BunnyStuff...
Member
So much to do and consider...
I have pondered the probability of growing natural food as an exclusive source of nutients for my rabbits for about a year now. It might be possible to coallate data from various sources to figure the total nutrient values for different stages of growth and development: vitamins, minerals, carbs, sugar content(doesn't sugar and carbs come naturally in plants in the form of starches?), and others. The idea is to figure the total values required for a year to sustain a rabbitry of about, say, 4 bucks and as many as 40 does, including offspring accumulated over the course of the year until each progressive litter reaches 4 months of age, considering the average liter size of 6-8 kits. Then figure the overall amount of each crop to produce this amount and the necessary storage space. Finally consider the amount of land needed, including logistics, to produce this amount of feed. What do yall think?
Add ON:
As yall might imagine, this will probably take years to accumulate the land mainly due to financial constraints. At best in the mean time I could try to do some cooperate agreement with local land owners that have no desire to use their land to its fullest potential. I would think in a good year we could get about 5-7 litters off a breeding doe with a 41-52 day breed back schedule; one doe, six liters with about 6 average=36 kits per year, not considering the amount of time that kits are only nursing, and others factor. How about using free road side weeds, mowing yards for free or low cost and collecting the clippings, or finding flood reclaimation land to harvest; ie, fema and core of engineers?
I have pondered the probability of growing natural food as an exclusive source of nutients for my rabbits for about a year now. It might be possible to coallate data from various sources to figure the total nutrient values for different stages of growth and development: vitamins, minerals, carbs, sugar content(doesn't sugar and carbs come naturally in plants in the form of starches?), and others. The idea is to figure the total values required for a year to sustain a rabbitry of about, say, 4 bucks and as many as 40 does, including offspring accumulated over the course of the year until each progressive litter reaches 4 months of age, considering the average liter size of 6-8 kits. Then figure the overall amount of each crop to produce this amount and the necessary storage space. Finally consider the amount of land needed, including logistics, to produce this amount of feed. What do yall think?
Add ON:
As yall might imagine, this will probably take years to accumulate the land mainly due to financial constraints. At best in the mean time I could try to do some cooperate agreement with local land owners that have no desire to use their land to its fullest potential. I would think in a good year we could get about 5-7 litters off a breeding doe with a 41-52 day breed back schedule; one doe, six liters with about 6 average=36 kits per year, not considering the amount of time that kits are only nursing, and others factor. How about using free road side weeds, mowing yards for free or low cost and collecting the clippings, or finding flood reclaimation land to harvest; ie, fema and core of engineers?
