My grow out rate is slooooooooow

[dayna]

So I do feed a LOT of forage. As of today, I'm adding in alfalfa pellets and barley.

My grow outs are 10 weeks old as of yesterday and the weights are as follows:

1: 2.88#
2: 2.34#
3: 2.44#
4: 2.40#
5: 2.50#
6: 2.62#

Other than upping the feed, what can I do to get their weight up a little? Do I need to cull that doe or should I give her another shot at having babies. She had 8, I sold 2.

 

[Secuono]

Forage is my guess as to what is doing them in.
Have you tried the same pairing and feed the kits solely pellets or half and half?

They need tons of forage just to equal the same amount of protein they get from pellets... =/

 

[dayna]

I think on my next meat litter I will do exactly that. split the litter Half and half and see what the diff is.

 

[Frecs]

Before, I'd say it is the forage as the common wisdom is that forage feeding will slow the grow-out rates. But, then I was talking with someone on a FB list who feeds zero pellets and has excellent grow-out rates -- and she tracks everything the rabbits eat like a crazy statistician. Sooooo...it isn't WHOLLY the forage but the overall nutritional percentages/ratios.

 

[grumpy]

First off. What breed are you using?
That makes a ton of difference from the get-go.

grumpy.

 

[Secuono]

If she bred for great growth on pasture that will also change things vastly from most rabbits who are bred on pellets.

 

[dayna]

They are all mutts. No special breed. I do have 1 litter of pure champagne d'argents due on Nov 10.

 

[AmysMacdog]

Dayna do you have any forage like clover, comfrey and/or alfalfa? These would increase protein. I have no idea if these grow there in Hawaii or if they need some cold weather.
To much comfrey can cause diarrhea though.

 

[Ramjet]

First off. What breed are you using?
That makes a ton of difference from the get-go.

grumpy.

First thing I thought of too .... genetically small rabbits aren't going to magically grow large or quickly no matter how much or what you feed them.

They are all mutts. No special breed. I do have 1 litter of pure champagne d'argents due on Nov 10.

What's the weight of the parents ?

 

[dayna]

All my parents are between 6 and 11 pounds. I know big spread.

I'll get some weights tomorrow and see where we are at.

 

[Ramjet]

All my parents are between 6 and 11 pounds. I know big spread.

I'll get some weights tomorrow and see where we are at.

That explains a lot .... when you consider that the goal from true meat breeds is ~5 lbs in 12 weeks - the majority of those breeds weigh 10-14 lbs when mature. Most people I've talked to and read about seem to fall just short of that goal in 12 weeks with stock bred for the purpose.


I don't think I'd find those weights terribly unexpected given that one of the parents is ~6lbs.


I have a couple scrawny meat mutt does (supposedly Altex/Californian) who are ~6 months and neither have broken 6lbs and they eat more than my Rex who are all 9-11Lbs.... If they weren't such friendly little critters , they'd be long gone.
I wonder if they have worms or something as that cross is suppose to make a fast growing ~9-12lb rabbit.

 

[lissapell]

Forage feeding "makes your rabbits grow slower" is not true. The quality of forage feeding plays a major role. What kind of forage are you feeding? If it is yard weeds from here or there you may not have high enough protein levels for a better growth rate.

 

[dayna]

I grab pretty specific plants. Patridge pea, pidegon pea and other high protein plants.

 

[lissapell]

I grab pretty specific plants. Patridge pea, pidegon pea and other high protein plants.

I am unsure what patridge pea and pidgeon pea is but many peas contain a protein inhibitor. We found that a protein level in plant matter of around 20% or more makes good growth rates for us.<br /><br />__________ Thu Oct 31, 2013 12:25 pm __________<br /><br />are you feeding the pea or the plant before it blooms? it makes a difference in the levels of the blocker and digestibility.

 

[Frecs]

pea plants are a good protein source without the inhibitors that the beans/peas have--or so I think I've read. But, I suspect the amount of protein in the plant depends on whether gathered before flowering/fruiting or after harvest.

 

[dayna]

gathered during all phases of growth.

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

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

http://wildlifeofhawaii.com/flowers/716 ... -bushbean/

Plus these:

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

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

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

__________ Thu Oct 31, 2013 9:06 am __________

Plus others obviously.<br /><br />__________ Thu Oct 31, 2013 9:06 am __________<br /><br />Oh and I feed them the whole plant. I don't pick "peas".