Strokach rabbits are popular with rabbit breeders around the world. Let's figure out what is the peculiarity of this type of rabbit and how to properly care for them.

Breed history

Strokachi are notable for their long history of existence. Initially, black and white rabbits were bred in Western Europe about 300 years ago. The purpose of the cultivation was the production of meat products. The breed known to us was bred in the 19th century by German breeders. Scientists crossed these animals with Belgian flanders. At the end of the 19th century, the genotype of the modern breed was fixed, and by 1907, the breed of stringfish was included in the list of existing species.

Did you know? Strokachy is also called German motley giants or German butterflies (due to the characteristic pattern in the form of a butterfly on the nose).

Description of appearance

Strokach belong to large breeds, have an impressive build and a built physique. The average German motley giant has the following characteristics:

Appearance	Characteristic
Color	White with spots (black, color "Havana" or "champagne")
Torso	Thick, stocky, muscular, average length 65–69 cm
Head	Medium, round shape
Eyes	Brown
The ears	15-18 cm long, wide, protruding, woolly stains
Mustache	Dark
Neck	Wide short
Paws	Straight, strong, medium length
Tail	Small, short, slightly sticking up
Claws	Colorless

A peculiarity of the stringer is an unusual spotted color. Background is white, which is diluted with spots painted in black or brown. At birth, the color seems to be monotonous and changes as one grows older. Characteristic for the breed are special "marks", which must always be present in exhibition options:

1. The eyes are framed by dark hair, which resembles the shape of glasses. The spots should be even and not merge with others.
2. On the nose there is an even symmetrical butterfly with pronounced edges and not diluted with blotches.
3. The cheeks of the rabbits are decorated with small even spots.
4. Ears are necessarily dark, color without spots, uniform.
5. The main feature is a smooth dark strip on the back, which starts from the head on the line of the ears and ends at the base of the tail, but does not stain it. The strip has a width of 2.5–3 cm.
6. On both sides of the strip on the sides are small dark spots, characterized by symmetry. Usually there are 2-3 of them on each side, however, there are specimens with 4-5 spots.

Breed characteristics

Strokachi are characterized by optimal characteristics for rabbit breeders engaged in meat breeding of rabbits. Adult individuals, thanks to a downed physique and a genetic predisposition to increase muscle, gain a large mass, sometimes reaching 10 kg. The table shows the average breed indicators:

Did you know? In the wild, rabbits, especially from artificially bred breeds, can live no longer than 1 year. Life expectancy of 7 years or more is achieved with proper home care.

Character

This type of rabbit is calm and kind. A purebred lineman does not show aggression and does not bite. In females, after mating, maternal instinct is pronounced. Thanks to the good disposition, these cute rabbits are popular not only with farmers, but also with those who wish to have a pet.

Advantages and disadvantages

Breeding or keeping linemen has both pros and cons.

• The advantages of the breed include the following:
• unpretentiousness;
• soft nature;
• high reproductive rates;
• fast growth;
• large mass;
• unique color.

• Among the shortcomings, only minor ones can be distinguished:
• difficulties in determining a purebred rabbit by color;
• unsuitability for participation in exhibitions in the presence of deviations from the norm.

How to choose a rabbit stringer

Since the stringers belong to breeds with a long breeding past, it is necessary to take responsibility for the selection of individual individuals.

Basic Rules

In order to choose a pet among the stringers, you need to pay attention to the following details:

• correct color, color matching;
• clarity and evenness of the picture;
• body proportionality and size in accordance with the desired characteristics;
• animal behavior.

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Signs of Purebredness

A purebred string rabbit has certain characteristics. A deviation is possible from some, however, in general, the thoroughbred German motley giant differs in such features:

• the pattern on the wool is even;
• background color is white;
• spots are black or brown;
• the coat is smooth, shiny, without bald patches or tangles;
• large body weight (adult weight is 5–10 kg);
• good nature, no aggression;
• pronounced maternal instinct in fledged females.

Permissible deviations from the norm

The listed standards of purebred may have some deviations that do not affect the attitude of the rabbit to the tellers. These characteristics include:

• claw coloring;
• uneven spots on the sides with blurry edges;
• zigzag edges of a speck on the nose;
• dark patches on the top of the color of the remaining spots;
• easy color modification: for example, white blotches on black areas on the sides.

Unacceptable deviations from the norm

Some deviations indicate uncleanness of the breed, mixing with other species or the defectiveness of the individual. They include:

• bald spots and shreds in the wool;
• lack, weakness or inferiority (for example, white spots) of drawings on the nose and back lines;
• a speck on the muzzle is not butterfly-shaped;
• there are no spots on the cheeks or they merge into a single pattern.

Breeding and care

If you decide to engage in breeding linemen, first of all, you need to take care of the organization of housing, feeding and care for them.

Read also how to correctly determine the gender of a rabbit.

Housing requirements

If a stringman is bred on a farm, the best option for a dwelling is an aviary or a large cage. In this case, the floor is preferably made solid or slatted. The metal floor is not suitable for this breed. You must use a bed of hay or straw. Rabbits that are bred as pets can live in a cage.

It must be spacious, due to the size of the adult. The area of ​​the dwelling should be 0.8x1 m, the height should be approximately 0.5 m. If you plan to breed the offspring, you must separately purchase a cage for a sprawled female with rabbits. Its area should be 1.6x1 m. Strokachi belong to unpretentious breeds and do not need to create a special microclimate:

1. The temperature in the room should be + 16–18 ° С, while rabbits tolerate higher thermometer readings (up to + 20–25 ° С). It is undesirable to place animals in low temperature conditions and drafts should not be allowed.
2. The optimum air humidity for stringers is 60–70%.
3. Lighting in the room should be necessary, since this breed does not tolerate darkness. In doing so, try to avoid direct sunlight.

