California rabbits: breeding, description and content features

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Rabbit breeding on a private and industrial scale is a very profitable livestock industry. You can get a variety of products with minimal labor costs and the use of affordable, cheap feed. Success largely depends on the choice of animals for breeding. The "California" rabbit breed is one of the most popular in the world. Such eared fluffies are bred in the USA, European countries, central Russia, Tatarstan, Ukraine.

History of Breeding

A resident of California (USA) - breeder George West - in the 20s of the last century set himself the task of breeding a breed of rabbits with exceptional fur quality. As a basis, he took two breeds of chinchilla and Himalayan. The resulting first generation he crossed with the New Zealand white breed. Further breeding was carried out in itself among individuals of the desired type. Hard work has borne fruit, thougha large bias towards the meat direction.

As a result, Californian rabbits took the best qualities from their ancestors:

• New Zealand white "awarded" a large and strong physique;
• Himalayans - great coat and luxurious color;
• chinchilla provided excellent meat qualities.

Despite good productive qualities, hybrids were not particularly popular. Only in 1928 was a group of the same type of animals recognized as a breed and officially received its name in honor of the state where it was bred.

Finally, by the end of the thirties of the twentieth century, American rabbit breeders turned their attention to unpretentious animals with good meat productivity. They were first brought from the USA to Europe, and then from England and Hungary (in the 70s) already to the post-Soviet space.

Russian specialists were wary of the breed bred in a rather warm climate compared to the central zone of the Russian Federation. But their fears were quickly dispelled. "Californians" perfectly adapted to new conditions, gave numerous and he althy offspring, quickly gained high slaughter weight. Today, animals can be found both in private backyards and in large fur farms.

Description

California rabbit description:

• Head. Light, small, slightly hook-nosed, tightly set on a short neck. Ears are erect, short, no more than 11 cm, well pubescent, with roundedtips. Eyes pink or red.
• Torso. It has a cylindrical shape with a noticeable expansion in the back. The chest is well developed, deep and wide, there is no dewlap. The body has a harmonious structure, medium length, muscular, the rear part is especially developed. The back is short, flat and wide. The croup is rounded, wide with well-developed muscles. The tail is short. The frame is light and very strong.
• Limbs. Short, powerful, have a thickening along the entire length of the paws. Nails are black or brown. The pads have hair on them.
• Wool. Long up to 3 cm, thick, shiny, silky, elastic.

Colour Features

California rabbit breed standard clearly defines its color. Purebred animals have pure white fur. Contrasting black, rarely brown, spots are located on the muzzle, ears, limbs (on the front - on the tips, on the back - to the wrists) and tail. Markings must be sharply defined and clearly defined. The color tone is determined by the gene:

• black (X);
• Havana (H.).

The appearance of spots of any other shade of red, striped and others indicates a violation of breeding in purity. It is not allowed to have spots on other parts of the body on the sides or around the eyes. The shape of the spot on the muzzle is rounded, unlike the butterfly breed, their nasal spot looks like open insect wings.

Newborn babies do not have spots, they appear on the 30-45th day. This is typical for "summer" babies. In winter, rabbits may be born already with the appropriate breed color. itassociated with the specifics of the "work" of the tyrosinan enzyme. At low temperatures, it starts faster, at high temperatures it can “slow down”. Winter and autumn babies quickly acquire a distinctive color. Today there are two varieties of California rabbits:

• Moscow, the threshold of irritation of tyrosinane is slightly higher than 00, spots form a little later and their color is less saturated;
• Saxon, tyrosinane irritation threshold is on average +210, rabbits are colored almost immediately after birth.

The color of animals is important for breeding purebred rabbits, for obtaining only meat products it is not so important.

Productivity characteristic

The attractiveness of breeding this breed is in economic benefits. Economic characteristics of California rabbits:

• live weight average 4.5-5.2 kg (up to 6 kg), females are larger;
• ready for slaughter at 150 days old;
• Crushing index 60-64% (maximum for meat breeds);
• meat yield - up to 60%, with up to 85% coming from pure meat and 2.5% from fat;
• fertility - on average, a female brings 7-8 rabbits, often 10 (maximum - 16);
• weight of newborn rabbits – 45-50 grams;
• precocious, at the age of 3 months they gain up to 2.8 kg of live weight;
• dietary meat has a delicate taste;
• skins of good quality, universal white color are in demand in the fur industry.

Animals intensively gain weight in the first 5-7 months of life. best termfor slaughter consider the age of 150 days. After this period, the daily increase is significantly reduced, and the consumption of feed units per 1 kg of production increases.

