RABBITGIRLFORTHEWIN
Well-known member
What brand of rabbit pellets are you feeding? I am trying to find a high-protein feed to help improve my growth rates. I thought it would be a good idea to ask what other breeders are feeding. Thanks!
High protein rabbit feed?
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ohiogoatgirl
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There is limited options for higher protein in the feed. More soybean or pea. Or mixing your own using a concentrated pellet and mixing it to a higher rate. I have a thread of using lamb concentrate pellet last year and it worked well for me.
There are strains of willow running up to 30-35% protein in the leaves, but i suspect whatever grows local will do the same. Treeleaves are more nutritious then grass/hay. But pellet for rabbit is more tricky, you often end up with high starch along with it and starch needs amylase to digest. That is more for granivores like humans and to a lesser degree chickens, but not herbivores like rabbits.
I can get a grasspellet that goes up to 16% protein and they'll grow well on (or fat).
But i prefer a week or 2 longer on more apropriate food for their digestion and healthy animals. A little patience turns out way cheaper in the long run. So sit down with the prices, rations and such and calculate what works out better for you. You may be better of on some simpler feed for a little longer then speeding up growth for higher cost per animal.
I can get a grasspellet that goes up to 16% protein and they'll grow well on (or fat).
But i prefer a week or 2 longer on more apropriate food for their digestion and healthy animals. A little patience turns out way cheaper in the long run. So sit down with the prices, rations and such and calculate what works out better for you. You may be better of on some simpler feed for a little longer then speeding up growth for higher cost per animal.
I have limited options locally, but I like the Mannapro brand, since it doesn't contain corn. I use primarily use the GRO formula, it's 18% protein. But will also use the PRO formula at 16%. I have found the breeds I raise do best on this brand personally, but it's just my experience.
We use 18% kambach. It's the only 18% at our local farm. We were using a cheaper, local, 16% brand but it was super dusty so we decided to spend 7 more per bag. We harvested one litter of 10 that we only had one grow Over 5lbs. But I had a lot of feeding issues of amounts because I panicked whrnnthey started scratching it all out. They all seem content and full with the kambach.
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I use Prince brand. It's made in our area. The production pellets are higher protein (18%) than show pellets. I also supplement with garden goodies in summer, tree branches in winter. Sunflower seeds, a sometimes sprouted oats
Ablebreeze
Well-known member
I love Tucker Milling NatureCrest Rabbit. No corn, no soy, no GMO. I was feeding MannaPro, but there were issues and there was 5-10lbs of dust/fines per bag.
Tucker milling is under $20/50 lb bag, no dust. 16% protein
They do great on it. My NZW TAMUKs can reach 6lb at 10 weeks.
Tucker milling is under $20/50 lb bag, no dust. 16% protein
They do great on it. My NZW TAMUKs can reach 6lb at 10 weeks.
Ablebreeze
Well-known member
They do make a starter booster 25% protein product for rabbits and other animals that you can add with the feed.
RABBITGIRLFORTHEWIN
Well-known member
I looked into them and they are too far away from me. Do you know if they ship?
Ablebreeze
Well-known member
I don't think they do. I'm in FL. I just happen to be within 40 min of one of the 2 FL stores they work with.
I know the store here orders and sends pallets to buyers in other areas farther south in FL. Maybe, if you contact the closest store to you, they might have shipments going your way. I know their feed has become quite popular.
You might look for other regional feed mills closer to you. Sometimes the local feed mills are an option.
