The breed of rabbits The white giant is known in the circles of livestock breeders. The animals related to it are distinguished by a large offspring and a high percentage of survival of rabbits, which in a few weeks gain optimal weight.

Breed history

Snow-white rabbits are the result of the work of scientists from Belgium and Germany. The first steps towards the development of the White Giant breed were made in the 1920s. New rabbits got the size of their Belgian counterparts, and the latter became more resilient and less susceptible to disease.

Prior to this gene exchange, Belgian giants had a negative trait - their predisposition to disease. Rabbits were born weak and in small numbers, so scientists took up the correction of the mistakes of nature and breeders. To eliminate the shortcomings, careful selection was carried out.

In addition to the Belgian giants, the genes of animals such as chinchilla and gray giant rabbits formed the basis. For viable cases, only viable and prolific individuals were selected, and the ideal food base was selected.

By the middle of the last century, the White Giant breed was obtained - giant albino rabbits with snow-white and fluffy fur, having a large amount of meat. This has made the breed attractive to livestock farmers.

Did you know? The bunny rabbit named Camera became the record holder in size. Her weight reached a record 8.7 kg.

Breed description

Breeders have a list of characteristics that must be present in order for the animal to be ranked among thoroughbreds. Large sizes are required, white coat color, and it is necessary to have ancestors only from among thoroughbred ones.

Another characteristic is all animals with red eyes. Rabbits bred in the UK and Belgium may have blue eyes.

Breed standard

The appearance of adults is an animal with an elongated and firmly folded body. White coat is not too long, but not short, dense and with undercoat. The head of the White Giant animals is elongated, as is the body. Ears are always upright.

External characteristics	Anthropometric data
Color	White
Weight	4.8–5.8 kg
Torso	60 cm
Head	Elongated and large
Paws	Developed and widely spaced (feet covered with a minimum amount of wool)
Tail	Classic, small
The ears	15–25 cm (vertical)
Eyes	Red (since animals do not have pigmentation)
Chest circumference	37–40 cm

Photo gallery

Character

The white giant is a fairly calm animal. Relations with a person develop peacefully. It is worth remembering that if the rabbit is harmed, it will defend itself. Occasionally, rabbits can observe a state of apathy, in which they look at one point, and the body sways. This does not affect the livelihoods of animals, therefore it is not considered a defect in the breed.

Did you know? Rabbits can reach speeds of up to 56 km / h.

Farm use

Breeders of the White Giants note that this breed is beneficial for breeding. Large skins are used for sewing outerwear, and carcasses go on sale.

The rabbits of this breed are classified as precocious. When they reach the age of four months, the young rabbits gain half the optimal weight, and by the age of 8–10 months the animals reach the breed standards. Due to profit from the sale of young animals, rabbit meat and skins, the White Giant belongs to the category of animals with a high return on feed.

Advantages and disadvantages

• The advantages of the breed include:
• • extremely high milk yield of females, which contributes to feeding offspring up to two months of age - per day, the female rabbit produces up to 220 ml of milk;
  • high fecundity;
  • albino rabbits are used for breeding with other breeds to eliminate gene mutations and reduce susceptibility to diseases;
  • good health - all rabbits of the White Giant breed rarely get sick, and among rabbits there is a high percentage of survival;
  • fast weight gain.

• The disadvantages of the breed include large dimensions:
• • it is the large weight and body size that makes it inappropriate to keep rabbits in enclosed spaces or cages;
  • they need large enclosures;
  • the appearance of rabbits with too fluffy hair or with insufficiently pubescent paws. They also reject those who have a loose constitution.

Cages rabbits

This is one of those breeds of rabbits that do not accept small spaces, so large cells are needed. They are installed in well-lit places, but not in direct sunlight. Animals need a cool zone.

Important! The feed of the nursing rabbit must be rich in protein so that the young growth weight faster.

Special rules are developed for keeping rabbits. So, mother liquors are located near the main cell with adult animals. It is possible to build cages close to each other, but the zone for the hare must be equipped with a hinged lid on top.

The main enemies of rabbits are rats. Cages are equipped with protection against rodents. It is especially important to provide it in queen cells. For this, all gaps in the floor of the cage are closed with metal plates.

Feeding troughs and drinking bowls are arranged at a small height from the floor of the cage, but so that small inhabitants reach them. It is important to make a gap between the feeder and the floor so that rabbits do not use the feeding area as a bed.

