Fodder and Mulberry Leaves

[Bigredfeather]

I am currently feeding my meat rabbit (parent stock) barley fodder and baled grass hay for roughage. I have an abundance of Mulberry trees growing in the woods and around my property. If I were to eliminate the hay and start feeding the fodder and mulberry leaves, would the Mulberry leaves provide the proper amount of fiber to keep their digestive system moving?

 

[MaggieJ]

I am a great believer in hay for roughage, so I suggest you continue to make it available. You will find, however, that the rabbits eat less of it when given larger quantities of fresh forage.

http://www.pjbs.org/pjnonline/fin312.pdf

It can't be said too often: Make all changes to rabbit diets gradually to give their gut flora time to adjust.

 

[Secuono]

Green things are just hay before they dried out. They will drink less water when given greens also, because it's already in their diet. They will eat the bark, even the whole branch on very thin ones, I'd say that's a fair amount of fiber.
Wish I had a forest of mulberry trees.

 

[Frecs]

Green things are just hay before they dried out. They will drink less water when given greens also, because it's already in their diet. They will eat the bark, even the whole branch on very thin ones, I'd say that's a fair amount of fiber.
Wish I had a forest of mulberry trees.

:yeahthat:

I'm working on growing a forest of mulberry trees but right now, they are just not-quite-saplings....my forest is still in diapers....

 

[Andrei]

I feed only green and prefer trees and bushes since they have higher protein content.
I would take mulberry over hay.

 

[stone soup farm]

Mulberry leaves are a good source of protein as far as I have read. Good sub for alfalfa I think.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

We have five Mulberry trees, but they are all still fairly young.

Grow, mulberries, GROW!!! :farmer2:

 

[Frecs]

I feed only green and prefer trees and bushes since they have higher protein content.
I would take mulberry over hay.

Would love to see a list of the trees and bushes you feed to your rabbits. Actually, I'd love to see a list of the foods in each of the categories you mentioned in another thread....so basically...details on what you feed your rabbits. pppllleeeezzzzeeeee

opcorn:

 

[Andrei]

Chinese Elm, Poplar, Willow, Avocado branches, Black Locust, Citrus branches, Christmas Trees, Linden, Walnut.

 

[WildWolf]

Thanks Andrei! I did not realize Avocado branches and Chirstmas trees were OK for rabbits!

 

[MaggieJ]

Avocado foliage (Persea americana) is toxic to many, many animals. We just covered this in another thread.

Toxicity to animals

Avocado leaves, bark, skin, or pit are documented to be harmful to animals; cats, dogs, cattle, goats, rabbits,[48] rats, guinea pigs, birds, fish, and horses[25][49] can be severely harmed or even killed when they consume them. The avocado fruit is poisonous to some birds, and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) lists it as toxic to many animals including cats, dogs, and horses.[50]

Avocado leaves contain a toxic fatty acid derivative, persin, which in sufficient quantity can cause colic in horses and, without veterinary treatment, death.[51] The symptoms include gastrointestinal irritation, vomiting, diarrhoea, respiratory distress, congestion, fluid accumulation around the tissues of the heart, and even death. Birds also seem to be particularly sensitive to this toxic compound. Feeding avocados or guacamole to an animal should be avoided completely.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avocado