How to Raise Belgian Rabbits

2022-09-21

The Belgian rabbit is native to Belgium and is a well-known breed of meat rabbits. They don't look flattering on the outside, but they have a high meat yield and are raised more in rural areas.

In Belgium, the price of high-quality rabbit skins is almost the same as that of meat. Rabbit meat accounts for the vast majority of Belgians' total consumption. In addition to domestic consumption, rabbit meat is also exported to the UK. Belgian rabbits are exported to the UK every year 6,000 tons of rabbit meat, almost half of the current total.

Morphological characteristics of Belgian rabbits

Belgian rabbits are meat rabbit breeds, so they will be larger than ordinary domestic rabbits, especially adult Belgian rabbits, which can weigh 7~8kg. Belgian rabbits eat a lot and are not suitable for family breeding. Many Belgian rabbits are raised in rural areas as economic animals.

Belgian rabbits have tawny or sorrel fur with black tips, gray belly, irregular white circles around the eyes, and shiny black burrs on the tips of the ears. The eyes are black, the ears are large and erect, slightly inclined to the sides, the cheeks are prominent, the forehead is broad and round, and the nasal bone is raised, similar to the head of a horse, commonly known as "horse rabbit".

Belgian rabbits are similar in appearance to hares, dark red, tawny or flaxen in coat, large in size and long in limbs. The eyes are dark brown, and the ears are long and erect with shiny black burrs. The inside of the tail is black and the coat is tough.

Belgian rabbits have broad, erect ears that slope slightly to the sides. The head is thick, the cheeks are prominent, the forehead is broad and round, and the bridge of the nose is raised. Long body, stout limbs, well-developed hindquarters. This is the characteristic of rabbit meat.

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Belgian rabbit breeding knowledge

Belgian Rabbit is a large breed of meat rabbit, which has the characteristics of large size, fast growth, rough food resistance, wide adaptability and strong disease resistance. Young rabbits are 6 weeks old and weigh 1.2-1.3 kg; 3 months old, weighing 2.8-3.2 kg. Adult weight: 5.5~6.0 kg for male rabbits, 6.0~6.5 kg for female rabbits, maximum 7~9 kg. The ability to tolerate rough feeding is higher than other varieties, and it is suitable for extensive feeding by farmers. it is produced every year 4 to 5 litters, with an average of 7 to 8 litters. Lactation is high, and young rabbits develop rapidly.

The main disadvantages of this kind of rabbit are: foot dermatitis is prone to occur under cage conditions, the incidence of tinea pedis is high, the number of litter is different, the size of the litter is uneven, and the coat color is genetically unstable.

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Belgian rabbit breeding points

1. Rabbit food should be grass

For herbivorous Belgian rabbits, pasture is an indispensable food for Belgian rabbits. It is high in crude fiber, protein and amino acids, making it an excellent food for Belgian rabbits. The rich crude fiber in the forage can not only help the Belgian rabbit's huge and long digestive tract to move, but also effectively avoid the occurrence of digestive tract diseases. It can also grind teeth. Because Belgian rabbits have teeth that continue to grow throughout their lives, teeth grinding is very important for Belgian rabbits.

2. Rabbits can be fed some concentrated food

Provided in an appropriate amount, it can balance the nutrition of Belgian rabbits, supplement daily energy, protein, fat, minerals, amino acids, etc., and has a certain teeth grinding effect. Excessive consumption can easily lead to soft stools and digestive problems. The rabbit doctor recommends that the daily feeding amount of rabbit food for young rabbits should be provided at 3-5% of the body weight of the young rabbit.

3. Clean drinking water is essential

It must be boiled water or mineral water or purified water. best at 24 Provide fresh boiled water within hours. If you need an unlimited supply, give your Belgian rabbit a special spherical water bottle to hold water, which can prevent stomatitis.

4. Some appetizers can choose green feed

Young rabbits (1-6 month old) with a weak stomach, edible foods include lettuce, celery, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, etc. Fruits such as apples, pears, peaches, papaya, etc., Belgian rabbits can be used as food.