Rabbit farming is a traditional industry in China. Rabbits, being herbivores, with low-cost feed, short breeding cycles, and quick returns, are favored by breeders. As summer approaches, it's crucial to enhance rabbit husbandry to ensure their safety during the hot season. Here are key points to consider for summer rabbit farming:
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Heat Prevention and Cooling: High summer temperatures can cause heatstroke in rabbits, so preventing heat and cooling measures are essential. Methods include providing shade, ensuring ventilation, and sprinkling water for cooling. Additionally, trimming the fur of rabbits in summer aids heat dissipation.
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Density Reduction: The density of young rabbits in summer should be halved. When group-rearing, they should be divided into smaller groups to prevent overcrowding and overheating. When caged, reduce the number of rabbits per cage, generally 3-5 young rabbits per cage and one adult rabbit per cage.
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Water and Feed: Offer clean, fresh drinking water with additives like salt, vinegar, or mint. Feeding should occur during cooler times, with grass available overnight. Increase the provision of green feed and protein content in the diet.
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Cleaning of Rabbit Hutches: Remove feces and dirt from rabbit hutches daily, maintain quiet and well-ventilated conditions, regularly clean water troughs, and disinfect properly.
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Care for Newborn Rabbits: Newborn rabbits have weak resistance and should consume colostrum early. Check within 6 hours of birth if they have consumed colostrum. Those who have will have round bellies, milky-white stomachs, and be quiet and still.
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Breeding Control: High summer temperatures reduce rabbit food intake, weaken their health, affecting the quality of semen in males and increasing the risk of miscarriage in females. It's advisable to suspend breeding to prevent weak and low survival rate offspring.
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Disease Prevention and Treatment: Common summer rabbit diseases include gastrointestinal infections, coccidiosis, mange, and heatstroke. Vaccination, providing comfortable housing, preventive medication in feed, exercise, and improving physical fitness can effectively reduce the incidence of diseases.
In summary, summer rabbit farming requires attention to various aspects, especially the care of pregnant does and newborn kits, to ensure their health and safety.
