Rabbit Strokach: breed description and characteristics, breeding rules

Rabbits of the Strokach breed were first bred in Germany. Their meat is a valuable and nutritious product. Rabbits are large in size and spotted in color. Care and breeding of the breed for commercial purposes requires special knowledge and experience. In general, the breed is unpretentious. Strokes are friendly in nature, reminiscent of a panda in color, so they are kept as pets.

History of occurrence

The Stroke Rabbit is also known as the German Giant. Work on the breeding of the breed began in the 18th century. The progenitors of giant rabbits are Belgian large flandres and English spotted ones.From them, the stringers inherited heaviness and variegated color. In subsequent generations, the best qualities of the progenitors intensified. Singers were recognized as a separate breed of rabbits at the beginning of the 20th century.

Description and characteristics of the rabbit string

External features of the breed:

body length - 70 centimeters;
erect ears - 16 centimeters long;
body elongated;
croup rounded;
weight - 5-11 kilograms;
main coat color is white;
line on the back, spots - blue, black and gray;
eyes shiny, brown;
black nose;
neck is short, blends smoothly into chest;
wool is dense, thick, 3 centimeters long.

Male German giants have a round head. Females are smaller, have a fat dewlap and an oval head shape.

A distinctive feature of German giants is dark ears, from which a strip up to 3 centimeters wide stretches along the spine and ends with a spot on the tail.

The spots are also located on the sides, paws, eyes. On the sides there are 8-10 marks with clear contours. The nose is covered with a pattern resembling the wings of a butterfly. Marriage is considered a color deviation from the three standard colors.

German rabbits reach their maximum weight by 8 months. Light but strong bones make up a small part of the volume. 55-60% of the carcass weight goes to meat products. Strokachi are able to breed from 4 months. From 7 to 10 rabbits are born in one offspring.

Pros and cons

Rabbit farms for breeding strings are located in Europe. Domestic breeders are also interested in German giants. The high quality of the product increases the demand from buyers.

Positive qualities of the breed:

fertility;
soft meat;
undemanding to feed;
high offspring survival;
attractive skin color.

Stringer fur is also popular and highly valued. There are no negative aspects of breeding German giants. Diseases and low reproduction occur under adverse conditions.

Care and maintenance

Requirements for an aviary for a string rabbit:

wooden floor from slats or solid board;
space for a standard individual - 100x75x50 centimeters;
cage dimensions for breeding males and females with offspring - 160x100x60 centimeters;
bunker feeders;
summer bedding - sawdust;
winter bedding - hay.

German giants have sensitive skin prone to pododermatitis. The disease affects the paws of heavy rabbits living in metal cages at high temperature and humidity.

Strokachi tolerate cold well. But in the room for permanent maintenance it is necessary to carry out heating and ventilation. In summer, enclosures can be set up in the open air, rabbits can be let out for a walk in a fenced shaded paddock. Due to the large weight, they move little. To protect the stringers from the sun, drafts and precipitation, a canopy should be placed over the paddock for walking.

When kept indoors, bright lighting should be installed. In the dark, the activity of animals decreases. Special feeders contribute to the rapid increase in the weight of stringers. When food is always available, rabbits eat up to 10 times a day.Young purchased rabbits are placed in a separate enclosure. They must endure a 2-week quarantine. If the animals are he althy, they are planted with other rabbits.

Cubs are vaccinated at the age of 1.5 months, and then re-vaccinated every six months. 2 months before slaughter, the animals are no longer vaccinated.

German giants weigh 4-5 kilograms by 5 months, and reach 6-10 kilograms at 8 months. Especially large individuals gain 11 kilograms. Eight-month-old rabbits are sent for slaughter. If you feed them further, the weight will increase. But the meat will become tough.

Feeding Features

The rate of weight gain depends on nutrition. Rabbits on a balanced feed gain 1.5 kilograms per month. Strokachs are suitable for the traditional diet of rabbits. They digest dry feed well. Individuals intended for slaughter, pregnant females and after okrol give the maximum amount of food. Due to a lack of nutrients, rabbits lose milk.

Feeding females, which are used in breeding, consists of hay and grass. They can eat plant foods around the clock. Cereals and concentrates in large quantities lead to obesity and infertility. They are given 1-2 times a day. They also feed the breeding males in portions.

The diet of stringers consists of green, roughage and vegetables. The summer diet of German giants consists of dandelions, clover, sage, tansy and alfalfa. In winter, fresh grasses are replaced with straw. The rabbits diet also includes green twigs of fruit and coniferous trees.

Roughage includes:

cereals;
beans;
corn;
bran;
silo.

Rabbits are fed raw and boiled root vegetables, fruits. In small quantities they give cabbage, beets, green salad. These vegetables cause indigestion in stringers.

How to properly breed rabbits

Farms contain 2-3 male sires. Fertile males of the stringer breed fertilize 15 females. Strokachi differ from other breeds by rapid puberty. Females are ready for mating from 4.5 months. But breeders are waiting for another 1-2 months. With early mating, weak offspring are born. Sexual maturity of males occurs at 6 months. The best season for mating is spring and summer. In the warm season, animals can be fed with fresh herbs rich in natural vitamins.

A purebred pair is chosen for breeding, so that the rabbits inherit a specific color and genotype. Parents with color defects produce the same offspring. Mating of a purebred male and a non-purebred female is allowed. In this case, some of the babies will retain the signs of a pure breed.

Breeding

Pregnancy of rabbits lasts 1 month.On day 24, they are placed in a separate cage equipped with a queen cell to accommodate the rabbits. Females are fed individually. To produce milk, they are given more water. In a common cage, rabbits will not be able to get enough fluid. If the female has little milk, she will not be able to feed the cubs and will kill them.

Separate space is also necessary for rabbits in order to prepare a nest for babies. If the female pulls out the fur on her chest, this is a sign of the approach of the birth. She insulates the cage with wool, and a week later the rabbits appear.

After birth, the cubs stay with their mother for 3 months. Two-week-old rabbits leave the mother liquor at night. Females always take care of offspring. Rabbits receive immunity with mother's milk. At the beginning of the second month of life, they are fed with herbs, vegetables and cereals. After the end of feeding, babies are left with their mother for another 2 weeks and transferred to an adult diet.

The main mistake when breeding strings is the early separation of rabbits from their mother. The rabbits, which are early transplanted, lose their appetite and die.

How to choose a Strokach rabbit and how much it costs

German giant rabbits are chosen for breeding or meat production. At the same time, pay attention to the color of the spots and the line on the back.

Signs of marriage - a broken stripe and non-standard colors. Deviations in color mean that individuals are not suitable for breeding. The weight gain and quality of meat in defective rabbits does not decrease.

Signs of purebred strings:

bright markings and stripe with clear boundaries;
pure white with grey, black markings;
weight 5-10 kilograms;
calm character.

When buying, you need to observe the behavior of animals. Aggressive rabbits should not be taken, as this is a sign of admixture in the breed.

Singers are sold by private breeders. The cost of rabbits varies from 300 to 750 rubles. For adult males and females, they ask 850 to 2500 rubles. For a low price they give mestizos. Before buying, you need to clarify whether the breed of rabbits is pure.