TAP Homestead And Rabbitry, Canton, TX (469)-526-3665: March 2016

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

How And What We Feed

The one question I have received most often when someone is purchasing rabbits from our rabbitry is what type of feed do we use and how much do we feed. First, I am going to say that almost every breeder of meat and show rabbits have their own unique methodology to feeding their livestock. My friend and rabbit mentor Steve Coyne feeds totally different from me although we use the same feed.

Steve tends to feed his rabbits more pellets and less timothy hay than I do. Whereas I tend to give my rabbits more timothy hay and a smaller portion of pellets. Steve and I both raise beautiful rabbits, now most of that comes from the fact that we both have strong bloodlines in our barns. In fact, most of my stock here at the TAP rabbitry comes from Steve's barn, with a couple of New Zealand's thrown in from show breeder Bonita Hunt (Honey Grove, TX) and some awesome American Blues from John Head's Rabbitry in Dayton, Texas.

So which feeding program is better? Well, neither I would say? How can that be you ask? Well the proof is in the condition of the fur and the meat of the rabbit. Many times throughout the year Steve and I butcher together, and while Steve feeds his rabbits a higher portion of pellets, I have never seen any of his rabbit carcasses that were fatty. In fact, I happen to think Steve's rabbits look exceptional. My rabbits as well when dressed out have very little fat and have great muscle mass (meat yield).

So how can two different feeding programs that use the same feed get equal results? I suspect that Steve's rabbits get more of their protein, fiber, and carbohydrates from pellets than mine, while my rabbits get more protein, fiber, and carbohydrates from timothy hay than his. However, overall I believe that both of our rabbits get the same approximate amount of nutrition, just from different sources. This hypothesis would seem to be validated as rabbits of the same age from both our barns yield the same approximate amount of meat per carcass when dressed out side-by-side.

So what does all this mean? Simply that there are many ways in which you can feed your rabbits to make sure that they get the necessary amount of protein, fiber, carbohydrates and fats that your rabbits need to keep them healthy while maximizing your meat yields.

What We Feed, And How Much

If you look on the back of your feed bag you will see that many manufacturers have a table listed on the feed regarding what they consider to be the necessary amount of feed that you should give your rabbits to ensure that they get the necessary nutrients, vitamins, and minerals they need for healthy growth. You will notice that most manufacturer's recommend feeding your rabbits by weight, but I do not know many meat breeders that take the time to weigh all of their rabbits once a week to determine the weight of the animal.

John Gillis, who was Steve Coyne's friend and rabbit mentor was a prolific breeder of New Zealand rabbits whose rabbits won many awards at rabbit shows. Steve told me that John had an old 6oz mushroom can that he used to fill and feed his adults rabbits with and Steve said his rabbits always looked healthy. So now you know why we started out feeding our adult rabbits ¾ cup (6 ounces) of pellets daily. Eventually we began adjusting or feeding program to suit our own individual needs depending on the age of the rabbit.

We feed all of our rabbits by age rather than by weight (12 weeks and older, non-pregnant or lactating) a big handful of timothy hay in the morning and 6 ounces of Mann-Pro each evening. I have listed the feeding program that we follow. It works for us quite well and the rabbits appear healthy and happy.

Bucks and Non-Pregnant, Non-Lactating Does

Kits 4 to 12 weeks old: 6 ounces of pellets per kit twice a day (12 ounces total)

12 weeks old throughout adulthood: 6 ounces pellets per rabbit a day

Pregnant or Lactating Does

Week 1: 6 ounces of pellets twice a day, 1 teaspoon Calf-Manna twice a day.

Week 2 until the kits are weaned: 6 ounces of pellets a day, 2 teaspoons Calf-Manna in the morning, 1 teaspoon in the evening.

Regardless of age, all rabbits get a large handful of timothy hay every morning placed in their hay basket. For grow out cages that have multiple rabbits, we make sure that they have sufficient hay related to the number of rabbits in the cage. Now, I realize that a “one big handful” is not a very scientific portion of hay. In fact, my friend Steve's hand is twice my size (he is almost 7' tall) but I try not to make it over complicated, use your best judgment. Personally I do not think you can feed your rabbits too much hay and it is relatively cheap.

