Corn for rabbits: how to feed and in what form, benefits and harms

Using corn to feed rabbits produces excellent results. This product contains many vitamins and microelements that saturate the body of animals with valuable substances and contribute to their full development. At the same time, it is necessary to introduce cereal into the diet of animals very carefully. Violation of the main recommendations of experts will lead to negative he alth consequences.

Can rabbits be fed corn?

Useful properties of corn are due to its composition. The following components are present in the grains of this plant:

vitamin E;
B vitamins;
ascorbic acid;
retinol;
vitamin PP.

There are many minerals in corn. These include potassium, copper, chlorine. The product also includes sulfur and selenium. The nutritional value of 100 grams of corn kernels is 337 kilocalories. When the product is introduced into the diet of rabbits, it is possible to provide animals with energy. This contributes to the increase in body weight. The culture is often used to feed animals before slaughter. At the same time, different fragments of the plant are suitable for feeding the animals.

Leaves and stems

Corn leaves are often used to make silage. It is important to use young foliage. It contains maximum juice and is of great benefit to rabbits.

You can give corn leaves to animals fresh, slightly drying them in the shade. To prepare the product for the winter, it needs to be dried for several days. It is recommended to do this in the shade.

You can start giving shoots to animals from 2.5-3 months. At the same time, they need to be cut into pieces so that it is easier for rabbits to eat. Only young stems are suitable for feeding animals. It is important to remember the sense of proportion. An excess of stems provokes a violation of the functions of the digestive organs. Adult pets can be given 60-80 grams of crushed corn stalks. They are recommended to be mixed with vegetables.

Cobs

Young cobs can be given to animals directly from the beds. This must be done fresh. Moreover, the cobs do not have to be cleaned of leaves. Thanks to the use of such food, it will be possible to improve weight gain in the autumn season - before slaughtering animals for meat.

Also cobs can be pre-treated. To do this, it is recommended to clean them from foliage, wash them under running water and dry them thoroughly. Then the cobs should be given to the rabbits as a whole or cut into several parts.The leaves are also recommended to be washed, dried and given separately from the grains. Purchased cobs must be washed well and scalded with boiling water to get rid of pathogenic bacteria.

Grain

Dry corn is recommended to soak for 2-4 hours before feeding the animals. It should be borne in mind that this product does not contain too much protein. Therefore, it is recommended to combine it with other legumes.

How much to give?

Feeding animals with corn has a number of features. This cereal is allowed to be given to animals from an early age. However, one must take into account the stages of development of animals.

Youngsters

In the first 1.5-2 months, rabbits eat only mother's milk. At the same time, from the 7th week of life, additional products are allowed to be introduced into their diet. Corn must be strictly dosed. It is recommended to give the product in small quantities.This is acceptable to do a maximum of 1-2 times a week.

Corn on the cob is recommended to be introduced gradually. Experienced farmers advise to postpone this type of complementary foods until 4 months.

For adults

Feeding adults is of particular importance at the stage of preparing animals for slaughter. To achieve a quick set of live weight, 1.5-2 months before slaughtering rabbits, they need to be given 60-150 grams of grains. At the same time, it is recommended to gradually increase the amount of this product.

At other times, the amount of corn in the diet of animals should not be more than 10-15%. This helps prevent the development of obesity and other diseases.

Baby rabbits

Starting from the 4th week of pregnancy, female rabbits are advised to give a large amount of corn. At this time, the internal organs of the fetus are formed, and its intensive growth begins.Due to the high nutritional value of the product, it is possible to accelerate the formation of embryos and achieve the birth of large rabbits.

At the same time, during the mating period, corn must be completely removed from the diet of animals. Such food makes the animals lethargic and lazy. This negatively affects the reproductive functions of rabbits. After okrol cereal, it is permissible to keep the rabbit in the diet for some time. This helps to improve the nutritional characteristics of the milk. However, from the 8th day after birth, the amount of this product is gradually reduced. This is done to prevent obesity in the female.

When corn is bad

It is forbidden to use corn as the main feed for rabbits, otherwise it can cause serious harm to animals. The main disadvantages of the product include the following:

High calorie content. An excess of cereal in the diet of rabbits provokes the development of obesity. This is due to the high content of sugar, fat and starch.
Not enough calcium in the plant. Therefore, it must be combined with other cereals.
Lack of protein components in cereal. To provide rabbits with protein, corn has to be combined with other foods.
Risk of developing allergies and digestive disorders. Such side effects of the cereal most often provokes in young animals. Especially often this problem occurs when a large amount of the product is introduced into the diet.

Corn is considered a very he althy food, which is definitely recommended for rabbits. At the same time, it is necessary to introduce the cereal gradually and control the reaction of the animals. Thanks to this, it is possible to achieve maximum benefit and avoid negative consequences for the he alth of animals.