2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16
If someone set out to seriously engage in breeding rabbits for meat at home, then it is best to give preference to the breed of the German motley giant, which is often called a stringer. Strokach rabbits quickly gain muscle mass, therefore, already at the age of 5 months, the mass of one individual is about 5 kg. Since the bones of these pets have a fine structure, the amount of pure rabbit meat is greater than that of other breeds. The shiny and smooth skin of rabbits of the strochach breed is ideal for making some kind of elite fur products.
General description of the breed
The first rabbits of this breed were introduced to the audience in 1907. Then the rabbits of the Strokach breed struck people with their unusual color, as well as a very large physique. The main distinguishing feature of these animals is the white color, the presence of a continuous line of blackcolors running along the spine. Another feature of the description of the rabbit rabbit breed is that there is a beautiful black pattern on the muzzle of the animal, which looks like butterfly wings. Black spots are scattered all over the rabbit's body.
Despite the fact that rabbits of the Strokach breed have some similarities with the Butterfly rabbit breed, the former differ greatly in size, as well as in the fact that the spots on the body are asymmetrically arranged.
The unusual color of the fur lies in the fact that spots can be presented not only in traditional black, but also in blue. Due to this feature, the demand for the skins of rabbits of the German Strokach breed has recently increased greatly. The appearance of fur products causes unprecedented delight even among modern fashionistas. In this article, you can see photos of a blue and black rabbit string.
Distinctive features of the breed
These animals are in great demand due to their rapid growth. Since the rabbits of the strochach breed, the photos of which are presented in this article, are very resistant to sudden climate changes, these eared rabbits have gained great popularity among farmers. To date, farmers in many countries are engaged in large-scale breeding of these animals, and Russia is no exception. Characteristic features of the Strokach rabbit breed include the following:
- The body is elongated, muscular, it can reach 70 cm in length.
- Head of medium size, slightly elongatedfemales.
- Short neck.
- The back is long, arched, has a large rounded croup.
- The paws are elongated and powerful.
- Ears erect, can be up to 18 cm long.
- The maximum weight of an adult rabbit of this breed can be about 10 kg, and the average varies from 5 to 6 kg.
- The fur is short and dense, no more than 3 cm long.
Rabbits have very small brown eyes. As a rule, in he althy individuals, the eyes always shine. The ears are uniform in color, while matching the shade of spots scattered throughout the body. If the pattern on the muzzle of the animal is weakly expressed, and the line on the back is intermittent, then this is considered a very serious deviation from the features of the breed of rabbits of the line. Photos of the pure breed are presented in this article. In no case do experts recommend allowing individuals with such a deviation to reproduce.
Acceptable variation in breed
However, breeders allow some deviations regarding appearance. This should include wool of a light shade on a black spot. It is also allowed to affect the crown spots. Sometimes jagged edges can be traced in the butterfly pattern. Some individuals may have colored claws.
What is unacceptable in the breed
If someone wants to breed a pure breed of rabbits, then you should carefully examine the individuals for breeding. In no case should you buy those animals in which the growth of wool is uneven. The absence of a pattern on the muzzle is alsois a strong deviation from the norm. The impurity of the breed is indicated by the absence of a pattern on the back or around the eyes. If a butterfly or a string on the back has whitish blotches, then this is also a deviation from the breed.
Reviews about rabbits of the strochach breed indicate that these individuals are not stable, and monochromatic animals can sometimes appear in the litter. It is for this reason that breeding this breed requires the use of special rules and skills, which will be discussed below.
Content Features
Reviews of the rabbit rabbits, the description and photos of which are presented in this article, indicate that the content of these animals has a special specificity. As a rule, individuals are not characterized by excessive mobility, and most of the time they like to be in the fresh air. Therefore, when raising German giants, it is necessary to build special enclosures in which it will be possible to simultaneously keep several rabbits or adult females at once.