In addition to our daily feeding regimen, every Monday morning we feed our rabbits our Black Oil Sunflower Seed (BOSS) snack mix. It is a combination of BOSS, whole grains oats, with a teaspoon of Calf-Manna growth and conditioning supplement. You can find our recipe by clicking on the BOSS snack mix link.

Evaluating Your Feeding Program

So how do you know if your feeding your meat rabbits enough pellets and/or hay? Checking for obesity is not always that easy, but in general you should be able to feel the rabbits ribs without seeing them. When you run you hands over the back of your rabbit you should be able to feel the spine, but it should not be to prominent or sharp and pointed feeling. If you can see your rabbits ribs and it's backbone is way to prominent then you need to increase the amount of pellets you are feeding your rabbit.

If your rabbits dewlap is so large it touches it's elbows when it is sitting up it is probably too fat. If you see loose skin that touches the ground around your rabbits backside, then it is probably too fat. If your rabbit has large loose folds of skin behind it's head and over it's shoulders then your rabbit is probably too fat. Kinda sounds like a Jeff Foxworthy redneck joke doesn't it? Having said that, if your rabbit meets any of these criteria, then you probably need to decrease the amount of pellets you are feeding your rabbits.

If for some reason you are are not satisfied by your observation skills, then by all means break out the scale and weigh some of your rabbits. Compare them with the average size of the breed that your raising to determine whether your livestock meets the breed standards or not, and adjust your feeding accordingly.

Transitioning From One Feed To Another

If you just brought your new rabbits home and you are going to use a different brand of feed than the breeder you purchased your rabbits from, then you will need to transition your rabbits to the new feed. As a breeder I offer all my customers some of my feed to help them transition their new rabbits from my feed to theirs if they are going to use a different brand than the Manna-Pro that we use. If the breeder does not offer you any transitions feed when you purchase your rabbit(s) do not be afraid to ask for a small amount of the feed they use to help you transition your rabbits to your new feed.

When you get home, your new feed needs to be introduced into the rabbits diet gradually over a period of about 7 days. A simple way to do this is to feed about 2/3's of the original food and 1/3 of the new diet for 2 days, then half of the original diet and half of the new diet for 2 days, and then 1/3 of the original diet and 2/3's of the new diet for 2 days. After these 6 transition days, the new diet can be fed without the original diet.

We feed all of our rabbits (12 weeks and older, non-pregnant or lactating) 6 ounces of Mann-Pro each evening. We use the formula outlined previously to transition any new rabbits to our herd from other breeders who do not use Mann-Pro rabbit feed. Because I like to keep it simple and fractions scale some people, I have broken down our transition regimen into ounces.

Day 1, 2: 4 ounces original feed, 2 ounces Manna-Pro

Day 3, 4: 3 ounces original feed, 3 ounces Manna-Pro

Day 5, 6: 2 ounces original feed, 4 ounces Manna-Pro

Day 7: 6 ounces Manna-Pro

Conclusion

Some breeders will look at our feeding regimen and think that we do not feed enough, but the proof of our success can be clearly seen when we observe our breeders, and dress out of feeders (the ones we eat). Steve and I have two clearly different approaches to feeding our herds, but we both get quality results and our rabbits appear happy and healthy. As a breeder of meat rabbits you will have to examine all of the data and come to your own conclusions. You may choose a feeding program that is similar to Steve's or one that is more like mine, of you may tailor one to meet your own individual needs.

Remember, different situations require different solutions. Eventually you will find a feeding program that works for your and your rabbitry. As always, if you have enjoyed this article or find it's information useful, please feel free to share it with your friends, and do not forget to send us a friend request on Facebook and Google+.

Monday, March 28, 2016

Choosing The Right Feed (Pellet)

By far choosing the right pellet to feed your rabbits is the most important dietary choice that you will make. For the most part, your rabbit will eat just about any pellet you place in their bowl so their health and physical condition is your responsibility. Good quality pellets are most important in the younger stages of rabbit development because they are highly concentrated in vitamins and nutrients, helping to ensure proper weight gain. A quality pelleted food should be high in fiber (18% minimum) and be nutritionally balanced. As a rabbit reaches maturity, however, pellets should make up less of the diet – replaced with higher quantities of hay. Overfeeding pellets in mature rabbits can lead to obesity and other medical conditions which can slow down or interrupt your breeding process.

