Burgundy rabbit: description, features, content and reviews

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Rabbit breeding is a promising area of modern agriculture. Breeding furry animals is very profitable both on a large-scale production scale and for a small farm. The Burgundy rabbit is distinguished by its large size and excellent fertility. It is for this reason that this breed began to gain popularity every year. Today we will talk about the features of breeding these rabbits so that the owner can decide whether they are suitable for his farmstead.

Origin of the breed

The Burgundy rabbit is the result of a long selection. France is their home. This breed was obtained as a result of selection of several breeds. It happened back in 1914 and since then these animals have been used in agriculture with great success. For the most part, the Burgundy rabbit owes its popularity to its strong immune system and unpretentiousness. They are considered the best meat breed in Europe. A distinctive feature of these rabbits is the unusual color of the fur.

Description of the breed

In principle, the physique of the Burgundy rabbit is very similar to dozens of other breeds. Animals weigh about five kilograms, have a slightly elongated body. Their ears are of medium length. However, only when you catch a glimpse of a representative of this breed, you will immediately understand its generic affiliation. The color of the fur is his calling card. Fox-like, reddish-red fur gives the rabbit a bright and unusual look. The color spreads evenly throughout the body of the animal.

The Burgundy rabbit has a strong constitution, a compact body in the form of a bar. Musculature, like all representatives of this family, is developed on the sacrum and lower back, as well as on the hind legs.

Breed direction

Burgundy rabbits are universal. Young animals grow very intensively, that is, they gain weight early. Females are prolific, at one time they bring up to 12 rabbits. Usually the female has enough milk to feed the entire offspring. After two weeks, the offspring begins to leave their nest and explore the territory, and soon they will take food on their own. The fur is good, thick, can be used for making outerwear. Good paw hair allows this breed to be kept in cages with a mesh floor.

Feeding

Burgundy rabbits are unpretentious in care and food. Their diet is no different from what they give the rest. These are hay and grass, various vegetables and twigs. They feed the animals cabbage and carrots, turnips and radishes. However, you have to be careful with cabbage.from it the animals have a strong bloating. In winter, it is possible to use dry food, granules, grains and compound feed. But there are certain requirements for the conditions of detention. The fact is that fluffy animals tolerate dampness and drafts extremely poorly, this must be monitored very closely.

Judging by the reviews, with an abundance of food and a choice, these animals very quickly become picky and fastidious. However, as you get used to your pets, you will learn to please them in terms of nutrition. The experience of most farmers suggests that rabbits eat lightly dried grass better than raw grass in summer. With pleasure, they will gnaw on boiled carrots and potatoes, turnips and beets. In winter, do not forget to give hay and tree branches. If rabbits are raised mainly for meat, then beans and peas, soybeans, and corn should be in the diet all year round. All of these are essential sources of protein. Excellent increase in mass and ground grain. But vitamin and mineral supplements are exactly what you can save on.

Purchasing breeding rabbits

Today there are very few farms in Russia where a purebred Burgundy rabbit is offered for sale. Descriptions of the animals are given, now a little about the complexity of the choice. If you are breeding fur pets and are interested in new products, then sooner or later the Burgundy rabbit will fall into your field of vision. Reviews primarily note their high fertility and good immunity, which is attractive to the breeder. But it is not recommended to buy animals in the market: insteadpurebreds can sell you a cross, or even worse, sick animals. Better come directly to the breeder in the breeding farm. Here you can see the place where the rabbits are kept, see their parents, ask questions about keeping and feeding.

Reproduction

This question is of interest to every farmer, and Burgundy rabbits show themselves especially well in this sense. Reviews say that high fertility is her biggest plus. Pregnancy lasts only 1 month, after which up to 12 babies are born. After a short break, the female is ready to mate again. Thus, from only one female per year, you can get 250 kg of rabbit meat for sale.

Females of this breed are very good mothers, but sometimes it happens that they kill their offspring. Most often this happens because the owner forgot to leave them clean water. Immediately after lambing, the rabbit covers her offspring with her own fluff. It is undesirable to open it, because the kids still look like blind rats. However, after a few weeks they become beautiful little bunnies. It is necessary to transplant the offspring 10 days before the next birth. By this time, they no longer need maternal care. You should have enough cells. Males should be kept one at a time, females 2-3 in one cage. At about 7-8 months they reach their maximum weight. Now they can be slaughtered or left for the tribe at your discretion.

Productivity

Despite the fact that it is universalbreed, the main direction is meat. The meat of these rabbits has an excellent taste and does not smell like grass, for which it is very much appreciated in the market. As for fur, for a long time it was considered that it was of rather poor quality. The fact is that its density is not the highest. However, the demand for it is only growing all the time. First of all, thanks to the dazzling, bright red color. And given that there are relatively few farms in which rabbits of this breed are bred, then you will definitely be able to sell your product.

Memo to the breeder

Despite their unpretentiousness, these animals do not tolerate direct sunlight very well. Prolonged exposure to the sun often leads to heat stroke, so watch the placement of the cages. The place for walking should be carefully shaded. It is best to provide conditions of 10-20 degrees of heat and humidity of 60-70%. If you buy animals from breeders, then you should immediately be given a registration card in your hands, which indicates the date of birth and all the vaccines that they received. Judging by the reviews, if they are transferred to a warm room for the winter, then the animals can breed all year round. In a year, one female can bring up to 50 rabbits, which makes breeding quite profitable.