Hay for rabbits: what is better to give and is it possible to give straw, feeding rules

Hay and straw for rabbits are natural components of a complete feed. To breed he althy animals, their activity and appetite must be monitored daily, which directly shows the quality of the conditions of detention. Adding hay to your rabbit's food aids digestion, greatly improving intestinal permeability and nutrient absorption.

Can rabbits be given straw

Unlike hay, straw is hollow, stiff plant stems. Chopped straw is used in top dressing to provide rabbits with roughage elements, in other cases the material is used for bedding in cages.

Straw is a low-nutrient food that is not to the taste of rabbits and cannot replace hay in the diet due to the low content of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. However, the product contains a large amount of fiber, which is necessary for the prevention of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and the full absorption of the main feed.

In modern farming, three types of straw are used to feed rabbits:

1. Wheat.
2. Barley.
3. Millet.

The presented species are distinguished by the necessary qualities for effective additional feeding of rabbits.

Wheat

Wheat straw is the most common type of food material. Parts of winter wheat are used to feed rabbits, since it contains a large amount of fiber and vitamin D.The nutrients contained in straw help to improve the condition of the musculoskeletal system and have a beneficial effect on the metabolism of animals.

Barley

Barley straw is significantly more nutritious than wheat straw due to its crude protein, iron and manganese content. This type of feeding has a good effect on the circulatory system of animals and promotes weight gain.

Millet

Millet straw has a good effect on the active digestion of wards due to the content of useful nutrients. Millet nutrition is high in potassium, manganese, carotene, favoring the full growth of industrial species and supporting the immune system of animals.

Contraindications

Straw is contraindicated if:

• rabbits under 6 months old;
• Gastrointestinal disorders identified;
• infectious diseases are spreading in the rabbit farm;
• There is an excess of hay in the diet of the wards.

Straw top dressing is introduced gradually, from 5 to 25% of the total food with a gradual increase in concentration.

Which hay is better

Unlike straw, hay not only promotes the digestion of rabbits due to its fiber content, but is also highly nutritious. The rabbit himself can help in choosing ingredients for harvesting, but a person needs to make sure that the food is varied and enriched with useful substances.

Composition depending on the preferences of rabbits:

1. Rhubarb, dandelion, lupine, burdock, yarrow, plantain, nettle, wild sorrel are added to enrich the feed with vitamin D.
2. Alfalfa, clover, wheatgrass are mixed into hay for females during the feeding period and young individuals.
3. For general therapeutic effect - shepherd's purse, wild dill, chicory, rowan.

Storage conditions have a special impact on the quality of food. Do not allow dampness, mold or food to freeze.

Important! Excessive content of herbs such as alfalfa and clover can lead to the development of diseases of the genitourinary system of animals.

How to properly feed a rabbit with hay

The amount of feed required for one rabbit varies depending on age. Some owners believe that the daily norm of hay is equal to the weight of the animal. According to the age scale, the amount of food given is:

• 100 grams - from 1 to 3 months;
• 200 grams - 4 to 6 months;
• 300 grams - from six months.

It is also worth paying attention to the gender and breed of the rabbit and its individual nutritional characteristics. On average, up to 60 kilograms are required for harvesting for 1 adult, and from 120 kilograms of feed for a female with offspring.

What to do if the rabbit does not eat

Despite the fact that hay is a natural element of the diet of rabbits, animals may refuse food. Why not eat:

• don't like the taste;
• too much grain or industrial feed.

Most often this problem is faced by owners of ornamental animal breeds.

To accustom rabbits to plant foods, you need:

1. Replace product (change brand).
2. Leave food close to the animal.
3. Place a special feeder - sennik.
4. Build hay toys to increase interest.
5. Add some dill, fennel or basil for flavor.
6. Reduce other feeds.
7. Chop hay when switching from soft food.
8. Stir in bran.

Regardless of species, all pets have conservative food choices and have a hard time adjusting to new options.

Important! If the rabbits did not eat the hay right away (given the high quality of the food), it is not worth chewing, the animal will soon taste the herbs and switch to a new food.

What kind of hay is forbidden to give

When making hay for rabbits, it is important to pay attention to the natural characteristics of plants, as the ingress of poisonous grasses can undermine the he alth of animals. The blanks should not fall:

• hemlock;
• celandine;
• colchicum;
• henbane;
• buttercup;
• hemlock;
• cheremitsa;
• marsh marigold;
• digital;
• lily of the valley;
• larkspur;
• spurge;
• dope;
• wormwood (Chernobyl);
• crow's eye;
• lumbago;
• wild radish.

If there is no complete confidence in the safety of the plant for animals, it is better to refuse to add it to the hay.

Except for toxic plant crops, dry plants are not eaten:

• collected near chemical waste disposal sites, highways;
• with signs of dampness, mold, freezing;
• with slugs (because of the risk of helminth infection);
• whose storage time exceeds 1 year.

If hay deteriorates during storage and shows signs of dampness, it must be disposed of.

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