Rabbit breeding

For breeding rabbits, the White Giant, individuals with pronounced breed characteristics are suitable. For breeding or to improve the quality of the described breed, you can take males or females of other breeds.

Okrol

The white giant is fertile, in each litter the rabbit brings 7-14 rabbits. Breeding such animals does not require any special skills. The planning of the round-up consists in examining the female and male for diseases and matching the breed.

Find out if rabbits can give grass to a swan.

A case is best carried out in late spring or summer. For this, the female is placed in the male’s cage. After a few days, the mating is repeated. Be sure to bring the same female and male. During the control seating of the rabbit, it is necessary to observe its behavior. If she does not admit the male to herself, this means that the pregnancy has come.

Pregnancy lasts 4-5 weeks, and childbirth takes only 10 minutes. Before the round, you need to prepare the cage. Disinfection of the entire structure is carried out and conditions for the birth of offspring are created. The bunny rabbit lays a nest before the birth. ”She prepares a place from straw bedding and her fur.

Content in the mother liquor

Sizes of the mother liquor: width - 30 cm, length - 60 cm, height - 35–40 cm. The main material for this type of cell is plywood with a sheet thickness of at least 5 mm. This material does not give odors that could scare away the rabbit.

Important! Enrich the diet of rabbits with the help of young branches of birch, elm, willow or elm.

To ensure a comfortable temperature in the mother liquor, you need to make a double bottom. Between the layers of plywood, a foam sheet is laid. Straw is laid at the bottom. Sawdust can not be used, as they can get into the airways of rabbits.

Baby Care

After birth, rabbits need to make sure that all the cubs are near the mother and not freeze. If the rabbits are too much and the mother cannot warm everyone, then you need to put the part in another mother liquor. Replanting is performed as follows:

• the rabbit is removed from the mother liquor;
• rabbits sit down.

If replanting is performed, then alien cubs need to be covered with rabbit fur from a new nest. So planted rabbits will be adopted by the new mother. When the babies turn 2-3 weeks old, they will begin to leave the mother liquor.

At the same time, their diet can be supplemented with mother's feed. Therefore, the rabbit in the trough should have a variety. At 1.5–2 months, young rabbits can be placed in cages with adults.

Rabbit food

The diet is a complex of diverse feed composition. Each of them performs a specific function and provides animals with all the substances necessary for their body. Rough feeds are the cornerstone. They are needed so that rabbits grind their teeth.

Food for White Giants can be divided into the following groups:

• roughage containing fiber;
• succulent feed containing vitamins - melons, root crops or silage;
• green feed - harvest from fruit trees (scavenger allowed), legumes, cabbage, cereals;
• concentrated feed containing a small amount of water (oilcake, bran or mixed feed).

Each of these groups must be present in the diet of rabbits. This will diversify the feed base and give the animals all the useful trace elements.

In the summer, eating animals is not a hassle. They can eat grass, vegetables, young shoots of grass, beet tops. The winter diet must include cereals, hay and special feeds.

Also, the White Giants can be treated with a special “dish” - boiled leftovers of vegetables, fruits with the addition of cereals. The liquid is drained, and the boiled "salad" is given to the animals.

If herbs are included in the diet, then their selection must be approached with particular seriousness. Poisonous plants should not get into the rabbit feeder. Among them are nightshade, dope, bleached, celandine, euphorbia.

Important! The cause of dermatitis and mastitis are cramped cells. In crowded places, litter often appears marriage.

Diet Rates:

• 50–70% - hard concentrated feed;
• 20-30% - roughage (grass or hay);
• 15–20% - fresh vegetables, fruits.

So the owner will provide a healthy diet for their pets throughout the year.

Frequent diseases

Sensitivity to a certain set of diseases is due to the artificial breeding of the breed, therefore it is recommended to vaccinate animals.

To date, the most dangerous diseases for the White Giant are:

• myxomatosis;
• mastitis;
• rabbit pasteurellosis;
• fasciosis;
• dermatitis.

It is possible to prevent complex and incurable diseases in pets by maintaining cleanliness. Since the carriers of these diseases are parasites, the habitat of which is the fur and skin of rabbits.

Based on these data, one can imagine how young and adult individuals look, and also draw a conclusion about the profitability of breeding rabbits of this particular breed.