The ingredients that go into your rabbits pellets are just as important as the protein, fiber, fat, and vitamin and mineral content of the feed. Look at the label, a good quality feed will have alfalfa or alfalfa meal listed as the main ingredient. Alfalfa is high in crude protein (min 16%), and crude fiber (max 30%), with just about the right amount of crude fat (min 1.5%) and it is easily for rabbits to digest. Cheaper quality feeds simply list 'plant proteins' as the primary source of protein.

It should be noted that all pellets are not created equal. In fact, some of the more expensive pellets are the worst to give to your rabbits. For example Dumar Classic Rabbit Food sells for $9.99 for a 20lb bag ($0.50 a pound) at my local Tractor Supply (TSC). It has the lowest amount of protein (13%), and the least amount of vitamin A (1000 UI/Lb) and other vitamins and nutrients of all the other feeds available in my area. Not only is this feed more expensive, but it does not supply your meat rabbit with enough protein for normal healthy growth and it definitely does not supply your pregnant and lactating does (who need 18% protein) with enough protein to successfully give birth and feed her kits consistently.

Availability

Unfortunately, your choice of quality rabbit pellets may be limited to what is available in your local area. I am lucky, my local Tractor Supply carries two of the most popular quality rabbit feeds as well as their own house brand of pellets. Sometimes getting them to carry enough of the 50lb bags to supply my needs is a challenge and I have to buy the smaller more expensive 25lb bags.

Local feed stores almost always have cheaper prices than many of the chains, but their selection varies. If there are not many rabbit breeders in your area, they may not even carry any rabbit feed, and what they carry may be the cheaper lower quality type feeds. Many of them will however special order feed for you and if you buy it from them on a consistent basis, they will happily stock it for you.

Price Point

I will be honest, when I first started raising rabbits I thought that there would be a wide range of feed prices depending on the brand. What I have found is that for a 50lb bag of feed the price between the three most popular options in my area Mann-Pro (which we use) $16.49, Purina Complete $17.99, and Producer's Pride (TSC house brand) $14.99 is about $2 - $3.50. Of these three, I would only consider using two either the Manna-Pro, or the Purina Complete simply because the primary ingredient in both is alfalfa, whereas the Producers Pride brand lists it's primary ingredient as 'plant proteins'. The use of variable plant proteins as opposed to alfalfa is one of the reasons I believe that the Producer's Pride rabbit feed has a low price point.

Tips For Purchasing Quality Pellets

No matter which brand of rabbit pellets you decide to choose, I have listed some tips to consider when purchasing your feed. They can not only save you money, but help to ensure the health and safety of your rabbits.

No. 1 – If you only have 2 to 4 rabbits, then buying a 25lb bag of feed versus a 50lb bag of feed will help your to maintain the freshness of the pellets. This is important as some of the vitamins and minerals may begin to degrade over time. However, once your rabbits begin to breed, your feed requirements will go up substantially so buying the 50lb bags is more convienant and will save you money.

No. 2 – Check the milling date of your feed. Located on the bottom of the bag should be a milled date indicating when the feed will milled. The last bag of pellets that I bought was date 3/9/16, I purchased them on 3/20/16. Therefore I know the pellets were milled and bagged only 11 days before I purchased them. This is important as some vitamins and minerals start to decay rapidly after 90 days.

No. 3 – Stay away from purchasing pellets at your local pet store or big box retailer. Primarily because they tend to sell inferior feed in small 3 – 8lb bags at almost twice the price of quality feed that you can purchase from your local feed store (see tip No. 4).

No. 4 – Avoid the brightly colored novelty rabbit foods. They kind with the seeds, and snacks already added to the feed. You know the type, the brightly colored bags labled 'Bunny Snacks' or 'Gourmet' variety. They are high in sugars, and lower in protein and they will definitely lighten your wallet. One such product is 'Kaytee Gourmet Variety Diet' It does not list the percentage of protein, fiber or carbohydrate in the product which is primarily made from seeds and fruits with some hay. One 3.5lb bag sells for $6.59, thats $1.88 a pound. If you bought 50lb's it would cost your $94.14, compared to the average price of a good qualty alfalfa pellet that is less than $20.00 for 50lbs.

