Thursday, February 21, 2008
Overfeeding
I've come to the conclusion that I overfeed. I'm especially a sucker for those rabbits who beg for their feed every day and gulp it down with gusto. But I've been seeing some rabbits go over 4 lbs. who just shouldn't be that heavy.
When a rabbit gets to heavy, even if they don't get flabby, they seem to have overgrown their frames. Rabbits that were once filled out in the loin get a flatter look that doesn't blend into the hindquarter very well. Getting DQ'd is not the only effect of a rabbit carrying too much weight.
Sure, some rabbits really are destined to be bigger, but I'm seeing rabbits that are just over 3.00 lbs. as young seniors going over. This is not a matter of a 3.14 rabbit exceeding the weight limit.
So, I have to look to my practices. The answer is so stunningly simple that I should knock myself in the head and say, "I coulda had a V-8."
I feel all of my rabbits like they were four pound rabbits. It just boils down to that. And when I feed them that way, they live up to that potential way too often.
If a young rabbit is shaping up to be a 3.04 rabbit, then I need to feed it like a 3.04 rabbit, once its growth spurt has slowed down. If the rabbit is bound to be a huge brood doe, then it's okay to feed her like she's 4 lbs, I believe.
The reason behind this mistake is simple: it's easier to give every rabbit 4 oz. of feed instead of giving one 3 oz., another 3 1/2 oz., and still another 4 oz. And that variation would be in addition to giving more feed to nursing does and even more to litters on the wire. I really shouldn't be surprised that I need to slow down and decide for each rabbit what his or her portion should be.
I don't think there is much hope for the rabbits that I've already let go over the mark. It's very hard to take weight off of a rabbit and keep its condition intact. Perhaps if the weight goes off very slowly over time, I might be able to put a rabbit like Lex back on the table. It's really no big loss if he doesn, though. He's had his time on the table.
I wish I had figured this out sooner. Kazia, with two legs, went over before I granded her. She had 7 babies on her first litter. How sweet it would have been to have granded her and then find out she's a great producer (I'm so glad that I decided to keep her, GC or not).
I'm not really worried about underfeeding at this point. Overfeeding rabbits and giving too many treats is a much, much worse problem than underfeeding (unless it is extreme).
It will take several months before I know whether my conclusion is totally accurate. Of course, I'll try to remember to let you know how things turn out. If I don't, feel free to ask me in about six months.
Laurie
¶ 12:20 PM
When a rabbit gets to heavy, even if they don't get flabby, they seem to have overgrown their frames. Rabbits that were once filled out in the loin get a flatter look that doesn't blend into the hindquarter very well. Getting DQ'd is not the only effect of a rabbit carrying too much weight.
Sure, some rabbits really are destined to be bigger, but I'm seeing rabbits that are just over 3.00 lbs. as young seniors going over. This is not a matter of a 3.14 rabbit exceeding the weight limit.
So, I have to look to my practices. The answer is so stunningly simple that I should knock myself in the head and say, "I coulda had a V-8."
I feel all of my rabbits like they were four pound rabbits. It just boils down to that. And when I feed them that way, they live up to that potential way too often.
If a young rabbit is shaping up to be a 3.04 rabbit, then I need to feed it like a 3.04 rabbit, once its growth spurt has slowed down. If the rabbit is bound to be a huge brood doe, then it's okay to feed her like she's 4 lbs, I believe.
The reason behind this mistake is simple: it's easier to give every rabbit 4 oz. of feed instead of giving one 3 oz., another 3 1/2 oz., and still another 4 oz. And that variation would be in addition to giving more feed to nursing does and even more to litters on the wire. I really shouldn't be surprised that I need to slow down and decide for each rabbit what his or her portion should be.
I don't think there is much hope for the rabbits that I've already let go over the mark. It's very hard to take weight off of a rabbit and keep its condition intact. Perhaps if the weight goes off very slowly over time, I might be able to put a rabbit like Lex back on the table. It's really no big loss if he doesn, though. He's had his time on the table.
I wish I had figured this out sooner. Kazia, with two legs, went over before I granded her. She had 7 babies on her first litter. How sweet it would have been to have granded her and then find out she's a great producer (I'm so glad that I decided to keep her, GC or not).
I'm not really worried about underfeeding at this point. Overfeeding rabbits and giving too many treats is a much, much worse problem than underfeeding (unless it is extreme).
It will take several months before I know whether my conclusion is totally accurate. Of course, I'll try to remember to let you know how things turn out. If I don't, feel free to ask me in about six months.
Laurie
¶ 12:20 PM
