Buck Fertility Boost - What to feed?

[seashore]

Hello,

I'm looking for ways to boost buck fertility levels following two of ours having a pretty tough winter healthwise and both having fathered rather small litters since. I've gone through every herb resource I can find on RT and Googled but that didn't add any more info; does anyone have other ideas to add to this list?

• Parsley - this seems to be the most commonly recommended herb for buck fertility
• Ginger - either a coin size slice of fresh ginger root, or adding dried powdered ginger to their food mix. Will be interesting to see how popular this is
• Raspberry - we regularly feed this to our does but the bucks don't get it often.

Note I have yet to test these. Comments from experienced rabbit-keepers would be appreciated.
If raspberry is good, would blackberry and boysenberry be likewise beneficial? Just asking as these grow better in our berry patch, and I know they are also good for does but not as well recommended as raspberry.

More sunshine and fresh greens are also in order (with plenty of hay) for boosting these guys along.


Main source:
https://rabbittalk.com/threads/effects-of-herbs-for-rabbits.14508/Very useful links in that thread too.

 

[Preitler]

I think litter size depends mostly on the doe. I mean, if there are 1 million sperm cells, or 1.5 million - there are enough anyway to fertilize the 3-14 eggs the doe ovulates. I would rather adress the does, thinking about lighting, their readyness cycle, getting her in mood, multiple breedings, keeping them lean and fit etc.

Keeping the bucks fit and healthy sure will help too, so they can do their job properly.

I do not think just giving a few herbs will do much, but it sure doesn't hurt.

 

[tambayo]

Protein / essential aminoacids are needed for good sperm. Other than that, minerals, with sheep and goats copper is an important one for this. What pellet do you feed and how is it stored? Oxcygen i.e. air will break down vitamins in the feed.
But yes the doe is the main component in how many kits, although a buck coming from a good sized litter traits wont hurt either.
Are your bucks related to the does they bred?

 

[seashore]

Thank you both. I may be jumping to the conclusion that it's a buck problem since both our bucks had health issues this winter.

@Preitler good point about the doe readiness. Didn't actually check this time though both of them welcomed their bucks warmly. Light had not been an issue, both does get some direct sunlight if they choose to lie in that part of their cage. One of them (standard rex, delivered 3 kits only) was possibly a little overweight - she's hard to exercise, our diggingest doe and not to be trusted with free range time!! The NZW doe (just delivered 1 kit only) had had plenty of free range time but we did have to move her cage while pregnant which may have upset her. Both the Rex and NZW does had a good session with their buck and 3+ fall offs.
Will be more careful about checking vulva colour before putting buck and doe together.

@tambayo we feed NRM pellets with coccidiostat to breeding stock and Weston Milling without cocci to grow outs, both 17% protein, plus free feed local meadow hay and we have a rabbit garden of plantain and sow thistle (i.e. useful weeds that we allow to run wild in the back corner of the section). Pellets are stored in a large container with a screw lid after the sack is opened.
Bucks are not related to does. Previously from the same pairings average litter size has been 6.

What is the likelihood that the NZW doe may have more kits that are stuck?

 

[Cindy in SD]

Thank you both. I may be jumping to the conclusion that it's a buck problem since both our bucks had health issues this winter.

@Preitler good point about the doe readiness. Didn't actually check this time though both of them welcomed their bucks warmly. Light had not been an issue, both does get some direct sunlight if they choose to lie in that part of their cage. One of them (standard rex, delivered 3 kits only) was possibly a little overweight - she's hard to exercise, our diggingest doe and not to be trusted with free range time!! The NZW doe (just delivered 1 kit only) had had plenty of free range time but we did have to move her cage while pregnant which may have upset her. Both the Rex and NZW does had a good session with their buck and 3+ fall offs.
Will be more careful about checking vulva colour before putting buck and doe together.

@tambayo we feed NRM pellets with coccidiostat to breeding stock and Weston Milling without cocci to grow outs, both 17% protein, plus free feed local meadow hay and we have a rabbit garden of plantain and sow thistle (i.e. useful weeds that we allow to run wild in the back corner of the section). Pellets are stored in a large container with a screw lid after the sack is opened.
Bucks are not related to does. Previously from the same pairings average litter size has been 6.

What is the likelihood that the NZW doe may have more kits that are stuck?

If she had stuck kits, I'm pretty sure she'd be dead by now. That sort of thing is an emergency in humans & canines, cows & sheep... You've got me wondering what the coccidiostat is, specifically, and whether that might not be the problem?

Also, are your does getting on in years? Mine are pretty young, but I've read that the litter sizes decrease after a certain age... Five? Six?

 

[seashore]

If she had stuck kits, I'm pretty sure she'd be dead by now. That sort of thing is an emergency in humans & canines, cows & sheep... You've got me wondering what the coccidiostat is, specifically, and whether that might not be the problem?

Also, are your does getting on in years? Mine are pretty young, but I've read that the litter sizes decrease after a certain age... Five? Six?

Thanks Cindy, that's a relief to hear. As it's now 2 days since the one kit was born, it's probably unlikely. Poor doe seems confused why there is only one!

Notes on the coccidiostat from pellet manufacturers website: Contains 66mg/kg Robenidine hydrochloride as 1kg/tonne Cycostat 66 A001557 for the prevention and control of intestinal coccidiosis caused by Eimeria species.
It's by far the most common rabbit pellet in NZ, most breeders feed it here. While we like the non-cocci Weston's pellets better, they're significantly more expensive, hence using both.

No, both does are around 2 years old.

 

[Cindy in SD]

Thanks Cindy, that's a relief to hear. As it's now 2 days since the one kit was born, it's probably unlikely. Poor doe seems confused why there is only one!

Notes on the coccidiostat from pellet manufacturers website: Contains 66mg/kg Robenidine hydrochloride as 1kg/tonne Cycostat 66 A001557 for the prevention and control of intestinal coccidiosis caused by Eimeria species.
It's by far the most common rabbit pellet in NZ, most breeders feed it here. While we like the non-cocci Weston's pellets better, they're significantly more expensive, hence using both.

No, both does are around 2 years old.

Funny... I haven't seen medicated rabbit feed here (in western South Dakota, USA). A lot of ppl don't want medicated chick starter here either, though, so... I fed my rabbits all summer pretty much exclusively on weeds (mostly Canada thistle, but usually other things, too. Their fave is sunflower leaves.) Now that it's winter & they're forced to resort to hay, they're pouting.