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Lovely buck from summer litters that carries chocolate gene for sale.
Dyeing, Dyeing, Dyeing!
Spinning a hand carded blend of my fawn angora, moorit wool and tussah silk on my Reeves Wheel
Posted in Rabbits
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Healthy German Angora Crossed Bunnies Today it's raining. So I'm planning a run to the feed store, for supplies for the rabbits, the cats and the dogs. It's a bit of a trip so I'm hoping a good friend and cousin with go along. It's a pleasant road, even in the rain, and we enjoy the company. I'm a bit fussy about what I feed the animals. Back when I started with the angoras, the breeder told me what she was feeding and, since it was available not far away, I started feeding the same thing. But the climate here isn't the same as Piedmont North Carolina, and during the first winter I started noticing some things that did not make me happy. Temperatures here can fluctuate dramatically in January. One day might be a balmy 50 degrees with sunshine, while the next can dip into the twenties. The rabbits had problems: mild diarrhea, some episodes of not eating, some weight loss and some coats that didn't produce as well as they should. In consulting with other breeders, I tracked down the possible cause of these difficulties to corn in the feed. When I started with rabbits, the feeds available in my area were corn based. In my climate, for angoras, this just wasn't the right grain for them to stay healthy and happy. Corn provides a lot of energy, but it's not as digestible as other grains but works well to grow a bunny quickly for the meat market. Since German angoras tend to grow slowly and are meant to produce wool, corn wasn't the appropriate feed for my purposes. I went to several feed dealers in my area, and finally found one that could special order a wheat based feed for my rabbits. I saw an immediate improvement, but in short order this dealer grew tired of bothering with my ten 50 pound bag a month request. Another problem with rabbit (and other pet) pelleted food is freshness. Nutrition is lost quickly when a feed sits around, especially if it is exposed to temperature fluctuations. It can even become dangerous to the animals, because of the buildup of toxins caused by molds and other contaminants. Even the family dog is at risk if fed a commerical dog food that has been lying on a shelf too long. I went back to the breeders, always helpful in those days, and discovered that many of them were using feeds made by a company called Blue Seal. There are other excellent brands on the market, but a new feed store that carried Blue Seal opened within driving distance and I made the trip to consult the young store owner. Unlike my local feed man, the new feed store owner was enthusiastic about helping me discover which formula was perfect for my rabbits and he has been dedicated and punctual about keeping a fresh stock available for me. I never feed a bag that is over a month old, thanks to his dedication. My older spaniel was also having a few problems and so I switched her to feed provided by this young man. Now all the animals here eat food that I can be sure is fresh and healthy for them. The pelleted rabbit feed I use now is a wheat-based formula and the rabbits have done very well on it. I supplement it with whole wheat and whole oats (when I can get them), greens, a little fruit, carrots, a little birdseed and a little sunflower seed. Nursing does get broccoli and I put all the rabbits out to graze as often as I can in a pen. Next to creating my own feed completely, this system has been the best for my animals. I think any feed would have worked as well, as long as it had little or no corn and was as fresh. But the key factor in the success of the current system is the feed store owner. Thanks to this excellent young man's dedication to his job and enthusiasm for his product, my rabbits are healthier and I'm happier with what I'm doing to keep them well. I drive much further than I would have to if my local man has been as cooperative, but it's worth it to support this small shopkeeper who is concerned about his customer's needs. There have been some longevity issues with German and German crossed angoras. Most breeders reported life spans of three and four years when I first started working with the breed. Right now I have two bucksand a doe that are all over five years old, and they seem fit and healthy despite the cold weather we've been having. Better breeding selection is probably part of the improvement, but I think a better feed without corn has been a contributing factor to the better overall health of the current animals in my barn. Wool production has improved dramatically over the years as well. This is just my experience, mind. I'm not an expert on rabbit nutrition and the conditions here are very different than elsewhere in the country. This is what works for me and the factors that have influenced the decisions I've made on how to keep angoras healthy in my barn. |
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