No. 5 – Constantly changing feeds can make your rabbits sick increasing their chance of getting diarrhea and enteritis (upset GI system) which can ultimately lead to their death. Pick one brand of feed and stay with it. If you eventually decide to change feeds for a particular reason, that is ok, but do not buy one brand one week and another the next, and a third the week after that. Switching back and forth from feed brand to feed brand can cause you more nightmares that using a lesser quality feed. If all you can get is a less desirable house brand of feed from your local supplier, then you are better off using that and supplementing your rabbits diet, than switching back and forth between different feeds from week to week.

Conclusion

A Rabbit's digestive system is unique and is full of special microbes that help it break down and digest the various fibers and other food. Because of this, rabbit's require a fairly high amount of high quality fiber in their diet to maintain a healthy microbial population in the rabbits digestive tract for proper digestion and optimal gut health. In addition, a good quality protein source is essential for proper bone and muscle mass growth. Lower protein levels slow down growth and development of your young fryers and breeders. Remember pregnant and lactating does not an increased source of high quality protein to help them with the rigors of giving birth and feeding their kits.

Here at TAP rabbitry we use Manna-Pro feed for our meat rabbits. We have been real happy with the quality of the feed and it is falls in the middle of the road when it comes to price point. I know many breeders who raise rabbits for show that prefer the more expensive 'show' feeds such as Bluebonnet, Pen Pals, and Show-Rite. We have never used them, but I have placed a comparison of these products side by side in this article for your comparison. I am not sure of their individual price, but from looking a the labels, I can see no real advantage to using these feeds for my rabbit's as opposed to Manna-Pro.

Remember these are just my opinions based on my experiences and my research. You need to decide and feed what you think is best for your and your rabbits. I have attempted to give you all the basic information in one place that I think you will need to make an informed decision when choosing the right rabbit pellet for your herd. As always, if you have enjoyed this article or find it's information useful, please feel free to share it with your friends, and do not forget to send us a friend request on Facebook and Google+.

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Proper Rabbit Nutrition

Few things will make your rabbitry more successful than feeding your rabbits a proper and well balanced diet. Just about every rabbit breeder has their own opinions about what makes for a balanced diet. Many breeders of show rabbits follow a specific feeding regimen and swear by a specific brand of feed and or supplements. While many meat breeders follow a slightly different path when it comes to feeding their herd.

Whether you are breeding rabbits for show, meat, or simply as pets, there are certain nutritional needs that your rabbit or rabbits need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Here on the TAP homestead, we raise New Zealand Reds and Whites in addition to American Blues. These breeds were developed as meat rabbits, so our focus is slightly different than that of show breeders. Having said that, we use the same high quality pedigreed bloodlines in our herd to produce superior meat breeding livestock. We try and maintain our livestock to meet the standards of the breed per the ARBA guidelines.

It is our desire that the following information will give you all the necessary tools you need to make competent decisions regarding the nutritional needs of the rabbits in your herd.

Protein

Protein is needed for the development of strong bones and lean muscle mass (meat). Protein requirement for rabbits varies depending on their age and whether they are pregnant or lactating. In general rabbits need 12% to 18% protein in their diet. As mentioned, protein requirements vary throughout the life stage of your rabbits. A good balanced pellet based feed should contain 15 – 16% of high quality protein. This level of protein will provide the necessary amount of amino acids to allow your rabbits to build quality muscle mass (meat yield) throughout all of the growth stages of your rabbits life cycle.

Gestating and lactating does require a slightly higher percentage of protein (about 18%) to help them not only produce healthy kits, but to also produce enough quality milk to help a momma feed her litter. Once a does kits have been weaned, she should be placed back on a quality pellet that has 15 – 16% protein. While protein is an important part of your rabbits diet, continued use of feeds with high levels of protein (18% or greater) may be detrimental to your rabbit's long-term health.

