Silver rabbits are mostly popular in our country and in Ukraine. They are usually bred in personal homestead farms, and sometimes on fairly large fur farms. This breed belongs to meat-and-peel, differs in rather unusual appearance, very beautiful fur and unpretentiousness.
Selection history
The homeland of modern silver rabbit is considered the French province of Champagne. Animals of this unusual color were quite popular with European farmers in the century before last. A silver rabbit was introduced into our country in the 20s of the last century. As a result of the selection work carried out with him, a beautiful breed of deep silver color appeared, quickly gaining weight, precocious and prolific. It was registered in 1952. The breeding of a silver rabbit in the form as it exists today is entirely due to the Soviet breeders Kaplevsky.
general description
Perhaps the main advantage of animals such as silver rabbits is their skin in a very beautiful color. The rest of her hair is light, the guide is almost black, and the downs are light blue. The combination of all these shades gives a very pleasant to the eye color of old silver. This unusual color is evenly distributed throughout the rabbit's body. The ears, nose, tail and legs are slightly darker, but also silver.
The body of rabbits of this breed is proportional and harmonious, has a cylindrical shape. The chest is wide and deep, the back is straight, the sacral region is powerful and well developed. The length of the rabbit is a silver giant, which can reach 57 cm. The girth of the chest in the area of the shoulder blades in adults is about 36 cm. The weight of silver giants varies from 4.5 to 5.5 kg. Some individuals can reach 6.5 kg.
Rabbit breed silver: reviews
The advantages of this breed can be attributed, including. and very high meat yield during slaughter (60%). Also, these animals have earned good reviews due to their fertility. In the litter there are usually at least 6-8 rabbits. Among other things, silver rabbits are characterized by early maturity.
The meat of rabbits of this breed, judging by the reviews, has simply excellent taste. Skins taken from carcasses are very large. Their undoubted advantage is the fact that they absolutely do not require staining. In color, they, according to many fur farmers, strongly resemble Siberian squirrel fur. Of course, at the skins receiving points they are very willing to accept them and they are quite expensive.
In addition to good productivity, the silver rabbit is unpretentious. These animals are raised on a standard set of feed. But to look after them for some special technologies is not required.
Content Features
Since the silver rabbit in the process of breeding was well adapted to the cold climate of our country, these animals can be kept right on the street even in winter. Cells are installed in a place protected from the wind and scorching sunlight . Of course they should be quite spacious. So that the animal could easily stand on its hind legs or make at least one jump.
Also, the silver rabbit is well adapted for keeping in sheds. It is not recommended to breed these animals only in closed sheds. With this method of maintenance, their reproductive ability is significantly reduced and the quality of the skin is deteriorated. If desired, you can breed these animals in an aviary.
Silvery rabbits are not susceptible to cold, but the heat is not well tolerated. Therefore, special attention in the summertime should be given to the shading of cells.
Feeding
Food for these animals is best given on schedule. In this case, the silver rabbit is gaining weight much better. As for the diet itself, a standard is being developed for these animals. From roughage in the summer they give grass and branches, in winter - good hay and brooms. From concentrated - barley or oat crusher. From juicy - carrots, beets, sometimes zucchini, apples, cabbage, etc.
Breeding
A mating is carried out on the territory of the male. Less than a month later, rabbits appear. They weigh about 72-75 grams. Moms silver rabbits are very good - they feed the cubs well, watch and look after them. By 2 months, young animals are already gaining weight about 1.5-1.7 kg, by three - up to 3 kg, by four - up to 4 kg. Thus, at four months - this is a fully grown silver rabbit. Photos of these beautiful animals can be seen on the page.
A very interesting feature of this breed is that the little rabbits have a plain black color. After some time, the muzzle, paws and tail become silver. Completely this beautiful shade of animal skin acquires by the age of four months - after molting. The silver giant is a rabbit that develops in just this and no other way. Such a gradual color change is considered one of the main features of the breed.
Silver rabbits are milky and quite willingly accept other cubs. In the event of any threat, they aggressively defend their brood.
Helpful information
From a scientific point of view, silvering is caused by a defect in the dominant P gene. This interesting skin color arises precisely because of its mutation. In the rabbit hair follicle, pigments simply simply cease to form.
Unacceptable shortcomings of the breed include a light chest, a completely black head and a very different color for the undercoat. How exactly a real silver rabbit should look like, the photos presented on this page show clearly.