# Meat rabbit fattening



## chickens454 (Apr 14, 2019)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ten-meat-rabbits.1302985/page-2#post-21229087

Any one know of the beef maker there talking about?

I'm feeding alfalfa hay, pellets and sunflower seeds and I'll be getting oats along with occasional fresh carrots, cabbage and celery.

Also any other things to help fatten please list.


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## GypsyG (Apr 15, 2019)

You have to be careful feeding too many sunflower seeds or oats during the summer because they will make it harder for your rabbits to handle the heat and it will delay them putting on their winter coat when they need it.  Cabbage can give a rabbit bloat, and too much alfalfa can cause bladder sludge.  The best solution to fast growing rabbits is good genetics.

Here is what I feed-

Bucks- 17% protein pellets, barley grass fodder, seasonal weeds and twigs, Timothy or teff hay.  Occasional carrot sticks or apple slices for treats

Breeding does - 18% protein pellets, barley grass fodder, seasonal weeds and twigs, and Timothy or teff hay all the time.  Apples or carrots for treats.  When nursing they also get a small amount of steam crimped oats with molasses and alfalfa cubes.  During the winter I add just a few sunflower seeds.  

Juniors - 17% pellets, barley grass fodder, seasonal weeds and twigs. Apples and carrots for treats.  

Weanlings and fryers - 17% pellets, barley grass fodder, grass and weeds in the rabbit tractor, teff or Timothy, and alfalfa cubes.  They get oats for the first week after weaning.

My rabbits always have pellets available, but when provided with enough hay, fodder and weeds, they don't eat very many pellets

Everyone does it differently, this is just how I do it.  I have selected for good growth rates.  I have more trouble keeping my rabbits from getting overweight than I do getting them to gain weight.


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## Bunnylady (Apr 15, 2019)

I wouldn't worry about the Beefmaker. That is cattle feed, and the only feed I can find by that trademarked name is a "textured" cattle feed - which means whole grains and pellets with a molasses binder. Rabbits don't handle sugar well; seems to me that anyone feeding that stuff to rabbits is asking for problems.


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## AmberLops (Apr 15, 2019)

I know oats are a good thing for weight gain...be careful with the sunflower seeds though.
You can skip the sunflower and maybe give them Wheat germ oil on their feed instead. It's much better for them and helps with their skin/coat as well as weight.


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## chickens454 (Apr 15, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> I know oats are a good thing for weight gain...be careful with the sunflower seeds though.
> You can skip the sunflower and maybe give them Wheat germ oil on their feed instead. It's much better for them and helps with their skin/coat as well as weight.



Where would I find that and dosage?


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## AmberLops (Apr 15, 2019)

chickens454 said:


> Where would I find that and dosage?


You can get it on amazon, ebay or at most feed stores.
Give 1/2 teaspoon per 10lbs of body weight.

Here's a link to one made just for rabbits
https://www.kwcages.com/wheat-germ-oil.html

This one is for horses but it's safe for rabbits also
https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail... Coat (SC00) v2 PLA&utm_term=4584963488293522


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## chickens454 (Apr 15, 2019)

And I just put it on there feed?


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## AmberLops (Apr 15, 2019)

chickens454 said:


> And I just put it on there feed?


Yep, you can mix it with pellets or oats


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## chickens454 (Apr 15, 2019)

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/select-the-best-wheat-germ-oil-plus-1-gal?cm_vc=-10005

This work?


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## animalmom (Apr 15, 2019)

I buy my wheat germ oil here: https://www.scahealth.com/scah/product/ultracruz-wheat-germ-oil-blend-horse-supplement

The per gallon price is less than Tractor Supply, and if you buy 4 at a time it is even less expensive.  If you find other items to buy you get free shipping with orders $75+.  They ship Fed Ex to me and the turn around is usually very fast.

I've been feeding this to my goats and dogs for a couple years now and they seem to like it.

For rabbits you don't need much per animal.


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## AmberLops (Apr 15, 2019)

chickens454 said:


> https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/select-the-best-wheat-germ-oil-plus-1-gal?cm_vc=-10005
> 
> This work?


That would work...it is fortified with other vitamins so you'd have to adjust it accordingly to avoid an OD on vitamins which could be dangerous in rabbits...
Are you feeding a fortified pellet feed also?
If you only feed hay and leafy greens then you shouldn't have any problems with this oil.


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## chickens454 (Apr 15, 2019)

I feed pellets and hay


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## AmberLops (Apr 15, 2019)

I would get one that is not fortified with vitamins then. Just 100% wheatgerm oil


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## Ridgetop (Apr 17, 2019)

GypsyG said:


> You have to be careful feeding too many sunflower seeds or oats during the summer because they will make it harder for your rabbits to handle the heat and it will delay them putting on their winter coat when they need it.  Cabbage can give a rabbit bloat, and too much alfalfa can cause bladder sludge.
> 
> I wouldn't feed Beefmaker cattle feed to rabbits.  Although it is probably mostly grains and alfalfa in pelleted form, it is formulated for cattle not rabbits.  Rabbits are a different type of ruminant, they are copraphagous.  Instead of several stomachs, they eat their 1st soft poop and redigest it to get all the nourishment out of it.   Feeds designed and processed for ruminants are expensive and a waste of money for rabbits since they will not get the benefits they need from that feed.  Also, often cattle and horse feeds are sweetened with molasses to make them palatable.  Rabbits don't need the  sugar or iron in molasses.
> 
> ...


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