Carbohydrates and Fiber

As with humans, carbohydrates are the major energy source for your rabbits. The primary source of your rabbits carbohydrates should come from a good quality form of non-digestible fiber. High levels of non-digestible fiber, such as timothy and or coastal hay, help to stimulate gut motility and may help prevent enteritis and obesity. In addition, non-digestible fiber is important for dental health because it helps your rabbits teeth wear evenly. Fermentable fiber helps rabbits digest cecotrophs as well as preventing the colonization of bad bacteria in the cecum, again, decreasing the likelihood of enteritis. In addition, your rabbits need certain fatty acids (propionate, butyrate, acetate) which are produced by healthy bacteria in the rabbits cecum. These fatty acids are then absorbed into the rabbits bloodstream as an additional source of energy. To produce these fatty acids, rabbits require a diet with a crude fiber of 12% to 16% depending on your rabbits age and growth cycle.

While growing kits and adult normally need 15 - 16% crude fiber in their diet fro proper growth and maintenance, gestating and lactating does actually need less non-digestable fiber about 12% to 14%. If you feed a good quality pellet and timothy or coastal hay you will not have to worry about your rabbits carbohydrate and fiber needs as doing such insures they get the necessary amount of fiber for proper GI health.

Breeder's Note: Rabbits that are fed a good quality pellet should not be given alfalfa hay as the primary carbohydrate component in most pellet feeds is alfalfa meal. Feeding alfalfa hay in addition to pellets can cause your rabbit to have intestinal as well as urinary complications (see section on minerals).

Fats

Fats are a secondary energy source and the place that fat-soluble vitamins are stored for later use by rabbits. A good commercial pellet feed should contain 2% to 4% of fat, which is all your rabbit needs to maintain a healthy body composition. Added fat is not necessary in your rabbits diet, and excess amounts of fats increase the risk of obesity, hepatic lipidosis, and atherosclerosis in the aorta. As a side note, fat rabbits become lazy rabbits which can lead to a decreased desire to reproduce causing your breeding program to suffer.

Vitamins

A good quality pellet feed (Manna Pro, Purina, Bluebonnet etc…) should be fortified with the necessary vitamins (fat and water soluble) and minerals to help your rabbit maintain a healthy life. The B vitamins thiamine (B1) riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pridoxine (B6), biotin, folic acid and the cobalamin (B12) and C are water soluble. Vitamins are A, D, E, and K are fat soluble. The B-complex vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12) are synthesized by bacteria in the rabbits cecum. The rabbit then excretes cecotrophs (grape like clusters of vitamin packed goodness) which they eat in order to reabsorb these vitamins. Obesity can prevent a rabbit from reaching its anus to eat its cecotrophs, resulting in a vitamin deficiency.

When purchasing pellet food, look at the label on the bag and check the date (usually stamped on the bottom of the bag) in which it was packaged as vitamins A and E will degrade over time due to oxidization. Therefore all rabbit feed should be fed within 90 days of milling to prevent this loss of the essential vitamins.

Minerals

A good quality pellet feed, should have alfalfa meal listed as the first ingredient (that means the majority of the feed is composed of this ingredient). Alfalfa is high in calcium and phosphorous and has the right amount of calcium and phosphorus needed through all the stages of your rabbit's life cycle from kit to adult. In addition, most commercial pellets are supplemented and or fortified with minerals. This is important as mineral deficiencies can cause poor bone and joint growth as well as bone demineralization in adult rabbits increasing the risk of your rabbit breaking a leg or it's back (common rabbit injury's that can occur when they are startled or handled improperly).

If you have drop trays under you cages then you will definitely notice that sometimes the urine in the trays will appear to have a milky like consistency. This is normal as rabbits absorb all the calcium in their diet and the excess not used by the rabbit is excreted by the kidneys as calcium carbonate in their urine making the urine appear to have a milk like color and consistency. Too much calcium however in your rabbits diet can lead to the formation of kidney stones in the kidneys, bladder and ureters which is not only painful but can cause death in an otherwise healthy rabbit. For proper urinary health your rabbits only require a calcium level of 0.5 – 1%.

