. This season is also the peak growth period and molting season for Rex rabbits, with high nutritional needs. However, after the high temperatures of summer, breeding rabbits may experience irregular or faint estrus. In addition to mixing high-quality green feed, protein feed with a content of 16%-18% can also be added for feeding adjustments. The use of protein feed can promote normal estrus in breeding rabbits and also improve molting.
The weather in autumn can be very changeable, with significant temperature fluctuations and cooler nighttime temperatures, while daytime temperatures can still be very hot. For Rex rabbit breeding in this season, it is important not to be complacent about the prevention of diseases and to take preventive measures in advance, especially during the concentrated molting period, when it is necessary to use a flame torch for disinfection 1-2 times.