Rabbit breeding is a promising area of modern agriculture. Breeding furry animals is very profitable both on a large-scale production scale and for a small farm. Burgundy rabbit is large in size and excellent fecundity. For this reason, this breed began to gain popularity every year. Today we will talk about the features of breeding these rabbits, so that the owner can decide whether they are suitable for his compound.
Origin of breed
Burgundy rabbit is the result of a long selection. Their homeland is France. This breed is the result of breeding several breeds. This happened back in 1914 and since then these animals have been used with great success in agriculture. For the most part, the Burgundy rabbit owes its popularity to a strong immune system and unpretentiousness. They are considered the best meat breed in Europe. A distinctive feature of these rabbits is the unusual color of the fur.
Breed description
In principle, physically, the Burgundy rabbit is very similar to dozens of other breeds. Animals weigh about five kilograms, have a slightly elongated body. Their ears are of medium length. However, only by catching a glimpse of a representative of this breed, you will immediately understand its generic affiliation. The color of the fur is his calling card. Similar to the fox, the reddish-red fur gives the rabbit a bright and unusual look. Color is evenly distributed throughout the body of the animal.
Burgundy rabbit has a strong constitution, a compact body in the form of a bar. The muscles, like all representatives of this family, are developed on the sacrum and lower back, as well as on the hind legs.
Breed direction
Rabbits of the Burgundy breed are universal. Young animals grow very intensively, that is, gain weight early. Females are prolific, at one time bring up to 12 rabbits. Usually, the female has enough milk to feed the entire offspring. After two weeks, the offspring begins to leave their nest and examine the territory, and soon they will take food on their own. The fur is good, thick, can be used to make outerwear. Good pubescence of the paws allows you to keep this breed in cages with a mesh floor.
Feeding
Burgundy rabbits are unpretentious in care and in food. Their diet is no different from what others give. This is hay and grass, various vegetables and twigs. They feed cabbage and carrots, turnips and radishes to animals. However, one must be careful with cabbage; animals have a strong bloat from it. In winter, it is possible to use dry food, pellets, grains and animal feed. But there are certain requirements for the conditions of detention. The fact is that fluffy animals tolerate dampness and drafts extremely poorly, you need to closely monitor this.
Judging by the reviews, with an abundance of feed and a choice, these animals very quickly become picky and finicky. However, getting used to your pets, you will learn to cater to them in terms of nutrition. The experience of most farmers suggests that rabbits in the summer eat slightly dried grass better than raw grass. With pleasure they will gnaw boiled carrots and potatoes, swede and beets. In winter, do not forget to give hay and tree branches. If rabbits are raised mainly for meat, then the whole year in the diet should be beans and peas, soybeans, corn. All these are irreplaceable sources of protein. Perfectly increases mass and ground grain. But vitamin and mineral supplements, this is exactly what you can save on.
We get breeding rabbits
Today in Russia there are very few farms where a purebred Burgundy rabbit is offered for sale. A description of the animals is given, now a little about the complexity of the choice. If you are breeding fur-bearing pets and are interested in new products, then surely a Burgundy rabbit will fall into your field of vision sooner or later. Reviews primarily note their high fertility and good immunity, which is attractive to the breeder. But it is not recommended to buy animals in the market: instead of pure-bred animals, you can sell a cross, or even worse, sick animals. Better come directly to the breeder in the breeding farm. Here you can inspect the place where the rabbits are kept, see their parents, ask questions about keeping and feeding.
Breeding
This question is of interest to every farmer, and rabbits of the Burgundian breed show themselves especially well in this sense. Reviews say that high fecundity is its biggest plus. Pregnancy lasts only 1 month, after which up to 12 babies are born. After a short break, the female is again ready for mating. Thus, only one female per year can get 250 kg of rabbit meat for sale.
The females of this breed are very good mothers, but sometimes it happens that they gnaw their offspring. Most often this happens because the owner forgot to leave them clean water. Immediately after lambing, the rabbit closes its offspring with its own down. It is undesirable to open it, because the kids are still like blind rat pups. However, after a few weeks they become beautiful little bunnies. Offspring need to be jailed 10 days before the next birth. By this time, they no longer need maternal care. You should have enough cells. Males need to be kept one at a time, in females 2-3 in one cage. At about 7-8 months they reach maximum weight. Now they can be killed or left on the tribe at your discretion.
Productivity
Despite the fact that this is a universal breed, the main direction is meat. The meat of these rabbits has an excellent taste and does not smell of grass, for which it is very much appreciated in the market. As for the fur - for a long time it was generally accepted that it was of rather poor quality. The fact is that its density is not the highest. However, demand for it is only growing all the time. First of all, thanks to a dazzling, bright red color. And if you consider that there are relatively few farms in which rabbits of this breed are bred, then you can definitely sell your goods.
Memo to the breeder
Despite the unpretentiousness, these animals very poorly tolerate direct sunlight. Prolonged exposure to the sun often leads to heat stroke, so keep an eye on the placement of cells. A place for walking should be carefully shaded. It is best to provide conditions of 10-20 degrees of heat and humidity of 60-70%. If you buy animals from breeders, then you should immediately receive a registration card in your hands, which shows the date of birth and all the vaccines that they received. Judging by the reviews, if for the winter they are transferred to a warm room, then the animals can breed all year. For a year, one female can bring up to 50 rabbits, which makes breeding quite profitable.