Conclusion

Feeding your rabbits a nutrient rich balanced diet not only helps to keep your breeders healthy, it also allows for the maximum growth of young fryers. Healthy rabbits reproduce more often and have larger litters and are less susceptible to disease. All of these attributes are essential to running a successful rabbitry whether you are raising rabbits to show or are simply raising meat pens to feed your friends and family. And as always, if you have enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends and don't forget to send us on friend request on Facebook and Google+ so that you will not miss out on any of our new articles.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Meet Jammer

Every so often, every breeder whether you are breeding show rabbits or meat pens, needs to go outside their barn and add some new blood to their herd just to keep it genetically healthy. Because my friend Steve Coyne (Texas Bunny Barn Blog) and I have primarily the same breeding stock we both decided it was time to introduce some new bloodlines.

While we both breed for meat only (no show rabbits), it was time to add some new pedigreed bloodlines into or herds. You may ask, Why would you want pedigreed rabbits if you are simply breeding for meat pens? It's simple really, good breeding stock produces good healthy babies. While neither of us show rabbits, we take the time and effort to try and produce show quality meat pen rabbits.

I will be honest, we eat most of what we breed, so if you are feeding your family it only makes sense to breed the best quality animal you can. No one wants to or should buy, butcher, and feed a sickly animal to their family and friends. Anyway, this post is to introduce you to Jammer one of my two new bucks that will going into my herd. I am excited about this little guy and hope he will be a real producer for us.

This white New Zealand Buck that I purchased from breeder Bonita Hunt located in Honey Grove, Texas has a strong Basgil Borden bloodline as you can tell by his pedigree. Bontia produces some awesome looking show rabbits who win many times when they are entered at the shows. Like Magnum, for the rest of his life Jammer is going to be a ladies man…

If you are interested in quality meat breeders and we do not have anything available here at TAP Rabbitry, then I always direct my cutomers to my friend and mentor Steve Coyne. I have listed his information taken from the Texas Rabbit Breeder directory. In addition, I wanted to just leave a plug for fellow breeder Bontia Hunt. If you are looking for top quality show rabbits check out her herd.

Fellow Breeders:

Steven Coyne (Texas Rabbit Barn)
texasbunnybarn@yahoo.com
972-742-4922

Forney, Texas
Breeds: New Zealand, American Blues

We breed for meat breeders only. We do not provide pedigrees, nor do we tattoo our rabbits. STRICTLY MEAT RABBITS! If you’d like us to breed for your meat pens, please contact us a minimum of 110 days prior to your show date. Our breeding stock is pedigreed and comes from the John Gillis bloodline. Please contact us for additional information.

Bonita Hunt (Baileywick Rabbitry)

bhunt1961@yahoo.com
(903)946-4666

Honey Grove, Texas
Breeds: New Zealands, Meat Pens, Dwarf Hotots, Californians, Mini Lops, Dutch, Lionhead lops, Lionheads, Mini Satins, Jersey Woolies, Netherland Dwarfs, Polish, Holland Lops

I specialize, in raising lionhead Lops- they make excellent pets and are very sociable. I promote the NZ colors,for meat pens. I’m the Rabbit project leader and Superintendent for Camp County 4H. When you buy, from me, I furnish you with feed and a Beginners guide for you new friend. I also, provide all the info you need to raise your meat pens and my phone number is always available for any questions. I’m a nurse and I keep my rabbitry in tip top shape and my rabbits, are happy rabbits. They are handled, often. They are checked monthly for any ear mites and the nails are clipped. I use Purina Show Chow(Blue Bag). I have pet and show quality Rabbits. I love my rabbits and love to talk about rabbits. They make awesome and wonderful pets.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

New Broken Buck 'Magnum'

I will be honest, we eat most of what we breed, so if you are feeding your family it only makes sense to breed the best quality animal you can. No one wants to buy, butcher, and feed a sickly animal to their family and friends. Anyway, this post is to introduce one of my two new bucks that will going into my herd. I am excited about this little guy and hope he will be a real producer for us.

