Rabbit French ram: breed description and characteristics, content

Rabbit breeding is an entertaining and profitable activity. Animal breeding has been going on for centuries. Large animals with valuable fur are especially popular with rabbit breeders. The French ram is a breed of rabbit with drooping ears known since the 19th century. Rabbits of this breed have a lot of advantages, are valued by farmers for their large size, high-quality fur, good disposition, ease of care and cute appearance.

History of the breed

Selection work on breeding the breed began in 1850. The inspiration for the new species was defective rabbits with drooping ears (pinna mutation). Someone Condenier crossed English rams (a breed of rabbits) and Rouen giant rabbits.

As a result of the work, the breeders managed to consolidate the desired properties, get animals with drooping long ears, a large body, and a delicate, strong skin. The rabbits had a friendly disposition, grew quickly, and reproduced regularly.

Due to the obvious advantages, the animals quickly spread throughout Europe, served as the basis for the selection of many lop-eared rabbit breeds in Germany, Holland. The French sheep received official recognition in 1922.

Characteristic and standard, features

The appearance of the French Sheep, according to breed standards, has the following characteristics:

• weight - 4-7 kilograms, large individuals reach 10 kilograms, males are slightly smaller than females;
• body - elongated, 60-70 centimeters;
• fur color - different is allowed, including a combination (2-3 colors);
• fur texture is soft and silky, pronounced dense undercoat;
• the shape of the head resembles a lamb - with a pronounced frontal bone and shortened hair, plump and overweight cheeks;
• famous ears grow up to 20-40 centimeters, fall a few centimeters below the rabbit's chin, width - 10-15 centimeters;
• hind legs are powerful and elongated, front legs are traditionally short;
• croup - wide, rounded.

Reference: the ears of rabbits fall off at the age of one and a half to two months, at birth the lop-earedness is invisible.

Breeders value sheep for their non-conflict nature, phlegm. Defects in the auricle make rabbits deaf, so they react little to noise, do not shake from extraneous sounds, and do not fuss for no reason.

To avoid problems with reproduction in this breed, you need to monitor the diet, as the French ram is prone to obesity, and this reduces the already low fertility. Rabbits of this breed become attached to their owners, love affection, appreciate the care and company of a person.

Pros and cons

The advantages of the breed include:

• fast weight gain, which characterizes the breed as highly productive, at the age of three months the rabbit can be slaughtered;
• quality fur in various colors;
• friendly disposition, non-aggressive nature;
• eat any food - do not require special diets.

Animals are loved for their funny appearance, pleasant to the touch skin, which you just want to stroke.

There are a lot of shortcomings in the breed:

• frequent illness due to low immunity;
• low fertility compared to other breeds, which is caused by a decrease in sexual functions due to high weight;
• increased area for content;
• special room insulation.

French sheep suffer from gluttony (especially babies), due to overeating and endocrine problems, they multiply even worse.

Breed types

After the appearance of the French ram, active selection of lop-eared rabbits began. Several breeds of sheep have been bred:

1. English. A short-haired type of rabbit with dense fur and elongated ears that prevent the animal from walking, lie on the ground.
2. Meissen. Weight - 3-5 kilograms, strongly pubescent ears. Cultivated in Germany, the number of representatives of the breed is constantly decreasing, the species is on the verge of extinction.
3. Dwarf. A group of ornamental species with drooping ears, beautiful fur, and a calm disposition. Weight - 1.5-2 kilograms.
4. Dutch. Small animals (1.2-1.8 kilograms) are bred as ornamentals.
5. German. Meat breed of rabbit weighing up to 9 kilograms.

The Velvet Fold is in its infancy, standards are still being formed.

How to properly maintain and care for

For a comfortable life, a sheep will need a larger cage than for ordinary rabbits. A large animal must have a place for free movement. The following cage sizes are recommended:

• 100х90 centimeters, height - 70-80 centimeters;
• for pregnant females - 120x90 centimeters, height - 80 centimeters.

