Meat rabbit feed

[minibackyardfarmer]

Grains are very healthy for rabbits. I am a bit wary of too much grain(it can lead to obesity, which can result in the death of the dam during kindling) but I do use oats. There is a noticeable difference between rabbits fed oats and rabbits not fed oats, and the difference is in the fur. Oats give the coat extra sheen, which helps with show rabbits.

My response is also to your first response to me.

what is a healthy percentage of a grain mix to rabbit pellets... or should I say ideally?

We plan on having them in a fenced in area on grass so they can self forage (which wire on the bottom so they can't dig out), i only planned on giving them grass clippings to help aid when the grass in their area is short enough that they can't really nibble at it through the fencing on the bottom, but the clippings would be right when we are actually mowing so fresh. It be a little extra work for me using our bagging push mower on the property but worth it as long as i dont get sick rabbits.

they would only get locked up in their ground level cages in that run area at night for other security.

So if the kits are naturally raised by the mom and she takes them out in the run area do you still have to worry about the grass eating?

 

[DutchBunny03]

A healthy pellet/grain ratio is 3:1. For example, 1 cup pellets and 1/3 cup oats. The grass would not be as big of a problem if the kits were introduced to it very slowly. You do not want them in the hutch eating nothing but pellets and hay one day, but eating tons of grass the next. Any sudden change like that in a rabbits diet can be fatal.

 

[minibackyardfarmer]

A healthy pellet/grain ratio is 3:1. For example, 1 cup pellets and 1/3 cup oats. The grass would not be as big of a problem if the kits were introduced to it very slowly. You do not want them in the hutch eating nothing but pellets and hay one day, but eating tons of grass the next. Any sudden change like that in a rabbits diet can be fatal.

Okay good to know...

My plan was to have the pellets and grain mix as source that is available if they want to eat it, but grass and timothy hay, alfalfa hay (or the cubes), and mineral/salt blocks always available from day one when we start the "colony setup"

I just need to find if maybe the feed store has timothy hay in a larger option, cuz ruralking only has the small option of a bale and in my opinion the price could be better lol.

Could you get away with getting the alfalfa squares/cubes that are also feed to horses, they are the same size of the rabbit ones, we can just get a bigger bag of those here?

My husband asked me if rabbits can have the allstock feed (it has molasis etc. in it that is able to be feed to sheep, goats, pretty much all livestock) as a treat with the sunflower seeds that we would use as a treat, since told they they could have those but not too much cuz it could cause them to put on too much fat.

 

[DutchBunny03]

I think the alfalfa cubes for horses would be fine for rabbits. I use horse feed hay for mine, because it is much cheaper than what my feed store has for rabbits. The rabbits eat it, and it hasn't caused any problems. I buy baled hay, so it is a little different, but the horse hay cubes should be fine. Rabbits don't need mineral or salt blocks. The pellets have salt and minerals in them. Be careful with mixing grains and pellets. Rabbits will pick out the grains, and leave the pellets in the feeder, when what they really need is in the pellets. Allstock feed should not be given to the rabbits for a normal feed, but is great for treats.

 

[minibackyardfarmer]

I think the alfalfa cubes for horses would be fine for rabbits. I use horse feed hay for mine, because it is much cheaper than what my feed store has for rabbits. The rabbits eat it, and it hasn't caused any problems. I buy baled hay, so it is a little different, but the horse hay cubes should be fine. Rabbits don't need mineral or salt blocks. The pellets have salt and minerals in them. Be careful with mixing grains and pellets. Rabbits will pick out the grains, and leave the pellets in the feeder, when what they really need is in the pellets. Allstock feed should not be given to the rabbits for a normal feed, but is great for treats.

Thanks for the info.

its funny how the horse stuff that looks exactly the same as the rabbit equivalent is cheaper, youd think it be the other way around.

My father and law supplies us in hay, we usually use it as bedding for the chickens but will nave a new use for it too.

I figured a feeder for the pellets and either in the morning we'd give them their scoop of mixed grains out in one of those rubber bowls usually used for horses (the smaller ones), where any of their treats would go. Id do it on my 4am animal check (its when the hubby gets up for work, not my actual choice of getting up id prefer 530 lol) this way its there when I then go out and open up their ground hutches.

