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Optimal Diet for Lactating Rabbit Mothers: Nutritional

20. December 2024
Management Techniques for Lactating Female Rabbits1. Feeding Goals for Lactating Female RabbitsHighy

Management Techniques for Lactating Female Rabbits

1. Feeding Goals for Lactating Female Rabbits

Highyielding female rabbits can produce up to 7kg of milk throughout the lactation period. The milk production reaches its peak between 1821 days postpartum and then rapidly declines. Before the peak, the daily milk yield is approximately 280g. The milk production in the first 21 days postpartum typically accounts for over 55% of the total lactation volume. Thereafter, it gradually decreases until milk secretion stops. Ensuring a highquality milk supply is crucial for the survival and rapid growth of the kits, necessitating that lactating females produce more milk of excellent quality.

2. Diet for Lactating Female Rabbits

Lactating rabbits should be primarily fed with fresh, green, and juicy forage, with leguminous forage making up more than onethird of their diet. The choice of concentrates should include soybean meal, peanut meal, and bran, with animalbased feeds like fish meal also being added. The crude protein content should be around 17% of their daily ration. During summer, the diet can include various green herbs or wild vegetables, with 10001400g of fresh forage and 5090g of concentrates. In winter, the diet can consist of 150250g of highquality dry hay, 250500g of carrots or beets, 75105g of concentrates, and a small amount of salt (12g per meal). Adjustments to the feeding amount should be made based on the rabbit's milk production, with the amount of mixed concentrates gradually increasing after 10 days postpartum. However, it is crucial to avoid changing the diet of lactating females, as this can significantly reduce milk production, taking up to 57 days to recover. This can severely impact the kits' growth and even lead to digestive system diseases.

3. Water Requirements for Lactating Female Rabbits

While meeting the nutritional needs of lactating rabbits, it is also essential to ensure they have access to ample, appropriately temperaturecontrolled water.

4. Daily Management of Lactating Female Rabbits

Owners should frequently monitor the lactation status of the female rabbits to ensure the kits are adequately fed. Generally, females with strong maternal instincts and good milk production will nurse the kits while giving birth, with most kits being full and asleep by the time the mother is done. After delivery, the mother will quickly leave the nest to drink and graze, but will return to the nest within 12 hours to continue feeding. However, some females with poor maternal instincts or low milk production, especially firsttime mothers, may not feed the kits until 35 hours after birth. In such cases, owners should take appropriate measures, such as feeding green forage and supplementing with foods like soy milk or soaked soybeans to boost milk production.

5. Precautions in the Rearing and Management of Female Rabbits

Some females produce a large amount of thick milk, which the kits may not consume all of, leading to milk remaining in the udder. This can cause irritation from cage wire or nails, potentially leading to infections and mastitis. This can also result in the kits drinking contaminated milk, which may cause yellow urine disease and even death. It is, therefore, important to prevent mastitis in lactating females. Owners can administer sulfathiazole (0.30.5g) and one tablet of baking soda twice daily for three consecutive days, based on the rabbit's weight.

This summary by Oxygen Pet Doctor outlines the proper feeding methods for lactating female rabbits. If any aspects are overlooked, we welcome feedback from readers to correct and improve upon our guidance!

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