The growth of rabbit depend on it's food management. So, feeding is very important for profitable rabbit farming.
- Food should contain both concentrate and green fodder.
- Concentrate should be given before feeding greens.
- The quantity of concentrate feed needed by the different groups of rabbits is:
42-70 -50g
71-90 -80g
Adult Male -100g
Adult Female -200g
- Food should be given twice a day.
- Make round ball with balanced ration and molasses. Pellets are given as such.
- In summer, they generally eat at night whereas with the onset of winter, the requirement increases and time of eating is shifted to the day time.
- A regular time table for feeding is advisable.
- Do not change the food suddenly, replace partially day-by-day and complete change can be done after4-5 days.
- Green grass should be fed ad libitum.
- Plan properly for cultivation of fodders to get adequate supply throughout the year.
- Cultivate perennial grasses like dub, hybrid napier, Guinea grass, para grass etc.
- Annual fodders like maize, oat, cowpea, fice beam carrot, radish leaves, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage etc. are well relished by rabbits.
- Mulberry leaves are one of their choicest fodder.
- Cultivate mulberry plants which supply the fodder throughout the year.
- A fodder area of 80 m2 is sufficient for rearing 10-12 rabbits.
- Normally, one broiler rabbit consumes 1.9 kg concentrate and 8 kg green fodder up to 90 days of age
- Concentrate ration can be prepared by mixing different ingredients in different combinations for rabbit.
- Periodical vitamins therapy should be done.
- Clean water should be made available throughout the day.
- Generally, one adult rabbit drinks 300-400 ml water per day.