How to Produce a Successful Rabbit Feeding Program

A successful rabbit feeding program will not only help you have healthier rabbits overall, it will also help you cut costs. Lower feed costs result in higher net profits, and higher quality feed will result in higher quality rabbits that can sell for more. Rabbits have sensitive stomachs, so feeding them properly is also important to keeping them healthy.

The most important staple of a rabbit’s diet is hay. They must be administered freely and in large quantities. Your breeding cattle that are over 6 months old will need timothy hay, which will prevent them from getting too fat as it is low in calories. Your younger rabbits that are being raised as broilers need alfalfa, which has a higher amount of calories that will help them gain weight, and more calcium that will help their bones keep up with their growing bodies.

A good supplement to the hay is commercial pellets, which should also be given to all rabbits. With your breeding stock, you can feed 1/8 cup per day for every 5 pounds (2.2 kilograms) of weight. Your younger rabbits are free to feed in feeders. The most expensive part of feeding your rabbits will be purchasing pellets, so you can add fresh greens and more hay to their diet to reduce the amount of pellets used.

Fresh vegetables are not only an important part of a healthy rabbit diet, but are also good for reducing overall feed cost if you have a garden or garden area where you can weed and grow vegetables. You can also use vegetable scraps from your kitchen. No matter where you get your fresh vegetables, be sure to wash them well to avoid pesticides or chemical fertilizers.

Some examples of good leafy vegetables to feed your rabbits are cilantro, celery, raspberry leaves, radish leaves, and clover leaves and sprouts. These vegetables are excellent for providing vitamin A: romaine lettuce, kale, carrot tops, carrots, dandelion flowers and tops, broccoli, parsley, beet tops, and kale. Small amounts of fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, peaches, oranges, or apples may be given, but never more than twice a week.

Water is another important aspect to keep rabbits healthy. They must have constant access to clean, fresh water. If the water in your area contains a lot of minerals, you may need to first distill or purify it first. The same goes for people who have water that contains a lot of added chemicals. Although it goes without saying, human treats should never be part of a rabbit’s diet, as they can be dangerous for rabbits.