The age standard for the weight gain of a California rabbit is shown in the table:

Age (in days)	0-30	60	90	120	150	180	210	240	270	300	330
Live weight (in grams)	50	1700-1900	2700-2800	3200-3400	3600-3900	4000-4300	4200-4400	4300-4600	4400-4600	4700-5000	5200-5500

At the age of 8 months, the lowest allowable weight cannot be less than 3.5 kg. High precocity reduces the specific feed consumption for live weight gain, making breeding rabbits of this particular breed profitable.

Contents

A distinctive feature of animals is their excellent adaptability to life in different climatic zones. A description of the content of rabbits of the Californian breed is given below. Spacious cells are considered the best conditions for life. Make the heightsuch that the animals can freely stand up to their full height on their hind legs. Additionally, houses, feeders and drinkers are installed. A good option is a height of 60 cm, a length of 140-150 cm, a width of 60 cm. With a group content, the area norm per head is:

• on a solid wooden floor: for marketable young stock - 0.3 m²; for replacement young animals - 0.2 m^2;
• on slatted or mesh floor: for marketable young animals – 0.17 m²; for replacement young animals - 0.1 m^2.

If the cells are placed outdoors, then only in a quiet place, protected from drafts and direct sunlight. Closed rooms are more convenient and practical, it is easier to maintain an appropriate microclimate in them. A combined option is also possible: indoors in winter, outdoors in the warm season.

An important indicator is air humidity. Dampness adversely affects the condition of the coat and provokes colds. Usually rooms are equipped with hoods. With its help, it is easier to maintain optimal humidity - 60% -70%. Higher, as well as lower rates (less than 50%) affect the well-being of animals. Daylight hours are 8-18 hours. The intensity is within 40 lx, when grown for fattening it can be reduced to 5-10 lx.

To save space, stationary cages are placed in 2-3 tiers. Sawdust is poured onto pallets as bedding, cat wood filler and other materials that absorb moisture well and retainsmell. The most hygienic 16mm x 48mm floor mesh. The purity and freshness of the air is determined by the concentration of harmful substances:

• hydrogen sulfide is not more than 0.015 g per liter of air;
• ammonia is not more than 0.01 g per liter of air.

Air temperature 12⁰-18⁰ above zero. Animals can easily tolerate fluctuations within ± 5⁰С. Extreme temperatures -30⁰ or +30^{0 can withstand adults for just a few days, exceeding these figures threatens animals with death.}

Feeding

California rabbits pay well for feed. The main thing is to properly feed the rabbits from the first days after weaning. First of all, it is the frequency of feeding. After weaning, babies need to be fed 5 times a day (the first 25-30 days). Gradually, this amount is reduced, bringing up to 2 or 3 times a day. It is important to ensure free and constant access to water. In the summer heat, moisture consumption doubles, in winter it is desirable to heat it up.

The diet consists of the following types of feed:

• Juicy: carrots, cabbage, pumpkin, zucchini. Some rabbit breeders practice adding silage, this can be done, but only if the product is of good quality. In summer, the basis of the diet is fresh grass, seeded or natural forbs.
• Rough. In addition to traditional hay and straw, rabbits are happy to eat young branches of deciduous trees. Depending on the natural area, they can be different: maple, ash, birch, linden, aspen, willow, ash.
• Concertists. These include legumes: peas, soybeans; cereals: barley, oats; oilseeds: corn. Bran, cake, meal serve as an excellent addition. Feeds specially designed for fattening are often used.
• Mineral supplements. Meat and bone or fish meal are excellent suppliers of calcium and phosphorus. Additional vitamins are introduced into the diet as needed.

The rate of growth and weight gain in young animals is very high. If other meat breeds begin to intensively fatten a month before slaughter, then the “Californians” are ready to gain weight after weaning. High-calorie, protein-rich foods help build muscle mass faster.

When fattening for slaughter, it is important to ensure access to feed almost around the clock. Young animals should eat as much as they can fit in their stomach. We must not forget that rabbits intended for a tribe cannot be fattened like that. Excess weight adversely affects the reproductive functions of both males and females. Balanced, in all respects, nutrition affects the appearance of animals and their activity. Smooth coat, shiny eyes, mobility speak of proper and sufficient feeding.

Sudden dietary changes or large amounts of new food are not recommended. This can provoke an allergic reaction and upset the gastrointestinal tract. It is strictly forbidden to give rabbits "human" food. Be sure to keep the feeders and drinkers clean. sour food androtten water does not contribute to weight gain.

