Scientific Feeding Guide: Raising Rabbits with Fresh Ha

Section 1: The Benefits of Feeding Rabbits with Fresh Green Feed

1. Disease Prevention. Regularly incorporating fresh green feed into your rabbit's diet, such as garlic, wild onions, and large green leaves, can significantly aid in the prevention and treatment of common ailments like colds and diarrhea.

2. Managing Body Condition. Overweight does can lead to infertility. Keeping does at about 7080% of their ideal weight is ideal for estrus and breeding. Feeding them a diet rich in green feed, supplemented with a small amount of concentrate feed, can help reduce excess weight quickly and safely.

Additionally, rabbits are sensitive to heat. The hot summer months can have a detrimental effect, ranging from reduced appetite and weight loss to potentially fatal heatstroke. Including ingredients like watermelon rind and cucumber peel in their green feed can enhance their heat tolerance and keep them cool.

3. Mitigating the Risks of Humid Weather. Rabbits are particularly prone to illness during rainy seasons, which can lead to widespread deaths. A semimoist feeding method, combining half of the feed with high moisture content and the other half with dried, sundried green feed, can effectively counteract the adverse effects of humid weather on rabbits.

Section 2: Three Principles for Feeding Rabbits Fresh Green Feed

1. Frequent, Small Feedings. Fresh green feed is tender and juicy, with high moisture content. Overfeeding can lead to diarrhea, and rabbits might hoard uneaten feed, which can spoil and cause digestive disorders.

2. Balance with Concentrate or Pellet Feed. Fresh green feed alone may not meet a rabbit's energy and protein needs. Therefore, it's essential to mix it with highenergy, highprotein concentrate or pellet feed. The combination of these feeds has proven to be the most costeffective in rabbit production practices.

3. Freshness is Key. Most green feed should be fed fresh, not cooked. Fresh feeding preserves vitamins and prevents nitrate poisoning that can occur due to improper feed handling.

This summary by Oxygen Pet Doctor outlines the scientific approach to feeding rabbits green feed. We hope this information helps you feed your rabbits more effectively and humanely.