The rabbit of the lineater, otherwise called the German butterfly or the German motley giant, is a fairly common species of large-eared animals. Farmer breeding is of vital interest throughout the world. Why are these eared horns so good besides diet meat? Why are they chosen by breeders from all over the vast planet? Let's get it right.
German motley giant
Origin
More than three hundred years ago, in Europe, farmers bred rabbits for meat. By the middle of the 19th century, at the peak of the worship of music and poetry, breeders turned their eyes to the color of an eared animal. It was decided to cross the Belgian breed Flanders with an ordinary rabbit in black and white. In 1907, the bred breed was presented to the public and officially included in the list under the name German motley giant (in 1937, due to subsequent crosses, it was registered as a separate breed of Riesen rabbits)
Description and characteristic
Strokach rabbits are considered giants because:
- Their weight is about 6 kg, individuals up to 10 kg are found.
- Adult rabbits have a muscular body.
- The length of the giants is about 71 centimeters.
- Large plain ears 16-18 cm.
- Shortened thick neck, strong legs.
- Eyes are large, color is brown.
- The fur is about 3.5 cm, shiny, pleasant to the touch.
- Patterns in the form of splashes are located symmetrically on the sides.
The subspecies has three colors:
- on the back there is a strip of black color of three centimeters (continuous), hence the name of the stringer;
- because of the black spot in the form of a butterfly on the face, respectively, and the name (Butterfly);
- The name rabbit German motley giant got because of color spots on the tail, sides.
In the artificial habitat, there are different mixed color options, but more often - black and white representatives of the German giant rabbit breed.
Coloring and its features
When breeding the Strokach breed it is always very difficult to achieve the correct color of the fur. Sometimes, with their unstable color, this is a difficult, practically unsolvable task.
Important: in order to achieve the desired color, it is necessary to cross a standard male with a white female.
In one litter you can find individuals with a color inherent in this species, as well as snow-white, piebald, monophonic. Therefore, rabbit farmers, when breeding thoroughbred eared, should at least possess the basics of genetics (know the dominant and recessive genes, be able to find an individual with a pronounced set of certain signs and select the appropriate pair for it).
Breeding for Strokach
Tribal Ears Strokach must be selected according to some principles:
- The most selected males should interbreed with the best females.
- The emphasis is on the male; it must be the one who distinguishes himself by his health and the necessary characteristics.
If the rabbit has underestimated performance, then a healthy, powerful rabbit can transfer its genes to almost half of the offspring.
Purebred differences:
- shiny coat, bald patches, lumps are unacceptable;
- bright pattern, which should have clear contours;
- weight 5-10 kg, discrepancy in kilograms - a sign of not purebred;
- eyes are only brown;
- good animals, without manifestation of aggression, calm;
- motley color manifests itself with age, therefore monochromatic rabbits are often born;
- in adult German giants, the body is muscular, slightly elongated.
If you want to obtain the necessary characteristics (characteristics), always monitor the thoroughbredness of the individuals used in breeding.
Sex differences in Strokach rabbits
A good farmer can always distinguish a male from a female, knowing only specific characteristics:
- The weight of the male is 10% less than that of the female.
- The head of the rabbit Strokach and the rabbit has a difference, in the first - elongated, and the second has a rounded shape.
- The rabbit has a stringer with wider ears and athletic build.
It turns out that just looking at the livestock is enough to immediately notice the necessary individuals (rabbits or rabbits).
Keeping and breeding rabbits
Rabbits The German motley giant is important to keep in spacious cages or cages with a floor without metal nets. In the summer it is advisable to walk in a specially built spacious paddock.
Pets should be kept clean at all times. Although they tolerate cold, inclement weather, it is worth abandoning the premises where the wind “walks”.
The breed of rabbits The German giant does not tolerate darkness, but prolonged exposure to sunlight is unacceptable.
By 6 months, when the eared ears reach puberty, they can be mated. Bunnies in one breeze bring 8-10 babies.
Females are placed in separate cages before scenting (pre-lined with straw). They put a soft, small size box there. The rabbit herself will begin to build housing for the kids. It is better to monitor the nutrition of the individual, try not to touch it and not disturb. The female is a very good mother (in practice, there are no known cases of mother abandoning the baby). Due to the large amount of milk, the rabbit has a 100% ability to feed all rabbits.
Rabbits open their eyes only for 10-12 days. In the third week at night, they are already independently selected from the nest. Separating babies from mother is recommended for the second month. If the rabbits are taken away from the female ahead of schedule, then in the future they may not gain weight well, as this breed has a very close relationship between individuals.
The female after okrolya needs constant access to drinking water. Otherwise (due to thirst) she can eat rabbits.
Disease Prevention
For the prevention of diseases, vaccination should be carried out once every six months (vaccinations against HBV and myxomatosis). If the manipulations are done by a veterinarian, then you must definitely take a document that indicates the date and data on the vaccine.
If animals are kept in warm conditions, then the probability of catching a cold is very small. If this happens, then it is necessary to separate the sick individual from the healthy one, in order to avoid infection of the whole livestock by airborne droplets.
Weight gain
Unlike other breeds of rabbits, the German giant every month evenly gaining mass. By the age of 3 months, it has a good weight of 2.3 kg, and by the fifth - 4.5 kg, which is very beneficial when breeding rabbits for meat. Usually, eight-month-olds are taken for slaughter, but if they are kept longer than this period, then they will continue to remain in weight (but the meat in such cases becomes tougher).
Feeding
The diet of the eared must contain green plants, flower stems, dandelions, clover, sedge. Do not refuse your pet treats (they adore fruits, vegetables, greens (dill, sorrel, parsley)).
In the autumn-winter period, the inclusion of vitamin-mineral complexes is desirable in food.
In winter, green fodder is replaced by hay and straw. You can give the bark of fruit, coniferous and deciduous trees.
Coarse feed recommended:
- millet;
- corn;
- oats;
- rye;
- legumes.
Tip: Change drinking water more often, because it should always be fresh (this will reduce the likelihood of poisoning and transmission of diseases that can cause death).
Home Content
In our country, the Strokach breed is rarely bred as pets. This subspecies is large in size, so it takes a lot of space to keep animals. Large amounts of food are also spent. Due to the large weight, it is not recommended to buy it for children (because of the fear of injuring the child).
But, having such advantages as a good character and quick getting used to a person, if you still decide to keep the animal at home, then buy him toys, take care of specialized feeds, good care, and most importantly, provide more free space.
How much do rabbits cost? German motley giant
Individuals are not recommended to buy at pet stores and markets due to low genetic indicators. Often there are fake documents that spell out all the characteristics of the animal, including vaccinations. It is better to purchase individuals from farmers or in professional factories. The healthier the giant and the clearer the picture, the more expensive the cost.
It is better to choose rabbits of the breed German motley giant at the age of 2-3 months, their average cost is 1000 rubles.