Breeding

The rabbit of the Californian breed in maintenance and breeding does not cause much trouble. You need to follow a few simple rules:

• provide livestock with spacious enclosures or cages, in accordance with veterinary standards;
• monitor the condition of the coat of animals;
• regularly examine rabbits with a veterinarian to timely identify sick individuals and carry out the necessary veterinary treatments;
• create a reliable forage base.

Proper maintenance and balanced nutrition allows intensive use of rabbits for 5 years.

You can mate animals at the age of 5 months. The good fertility of rabbits contributes to the rapid breeding of Californian rabbits. From one female per year you can get 35-45 babies. Mothers are very caring, it is not uncommon for them to accept and feed other people's rabbits. High milk yield allows babies to gain weight quickly.

Animals that are not left for breeding are slaughtered at the age of 5-6 months, since further fattening is unprofitable. Depending on the breeding system, several methods are practiced for weaning rabbits and, accordingly, raising them:

• Early. With compacted rounds, rabbits are taken away on the 28th day. This is due to the fact that the female is covered on the 2nd day after birth. Before the next round, she has literally a couple of days to rest.
• Medium. Semi-compacted litters allow you to increase the suckling period up to 40 days. The female is covered on the 10-12th day of lactation.
• Late. When growing rabbits for meat using the "broiler" method, they are taken away at the age of 2 months. Rabbits are slaughtered for meat almost immediately.

Female lactation lasts 12 weeks. Early weaning is due to the following factors:

• babies begin to actively eat concentrated and plant foods already at the age of 20 days;
• by the 24th day, the need for milk of rabbits is halved;
• by the 35th day milk takes only 5%-8% of the diet of young animals.

When jigging rabbits and forming a group, they try to place individuals of the same litter in a cage. If this option is not possible, then it would be better to plant the mixed composition in a cage that is alien to all litters. They will fight less.

Selection

Purebred crossbreeding of Californian rabbits requires careful selection of pairs. Only mature individuals of both sexes are allowed to mate. They pay attention not only to compliance with breed requirements, but also to the state of he alth, the quality of the coat, the general appearance, physical activity, and the backbone. Breeding animals with slight deviations from the breed standard may be admitted to breeding:

• not perfectly harmonious body structure;
• slightly extended neck or head;
• ears from 11.5 to 13 cm long;
• thin, weak limbs;
• Fuzzy nasal mask color;
• slight yellowing of the fur;
• minor deviations inthe color of the eyes and nails in relation to the standard.

The price of Californian rabbits depends on the age and breed of the animal. (for one individual), grown up (up to 2 months) - for $ 5 / 288 rubles. Tribal adults from $ 25 / 1440 rubles. For breeding purposes, it is better to buy animals in breeding farms.

Animals with the following defects are not allowed for breeding:

• live weight less than 3.5 kg and more than 5.5 kg;
• hanging ears, their length exceeds 13.5 cm;
• nose mask reaches eye level;
• the manifestation of dark spots in the "wrong" place;
• dark spots are brown or light in blacks, while havanas are light or reddish.

When preparing their breeding pets for the show, pet owners should be prepared for the fact that the above shortcomings can lead to the culling of animals.

Care

California rabbits require proper animal care:

• Leather and wool. Once a week, rabbits are examined for redness, scabs, pimples, pustules on the skin. The wool is combed, the tangles are cut off with special grooming scissors.
• Eyes. Daily inspection reveals dry discharge, they are removed with a clean cloth soaked in warm water. Irritation is treated with herbal drops.
• Ears. He althy ears are clean ears. Wash them if necessary. To do this, soak a cotton swaba weak solution of boric acid and treat the ears. A special lotion is also used.
• Vaccinations. Scheduled vaccination will help to avoid mass diseases and deaths of animals.

Advantages and disadvantages of the breed

Judging by the reviews, Californian rabbits are an excellent "material" for breeding, both at home and in small farms. Rabbit breeders consider their main advantages:

• high precocity;
• high pay for feed;
• calm character and timidity;
• undemanding to the conditions of detention;
• quick adaptation to new climatic zones;
• white fur color (universal and most in demand).

To very conditional disadvantages include:

• The average number of rabbits in a litter is up to 8. On the other hand, with a larger number of babies, human intervention is required, he distributes the cubs between females for normal feeding. Otherwise, the mortality rate of young animals increases.
• Low maximum weight. This dubious drawback "California" compensate for the low cost of fattening, compared with their 8-pound counterparts