It is worth paying attention to the fact that adult males of this breed are strictly prohibited to be kept together in the same enclosure. These individuals are quite aggressive, strong, which is why fights often start in order to demonstrate their superiority over each other.
As a result, rabbits suffer numerous injuries, and in some cases even broken bones. As a rule, injured animals recover over a long time, so in most cases, the farmer recommends that they be slaughtered immediately.
It should also be remembered that, like most other breeds, German giants do not tolerate cold drafts, overheating, and direct sunlight quite well. For this reason, it is necessary to organize enclosures under sheds, as well as near blank walls. There should always be a drinking bowl with water in the rabbitry, but experienced farmers use automatic ones for this purpose. In the hot season, it is allowed to put a shallow container into which clean water is poured. You can also cool the room with plastic bottles filled with ice.
Rapid growth
The main advantage of this breed is that young individuals gain live weight in a fairly short period of time. After puberty, one rabbit can gain from 0.5 to 1 kg per month.
At the age of 5-6 months, he althy rabbits usually weigh 5 kg or more.
Rabbit Fertility
Females of this breed are recommended to be crossed at the age of about 8 months. By this time, the rabbits are gaining strength and are already fully formed.
As for males, the situation is different here. They are recommended to be allowed to cover immediately after they reach puberty, that is, at the age of 5 months. The peculiarity of this breed is that they have a very good appetite, so in some cases they prefer feeding than the process of reproduction.
Pregnancy in rabbits lasts for 1 month. Typically, childbirthfemales do not have any complications. For one round, rabbits are able to bring from 8 to 10 rabbits. It is worth noting that the females of the Strokach breed never abandoned their babies.
Because the females produce large amounts of milk, they are able to nurse their cubs up to two months of age. It is for this reason that animals have very strong immunity.
Sometimes there were cases when rabbits ate their offspring. This was due to their lack of access to clean water.
Breeding rules
If someone has a goal to breed rabbits of the Strokach breed, then it is necessary to remember that it is best to have only the strongest and best individuals of the German breed. When grown at home, many farmers do not always succeed in breeding a pure breed, as some individuals are variegated or sick.
The best way out of this situation is to improve the breed. For this, the females of the Strokach breed, which have some shortcomings, are covered with exceptionally he althy males. As a rule, after such a birth, half of the rabbits necessarily correspond to the characteristics of their father.
Hygiene and cleanliness
Because adult animals are not mobile enough, they have a high incidence of disease. In addition, individuals do not tolerate various diseases. Therefore, it is simply necessary to vaccinate the German rabbit breed in a timely manner. It is also necessary to invite a veterinarian,who will carry out anti-parasitic measures, thanks to which you can get rid of ticks and worms.
It should be remembered that the heavy weight of stringers can put a lot of pressure on their limbs, which in some cases leads to fractures. To prevent such an unpleasant situation, the floor inside the cage or aviary should be covered with sawdust, peat or hay. This coating softens the floor surface, and also perfectly absorbs liquid and animal feces. Enclosures and cages should be cleaned at least once every 7 days.
High productivity of meat breed
In Russia, the cultivation of the German breed is also quite popular. At the same time, domestic farmers prefer to grow a gray giant in parallel, as it is better adapted to our climate.
The organoleptic and taste characteristics of the rabbit meat of the Strokach breed are the best rabbit meat in the world. The cultivation of these animals is well developed in the United States and Western Europe. Rabbit carcasses can be purchased from supermarkets around the world.
Growing for ornamental purposes
Specialists strongly do not recommend growing this breed for decorative purposes. Despite the fact that these individuals have a very docile nature, their cultivation is very costly, since serious financial investments will be required for maintenance. Since individuals are rapidly gaining mass, it will be very difficult for children to hold these animals in their arms. What if the rabbitfalls to the floor, he can easily break his bones, which heal rather slowly.
Because animals need large cages, they cannot be installed in a living area. And if the room is too hot, it can provoke heat stroke or even death of the rabbit.
Therefore, before breeding German string rabbits, it is necessary to weigh all the pros and cons.
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