Is it possible to give cabbage to rabbits: what is suitable and in what quantity

Often novice breeders and owners of decorative rabbits follow the stereotype about the nutrition of animals and feed them cabbage and carrots. But they need a more varied diet, and cabbage makes up a small percentage of it. Rabbits eat grass, grains and vegetables. They are given raw and boiled root vegetables. Different varieties of vegetables affect the digestion of rabbits in different ways. Whether they can eat cabbage and how much to give it is determined by the type of vegetable and the age of the animals.

Can rabbits be fed cabbage?

Cabbage contains folic acid and calcium - trace elements necessary for the he alth of adult animals and rabbits.Adult males and females get moisture from a juicy vegetable. But, instead of being useful, a cabbage head can harm the intestines of animals. Raw product in large quantities causes gas formation. From fresh leaves, fiber enters the body of animals. The substance is poorly absorbed if pets receive it regularly in large quantities.

Rabbits can be given a variety of cabbages if portion sizes are carefully controlled.

Colored

Chemical composition of cauliflower:

• vitamin C;
• vegetable protein;
• potassium;
• glucoraphanin.

This variety is the most gentle on digestion. 100-200 grams of a vegetable per day helps to strengthen the immune system, heart, circulatory system and normalize digestion. Adult rabbits and rabbits are given whole inflorescences, and chopped rabbits.

Beijing

Moderate amount of vegetable contains vitamin C, stimulates the immune system and prevents constipation. Beijing variety is rich in vegetable protein. The top leaves from the head of cabbage are added to the main feed, after removing the thick veins. The allowable rate per day is 2 leaves.

White head

The variety contains glucoraphanin, an antibacterial substance that, in moderate doses, strengthens the gastric mucosa. 100 grams of fresh or boiled cabbage satisfies the rabbit's daily protein requirement.

The cause of intestinal upset in animals is sulfur, which is also abundant in the vegetable. The safe rate of the product is 200 grams per day.

The white variety is sometimes referred to as a forbidden vegetable for rabbits. The concentrated juice of the leaves causes diarrhea and bloating in animals. To balance the components and reduce the negative impact, the leaves are mixed with hay.With a constant violation of digestion, cabbage should be excluded from the diet of rabbits.

Red head

The variety is dangerous due to the high content of harmful substances. Red cabbage causes serious digestive disorders in rabbits. Constant overeating of the red variety causes poisoning and stagnation in the intestines.

Kolrabi

The variety surpasses other fodder vegetables in juiciness and calorie content, provides the body of rabbits with fiber. But kohlrabi stems contain a lot of glucose. Sweet food causes fermentation in the intestines. A vegetable has less effect on digestion when added to silage or mixed with other feed.

In order for kohlrabi to be better absorbed, choose young stems 5-6 centimeters long and dry them.

Sauerkraut

In winter, fresh cabbage will be replaced by sauerkraut. It serves as a source of ascorbic acid. Sauerkraut is given 100 grams 2-3 times a week.

Homemade sauerkraut is made from natural raw materials, but may be s alty for rabbits. So that pets do not suffer from thirst after eating, you need to add water to the drinkers.

Frozen

Rabbits are not recommended to give frozen cabbage. In a product stored in a cold, useful substances are not preserved. Vegetable fibers after defrosting do not stimulate the production of digestive enzymes. Frozen cabbage for rabbits is a useless burden on the intestines.

Cabbage leaves

Cabbage leaves are considered succulent food. Farmers mixed them with meadow grasses, and for the winter they prepared silage with the addition of carrots. Then the natural mixture was replaced by compound feed. Cabbage leaves contain up to 4 grams of carotene - more than meadow grass. The share of carotene in cabbage-carrot silage is 5.1 grams.

Rabbits eat cabbage uncontrollably and then refuse other food.Firm juicy leaves stimulate the production of digestive enzymes. As a result, animals suffer from flatulence. To avoid negative consequences, fresh leaves are dried a little and then offered to rabbits.

Do not give animals leaves torn from the stalk. They contain more substances that stimulate the production of gastric enzymes.

Marine

Kelp can be found as an additive in ready-made feed for ornamental rabbits. You can offer crushed meal to your pet after soaking it in water.

Seaweed with a specific smell does not attract animals, so it is rarely used as a feed product.

Decorative

Cabbage in the form of flowers is grown to decorate the garden. It is beneficial due to its high selenium content. For the French, this is a delicacy that is marinated and added to salads.But the product is also not suitable for rabbits, as even young leaves are too hard. It will be difficult for animals to digest them.

Ornamental leaf and head varieties are frozen before cooking. Without freezing, they are bitter, and after defrosting, they stimulate the production of carbohydrates. The delicacy will cause metabolic disorders in animals.

Feeding rules

In order for rabbits to digest he althy cabbage well, the allowable portion is selected according to age. Animals of fur, meat and decorative breeds have a gentle digestion. Therefore, the head and leaf vegetable should be added to their diet gradually.

At what age can you

Fresh leaves feed young animals from 3.5-4 months. Younger rabbits cannot yet digest tough fibers. Mother's milk is the basis of nutrition for babies. From it, rabbits get all the necessary nutrients.Complementary foods start from 1 month with grass, cereals and boiled root crops. Specific varieties of cabbage are best reserved for adulthood.

How much to give

Young rabbits are given leaves of various varieties in small quantities - 30-50 grams or 1-2 leaves per individual per day. Pets are monitored for 7 days. With the addition of the weight of meat breeds, the daily portion is increased to 100 grams. For rabbits with a large weight, which absorb the product well, you can increase the rate to 200 grams.

Safe Daily Portion for Adult Animals:

• giving meat and skin, pregnant females - 400 grams;
• nursing rabbits - 500 grams;
• male studs - 400 grams.

If there is a slight disorder, but the animals are active, the amount of vegetable is reduced and the portion of other components is increased.If the rabbits are lethargic and often vilify, then the product is not suitable for them. Cabbage leaves are not included in the basis of rabbit nutrition. More often they are added to the feed in the fall, as an additional vitamin component.

How to feed properly

Fresh cabbage should be inspected before serving to rabbits. Whole heads of cabbage are suitable for food for animals, without mold and traces of insect activity. Only top-quality products are suitable for rabbit food. The he alth of the livestock and the profit it will bring depends on the quality of the food.

Farm breeds have stronger digestion. In case of upset stomach, the proportion of cabbage in the diet can be adjusted by increasing the portion of dry food.

Decorative rabbits benefit from Brussels sprouts. It is better to grow it yourself so that the animals eat a product that has not been treated with chemicals. The Brussels variety is given in small quantities, as it develops kidney failure.Savoy cabbage is also suitable for ornamental rabbits. The fibers of the variety are softer compared to the white head, and contain more nutrients. Overeating Savoy cabbage is also fraught with bloating in pets. Therefore, it must be added to the diet in small portions.

To diversify the diet and reduce the load on the intestines, it is good to alternate the types of vegetables. It is better to give miniature breeds softer varieties - colored and kohlrabi.

Why you shouldn't give a stalk of a head of cabbage

In the solid base of the cabbage head, active substances and waste products of the plant accumulate. Their high concentration adversely affects the he alth of rabbits. The stem fibers are too hard and contain more sulfur than the outer leaves. Even a small amount of crushed stalk can lead to pet poisoning, especially miniature breeds.

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