Now the timothy hay and the alfalfa cubes would be there for them any time. My next step is finding a good deal on timothy hay then hopefully what I have seen or figure out how to grow it ourselves to supplement with what we can get at the store.

 

[minibackyardfarmer]

I think the alfalfa cubes for horses would be fine for rabbits. I use horse feed hay for mine, because it is much cheaper than what my feed store has for rabbits. The rabbits eat it, and it hasn't caused any problems. I buy baled hay, so it is a little different, but the horse hay cubes should be fine. Rabbits don't need mineral or salt blocks. The pellets have salt and minerals in them. Be careful with mixing grains and pellets. Rabbits will pick out the grains, and leave the pellets in the feeder, when what they really need is in the pellets. Allstock feed should not be given to the rabbits for a normal feed, but is great for treats.

oh and the only reason i said something about the mineral and salt wheels is because I use to do minilops for 4h and thats what we were taught to do or at least I was told to do as a kid. but good to know not so much needed.

With chewing are those painted blocks in the rabbit isle a good thing or could we put in branches for them to chew on if they wanted to?

 

[DutchBunny03]

There has been alot of progress in rabbit raising has happened in the last couple decades, so salt and mineral wheels may very well have been needed when you were a kid. The painted blocks and branches are both ok, but rabbits prefer tree branches. I have both, and my rabbits devour the branches, but barely touch the blocks. You may want to google trees safe for rabbit food to find good trees for your rabbits in your area.

 

[minibackyardfarmer]

There has been alot of progress in rabbit raising has happened in the last couple decades, so salt and mineral wheels may very well have been needed when you were a kid. The painted blocks and branches are both ok, but rabbits prefer tree branches. I have both, and my rabbits devour the branches, but barely touch the blocks. You may want to google trees safe for rabbit food to find good trees for your rabbits in your area.

Thanks I never thought about looking up trees safe for rabbits. I guess I just thought it wouldn't matter.

Is it easier to look up things safe for rabbits, then looking up things unsafe for rabbits?

 

[Bossroo]

Food for thought. When one considers that millions of rabbits for University research as well as commercial operations feed hard 100% alfalfa rabbit pellets without any other supplements or treats and that they are healthy says something regarding what the pet owners are doing and the advise that they are giving to others.

 

[minibackyardfarmer]

Food for thought. When one considers that millions of rabbits for University research as well as commercial operations feed hard 100% alfalfa rabbit pellets without any other supplements or treats and that they are healthy says something regarding what the pet owners are doing and the advise that they are giving to others.

I get where you are coming from and the point trying to be made.

But there are more factors involved here then just feed and what those type of things say.

A university and commercial operations individually have their own agenda for the rabbits so how they go about it, "they" will produce a "healthy" rabbit to those standards

A personal rabbit setup is no different. There is an agenda here. 1. either for pets and or selling to say 4h for show or 2. for meat rabbits and or selling live rabbits again as an ex. to 4hers as meat rabbit ... So each agenda will have a different derived standard to what is classified a "healthy" rabbit.

No two agendas will have the exact same standards that says yes the rabbit is "healthy".

So by using your example. Let's say a University stats that an all alfalfa pellet no treats or other supplements produces a "healthy" rabbit.

1. what were their purpose for those rabbits
2. how were the rabbits house
3. what was the over all agenda for coming to this conclusion and decided what made the rabbits "healthy"

These studies and the answers to those questions may only work for those that want rabbits as pets, but not produce a very "healthy" rabbit for those that want it as meat.

Now the commercial part is no different same questions. You will come to the same conclusion, but with a twist.
The commercial standards may not be the "healthy" best for pet rabbits, but okay for general "health" meat rabbits, and only excellent "healthy" rabbits for those that are culling rabbits heavily through high rate production for meat.

There are so many factors in play with all these "studies" and "proofs" that ideally you can't say that they are greater information above others.

Me personally I have found that it is better to ask someone first hand that has a similar agenda to the purpose of the animal as you. You can then combine that with other information that you can pull from those "studies" and other places on the internet to setup a system, in this case for rabbits, that works for you and will allow you to adjust as needed so that you get the end result wanted with the agenda you have for the animal.