If possible, it is better to keep animals in enclosures. Females and males are kept separately, settling together up to 3 individuals. Mesh cages should not be used as animals are prone to pododermitis.

Content recommendations:

1. The floor of the cage is made smooth (boards), with a slight slope.
2. Put rabbit houses in corners closed from drafts and direct sun.
3. The floor is lined with hay or sawdust.
4. Maintain temperature 18-23 °, humidity - 50-75%. Sheep are heat-loving animals, they put heaters in winter, preventing the air from dropping below 10 °.
5. Feeders and drinkers made of metal or other material that cannot be chewed are attached to the cage (to the wall). It is better to lift them above the floor so that the ears do not get dirty and wet.

Cages are regularly cleaned, bedding changed, old food and faeces removed. Once every few months, disinfection is carried out, thoroughly soaked with bleach, kept for several hours, then washed.

What to feed a French sheep

Chew French sheep can all the time until he sleeps. Feed should be dosed, given out 3 times a day, calculating portions. This breed quickly builds up body fat at the expense of muscle mass.

The diet includes:

• summer - dried grass for several hours (burdock, dandelion, clover, nettle);
• hay - without signs of rot, dry, from different herbs;
• cereals - mainly oats and wheat;
• vegetables - carrots, beets, cucumbers;
• fruits (apples, pears);
• melons;
• compound feed in winter.

Tomatoes, legumes, rhubarb should be excluded from the diet. In winter, hay and compound feed are supplemented with vegetables so that the sheep can crunch on juicy fruits. Twigs of trees, crackers help to satisfy the thirst for chewing.

The usefulness of the winter diet is supported by vitamin complexes with micro and macro elements. If there are no vegetables and fruits, premixes for rabbits can be added to the feed. Chalk and s alt are given in small quantities. Water rabbits with warm water, it is convenient to use nipple drinkers.

Features of breeding

Females reach puberty at 9 months, males at 5-6 months. For mating, the best representatives of the breed are chosen, trying to exclude close kinship. Rabbits must be he althy, meet standards, and not be overweight.

The female is provided with a spacious cage, enhanced nutrition during pregnancy and feeding. Gestation lasts about a month, 5-8 rabbits are born (rarely 10-12).

Female rams are famous for their developed maternal instinct, they take care of babies, do not eat, patiently feed everyone. The first birth is planned until the female is less than a year old, at the age of 3, mating is stopped due to possible complications.

Life expectancy for representatives of the breed reaches 10 years. At 3-4 months, sheep are slaughtered in rabbit farms, the meat is famous for its taste and dietary qualities, tender and juicy. The yield of meat products is up to 60% of the weight of the rabbit.

Diseases and prevention

The French ram does not differ in strong immunity. The most common he alth problems in rabbits of this breed include:

• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• infections;
• diseases of the soft parts of the paws - calluses, ulcers (pododermatitis);
• colds;
• ear injuries due to improperly organized space.

Vaccination (including against myxomatosis) carried out at the recommended time helps to avoid many infections. Timely replacement of bedding, maintaining heat and humidity in the premises will protect rabbits from infections and colds. The floor of the cage is made of smooth materials (do not use fleecy and mesh) to prevent pododermitis.

Important: rabbits begin to be vaccinated at the age of one and a half months, this ensures the full growth and development of young animals, weight gain, and maintains productivity.

Where to buy young rabbits of this breed?

Domestic rabbit breeders consider the high cost to be a disadvantage of the breed. The price of purebred young animals of European selection reaches several thousand rubles. You can buy a rabbit from simple manufacturers for 500-1000 rubles.

When buying, you need to focus on the reputation of the farm, check the genealogical data, compliance with breed standards, the availability of vaccinations. Purebred animals must have documents of origin.

Note that it is more profitable to breed other breeds of rabbits that are more productive than French sheep.

Rabbits are raised for their meat and skins, and many keep the animals as pets. The French Sheep is known for its accommodating nature, which is why it is great as a companion. Having mastered the rules of care and maintenance, you can breed the breed for commercial purposes and to obtain delicious homemade meat.

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