Rabbit white giant: description of the breed, rules of keeping and crossing

Many farmers are breeding rabbits. The real favorites are white giant rabbits. Raising animals allows you to get a sufficient amount of dietary tasty meat and excellent fur skins, which are in great demand among furriers. The maintenance and breeding of the breed does not require special conditions, so it is popular everywhere.

Origin of the white giant breed

Modern animals are the result of the work of German and French breeders on the Flanders albino rabbit breed, which is distinguished by tasty meat and thin bones. It was the white giant that became the basis for breeding other popular breeds (black-brown rabbit, Soviet chinchilla).

The white giant brought to Russia at the beginning of the 20th century had many disadvantages. The animals were not viable. The breed was characterized by low fertility, poorly developed maternal qualities, so a significant part of the offspring did not survive. However, over time, it was possible to improve the breed.

Description and characteristics of the rabbit

Distinctive features of the white giant breed with red eyes: an elongated body (55-60 cm long) with strong bones, a long and narrow straight back, a wide rounded croup, a massive head with long and wide ears. The giant has strong and long limbs set wide apart.

In the fur industry, the skin of a rabbit with an elastic and thick hairline is in demand. White fur without marks is widely used to imitate the pile of other fur-bearing animals (sable, fur seal). Due to good meat characteristics (the weight of an adult is 5-6 kg), many farms breed albino rabbits.

Good and bad sides

Due to the virtues of the rabbit, both large farms and individual rabbit breeders are bred for personal purposes. White Giant Pros:

• spectacular fur and durable skin are in demand among processors;
• animals quickly gain weight (3-4-month-old rabbits are already slaughtered for meat);
• tender and juicy meat (yield from an adult is 70-80%).

When breeding a white giant, you need to take into account the shortcomings of the breed. The main disadvantage is the need to constantly monitor the selection of animals for mating. Improper breeding leads to the degeneration of the breed. You also need to control the diet of animals, since overfeeding contributes to obesity of animals that mate less often.

How to properly maintain and care for

It is the arrangement of the right cages that becomes the key to the full development of animals. The structures should be spacious (taking into account the size of the animals), protected from direct sunlight and drafts. Cell doors are most often made of metal mesh. The floor must be made even so that the animals do not injure their paws.

The main requirement for care is to keep the crates clean. At least 2-3 cell cleanings are done every week. It is recommended to periodically disinfect structures for preventive purposes. The inner surfaces of the cells are whitewashed with lime.

What to feed the animal

When keeping a white giant, the emphasis in the diet is on traditional rabbit food. Large farms use oat-barley crushed.

Advice! It is not advisable to feed animals with wheat, since the rabbit's body does not digest it well.

In the summer, they practice the use of fresh herbs. Rabbits are happy to eat cabbage leaves, vegetable tops and freshly cut grass (plantain, nettle, dandelion, quinoa are suitable). Alternatively, for breakfast, you can prepare a brewed mixture of freshly cut grass, finely chopped zucchini, pumpkin. Hay, grated carrots, summer billets in the form of bunches of birch branches, willows bring variety to the winter diet.

Basic breeding rules

Crossing is not a problem, as the animals are ready for the process all year round. When breeding animals, several rules are followed:

• he althy, strong and large animals are chosen for mating;
• as soon as the female rabbit reaches the age of 5-6 months, they begin to plant her in the cage of the male (for 1-2 hours);
• A week later the mating is repeated. If the rabbit does not let the male in, it means that fertilization occurred at the first meeting.

Mating animals is carried out in two ways: on the table and in the cage. Moreover, it is important to plant the female in the cage with the male, and not vice versa. Otherwise, the rabbit may defend the territory, and the meeting will end in a fight.

Diseases and methods of dealing with them

In the conditions of improper keeping, the susceptibility of animals to infections (myxomatosis, tularemia, listeriosis) increases. Timely vaccination helps to protect the he alth of rabbits. Often the causes of diseases are skin parasites. The most common is ear mites. To get rid of it, the inner surface of the ears of rabbits is treated with camphor oil or a special mixture (glycerin, turpentine, kerosene are mixed).

Dirty bedding or a mesh floor provokes paw disease - pododermatitis. If treatment is not started in time, the disease ends with damage to the bones and tendons. Treatment of damaged areas with Levomikol ointment forms the basis of treatment.You also need to lay a flat sheet on the floor and regularly disinfect the floor covering.

Where can I buy and how much does it cost

Rabbits aged 1.5-2 months are offered for sale for breeding. The farms of most regions are engaged in the sale of rabbits. Farmers offer any number of individuals. Small farms sell 20-30 rabbits.

The cost of rabbits varies, because it depends on the age of the animals. Some farms sell animals at a price per individual (range 600-1000 rubles). Often the seller indicates the price per month. In this case, the cost is 200-350 rubles per month (then a one and a half month old rabbit will cost 300-530 rubles, and a two-month-old rabbit will cost 400-700 rubles).

Many farmers consider the white giant breed to be the best choice for breeding. Growing rabbits allows you to get nutritious meat, a strong skin with delicate fur in a short time. These rabbits are also kept as pets.

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