Important content factors are correctly selected feeders and drinking bowls, as well as competently organized walking of animals.

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Feeding troughs and drinking bowls

Hare-like ones easily overturn feeders and drinking bowls, and also toss them, grabbing with their teeth. This also applies to the breed of strippers, who can easily turn the tank around due to their large size. For this reason, it is better to avoid light plastic feeders.

It is better to pay attention to a small but heavy ceramic tableware, especially if it is planned to be placed on the floor. Another option is to fix the feeder and drinker on the bars of the cage.

Walking organization

Rabbits of this species, despite the affectionate and soft disposition, are quite active, therefore, they need walking. It is better to let them out in a place where grass grows and there are no dangers in the form of stones or garbage. Given the fact that pets can run away, it is better to use a pen.

Important! You can walk these eared ears only in the summer, because cold temperatures can damage them.

Feeding ration

Since this breed belongs to meat, it is important to correctly compose the diet of the animal. Even if the rabbit is not kept for slaughter, good nutrition is necessary to maintain his health. Pets should eat:

• grain and grain mixtures from oats, wheat, barley and corn;
• vegetables;
• fruits;
• fresh grass;
• plants;
• branches
• bark;
• compound feed.

Regardless of the choice of food, you need to constantly pour it into the feeder - rabbits eat often (30 to 80 times a day) in small portions.

Additionally, you can give vitamin premixes that complement the diet with the necessary nutrients and trace elements. This is especially important in the autumn-winter period. Water in drinking bowls should be changed regularly so that it does not stagnate. Animals are only given clean, room-temperature drinking water.

It is forbidden to add to the diet:

• green potatoes;
• milk products;
• meat;
• tomato and potato tops;
• cabbage;
• sunflower seeds;
• mint and other plants with a high content of essential oils;
• sugar-containing food;
• almond;
• bean husks;
• nutmeg;
• spoiled products;
• improperly dried grass.

Important! Control the weight of the strikers - in the pursuit of weight gain it is undesirable to allow obesity.

Care and hygiene

Rabbit-stringers need affectionate attitude and proper maintenance. To properly grow pets, it is important to follow the rules of care and hygiene:

• Do not keep animals in tight cages and regularly walk animals in the warm season;
• daily check the cleanliness of the coat and paws;
• clean the cage every 1-2 days;
• change the litter as it becomes dirty;
• do not allow unsanitary conditions in the cages and in the room where the rabbits live;
• Check the place for walking for debris and sharp objects;
• vaccinate your pets regularly (once every 6 months according to the schedule).

How to breed rabbits

Strokache, like any breed of rabbit, is often bred for further breeding. To breed them correctly, you must adhere to the rules of selection. After the rounds, babies need to be properly looked after, nourished and disease prevented.

Selection Principles for Reproduction

Preservation of the thoroughbredness of young animals is achieved by mating the best individuals. This is important to preserve the unusual color, the correct pattern and a stable genotype. If the best rabbits are not selected for breeding, the offspring produced may have the wrong color, which is considered a selective breeding marriage, or even be born with plain coat.

Important! The male in pair should always be purebred.

When choosing a male and a female, they pay attention to the most “pure” pets with an even pattern and the right coat color. These should be healthy representatives of the breed, not affected by genetic or chronic diseases.

If it happens that the female has defects, she can be mated with the “correct” male. In this case, part of the offspring may have disadvantages, in terms of purebred, but other rabbits are likely to inherit the father’s genes.

Okrol and care of young growth

The female becomes sexually mature closer to 6 months. Pregnancy is also possible at an earlier age, however, an okrol during this period is likely to adversely affect both the mother and the offspring. The male, having reached 6 months, is ready to cover the female. It is at this age that the first mating is carried out.

The approximate gestational age of the rabbit is 1 month. Pregnancy periods can be somewhat shorter and longer, from 25 to 34 days, however, most often on the 31st day offspring are born. Before the birthing, approximately on the 24th day, the female is transplanted into a separate cage.

Typically, female line-makers reproduce 8–10 cubs. Rabbits open their eyes on the tenth day after birth and during this period they become fully developed, but the first 1.5 months they can not be removed from the mother, since lactation occurs during this period.

When the rabbit stops feeding, you should wait another 2 weeks, so that there will not be a sharp separation of children from the mother. Thus, the rabbits live with the female for 2 months.

A favorable period for birth is summer and spring, when animals can get enough of natural vitamins and pass them to offspring. However, in modern conditions, when there are vitamin supplements, and you can protect animals from cold by heating, mating is also carried out in winter.

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Feeding

Compared with other breeds, female lineworms feed babies for a relatively long time. The first 30 days, the mother provides the rabbits with all the necessary elements through milk. It is necessary to pay attention to the diet of the female, give enough food and clean drinking water. After 1 month, young animals are offered grass, vegetables and grains. On the 60th day they are weaned from their mother, after which the food becomes the same as in adults.

Vaccination

Vaccinators need to be sure to prevent the development of dangerous pathologies. Some of the diseases can be fatal, others are contagious. It is especially important to vaccinate rabbits that live in livestock, although if grown individually, you also need to resort to vaccination.

The first vaccine is administered after the animals reach 2 months. Further and until the end of life, revaccination is carried out every six months.

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Rabbits of the line-up breed need proper care and breeding. Bred in a selective way more than 100 years ago, this species is preserved in our time by proper reproduction with preservation of thoroughbred. With proper implementation of the rules for the maintenance of linemen, animals breed successfully and live long.