Giant rabbits are bred on farms to obtain primarily skins and meat. Their maintenance is considered a very profitable business. And, of course, there are many breeds of such animals. Very popular with farmers, for example, white and gray giants, flanders, rizena. But the largest breed of rabbits to date is the Belgian ober. In terms of growth and weight gain, these animals surpass even the very popular German rizens among farmers. And, of course, ober rabbits have recently begun to gain great popularity, including among Russian owners of farmsteads.
Breed description
Body masses of male ober can reach 9-12 kg. Rabbits of this breed weigh a little less - about 8-10 kg. The body length of the ober usually reaches 75-90 cm. Also, the features of this breed are:
powerful chest;
strong paws;
straight straight back;
big wide ears.
Photos of rabbits obers presented on the page. As you can see, the appearance of these animals actually have an impressive. The chest circumference of these rabbits alone is about 45 cm. The color of the hair of representatives of this breed is usually gray. Also, standards are allowed black, steel, blue, chinchilla, white.
Breed benefits
The pluses of rabbits of ober, in addition to a quick set of muscle mass, include high fertility. The uterus of this breed at one time is able to bear up to 8-12 cubs. For a year, thus, from only one female ober, offspring for 40 kg of meat can be obtained.
Skins of animals of this breed are considered very high quality. The fur of the ober rabbits is not too long, but very thick. In addition, the skins of such animals are very large. Accordingly, it is very easy to sew all kinds of clothes or, for example, caps from them.
Another undoubted advantage of this breed is early maturity. Unlike the same rizena, offspring from which you can get no earlier than 9 months old, ober rabbits are allowed to mate as early as 4-5 months. At that, young animals of this breed reach slaughter weight by 3-4 months.
Cons Ober
The disadvantage of the breed is primarily a weak stomach. Feed for these animals should be selected very carefully. This is especially true for rabbits under the age of 3 months. Unfortunately, the lunge in the herd of oberae with improper feeding can be very large.
The description of the ober rabbits was given above in full detail. The animals are actually very large. Therefore, when organizing a farm specializing in their breeding, the farmer will have to bear high costs. These rabbits are kept in dimensional cages: a length of at least a meter, and a width and height of 70 cm.
How to feed
The economic characteristics of the ober rabbits, therefore, are simply excellent. But in order for such animals to show their best qualities during breeding, they, of course, must first be properly fed.
The main types of food for overs, as well as for rabbits of any other breed, are grass and hay. But of course, other types of feed should also be included in the diet of this breed. On one grass, the weight of the ober will not gain particularly quickly. In addition, the meat they have in this case will not be too tasty.
In addition to grass, rabbits should receive:
concentrates - compound feed or crushed barley;
juicy feed - carrots, zucchini, cabbage, beets, boiled potatoes;
tree branches - willow, birch, elm, etc.
Without fail, a little chalk is included in the diet of such rabbits. Oberas can also be given dried black bread and bran. The last type of food for rabbits of this breed, like any other, is recommended to be moistened before feeding. Otherwise, bran will clog the animals' throat and nose.
What can not be given
Of course, in no case should rabbits of this breed be offered stale, moldy, rotten food. Also, herbs that can have a negative effect on their stomach should be excluded from the diet of these animals. These may include, for example, nightshade, euphorbia, celandine.
It is undesirable to give these animals too much cabbage and beets. White bread ober can be offered exclusively in a well-dried form and in very small quantities. Rabbits are very fond of such food, but it should not become the main food for them. Offering white bread to the ober is allowed only as a treat to pamper the animals.
Features of rabbit breeding
Belgian oberians are allowed to mate, as already mentioned, at 4-5 months. At the same time, females weighing 2.5 kg or more are selected as producers. To overexposure rabbits of this breed and bring them to males too late is not recommended. In this case, the breeder can gobble up and subsequently will not bring a large number of healthy rabbits.
As with any other breed, cubs are born blind and naked. Newborn rabbits weigh about 45-80 grams. Subsequently, the cubs of this breed begin to intensively develop. By the month they weigh already 450-850 g. At this time, babies are even allowed to be separated from the uterus.
Ober rabbits begin to emerge from the nest of rabbits at the age of about 2-3 weeks. At this time, they begin to sample food from the mother's feeder. The stomachs of rabbits of this breed, as already mentioned, are very weak. Therefore, the choice of food for the uterus at this time should be approached as carefully as possible. Beets, which are known to be strong laxatives, from the diet of a rabbit at this time, for example, it is desirable to exclude. Also, do not put too many cabbage leaves in the uterus feeder at this moment.
Baby rabbits left from their mother in the future should be introduced into the diet gradually. Otherwise, their stomachs will certainly hurt, which can even lead to death.
Males
Experienced farmers recommend keeping at least 1 rabbit per 5 queens on the farm. Since oberas are large in size and have excellent economic characteristics, they are often used to cover not only females of the same breed, but also other smaller ones. In this case, no more than 5 queens should also fall on one male. Otherwise, its quality as a manufacturer will quickly deteriorate.
The male in order for his offspring to be strong and healthy, you need to feed very well. In any case, the producer must concentrate concentrates in sufficiently large quantities. It is highly discouraged to admit closely related crosses of breeding rabbits of ober to the farm. When choosing queen bees from their own herd after its increase, the rabbits that are their fathers, of course, need to be changed. Closely related crosses in this breed become the cause of the birth of sick cubs with abnormalities.
When slaughter
Rabbits of this breed are grown, as already mentioned, until the age of 4-5 months. It is not recommended to keep young oberovs on the farm longer. After 5 months, representatives of this breed dramatically reduce weight gain. They begin to consume more feed. In addition, meat in rabbits older than 5 months becomes tough and not too tasty.
Some useful tips
The main losses of farm owners involved in breeding of ober rabbits are incurred as a result of the death associated with gastrointestinal problems. In order for the animals of this breed to always be healthy, you need to try to make sure that there is always hay in their feeders (in the summer, grass is dried for 1-2 days). Such food on the stomach of rabbits, including ober, affects very beneficially.
Cages for rabbits, and especially if they are large, are today, unfortunately, quite expensive. To reduce the cost of organizing a farm, for overs, you can equip a conventional aviary. You can make it, for example, using a bar and a mesh-netting. In such an enclosure, among other things, it will be necessary to provide compartments by age groups, as well as compartments for manufacturers.