After seeing that cute little butterfly face it reminded me of a big old bushy mustache, and for some reason I thought of Magnum P.I., so that is how he got his name. Magnum is a New Zealand Broken Black who I purchased from breeder Bonita Hunt located in Honey Grove, Texas. She produces some awesome looking show rabbits who win many times when they are entered at the shows. At just over three months old this little guy has never been to a show, but his pedigree speaks for itself. For the rest of his life he is going to be a ladies man…

If you are interested in quality meat breeders and we do not have anything available I always direct my cutomers to my friend and rabbit mentor Steve Coyne. I have listed his information taken from the Texas Rabbit Breeder directory. In addition, I wanted to just leave a plug for fellow breeder Bontia Hunt. If you are looking for top quality show rabbits check out her herd.

Steven Coyne (TexasRabbit Barn)
texasbunnybarn@yahoo.com
972-742-4922

Forney, Texas
Breeds: New Zealand, American Blues
We breed for meat breeders only. We do not provide pedigrees, nor do we tattoo our rabbits. STRICTLY MEAT RABBITS! If you’d like us to breed for your meat pens, please contact us a minimum of 110 days prior to your show date. Our breeding stock is pedigreed and comes from the John Gillis bloodline. Please contact us for additional information.

Bonita Hunt (Baileywick Rabbitry)

bhunt1961@yahoo.com
(903)946-4666

Honey Grove, Texas
Breeds: New Zealands, Meat Pens, Dwarf Hotots, Californians, Mini Lops, Dutch, Lionhead lops, Lionheads, Mini Satins, Jersey Woolies, Netherland Dwarfs, Polish, Holland Lops
I specialize, in raising lionhead Lops- they make excellent pets and are very sociable. I promote the NZ colors,for meat pens. I’m the Rabbit project leader and Superintendent for Camp County 4H. When you buy, from me, I furnish you with feed and a Beginners guide for you new friend. I also, provide all the info you need to raise your meat pens and my phone number is always available for any questions. I’m a nurse and I keep my rabbitry in tip top shape and my rabbits, are happy rabbits. They are handled, often. They are checked monthly for any ear mites and the nails are clipped. I use Purina Show Chow(Blue Bag). I have pet and show quality Rabbits. I love my rabbits and love to talk about rabbits. They make awesome and wonderful pets.

Monday, March 14, 2016

BOSS Snack Mix

Here at the TAP rabbitry we feed our rabbits an oat and black oil sunflower seed (BOSS) mix once a week as a supplement to keep our rabbits healthy and their coats shiny. Around here we call it 'Snack Mix Monday's' as we give them this to them every Monday morning in addition to their daily portion of Timothy Hay. Before you read any further, I want to say this up front, we feed this snack mix to our herd all year. There are many detractors that will say this practise will “blow a rabbits coat” or cause the rabbit to molt prematurely during the summer months. I have not noticed this during any of the years that we have been raising rabbits, but I will not lie to you it could happen. Having said that, it does not really matter to us as we are breeding rabbits for meat and not for show. Therefore for us the benefits out weigh the risks.

If you are breeding rabbits to show, and you do not want to take the chance of 'blowing' your rabbits coat then you might want to stop giving your rabbits the BOSS component of the snack mix during the late spring and summer months.

The Recipe

Our recipe is pretty simple, it is 2 parts old fashioned oats, to 1 part BOSS. We combine this in a large container and then shake it thoroughly each time before we get ready to feed the rabbits to make sure the BOSS is even distributed. We then line up a series of small bowls and fill each with ¼ cup of the oats and BOSS mix. We then add 1 teaspoon of Calf-Manna supplement to each bowl.

32 ounces Old Fashioned Oats (Any brand will do)

16 ounces Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (BOSS)

The Components and Nutritional Benefits of BOSS

Black oil sunflower seeds have many necessary nutrients that help promote the healthy growth of your rabbits skin and coat as well as promoting the intestinal health of your rabbit. It should be noted however that BOSS are meant as a supplement and should not be fed to your rabbits on a daily basis as the same nutrients that are a benefit to the rabbit in small amount could have ill effects when consumed in large quantities. The following is the nutritional breakdown on the Royal Wing BOSS that we purchase from our local Tractor Supply and use in our snack mix.

Fats, fiber, protein, minerals and vitamins are essential in the healthy growth of both people as well as livestock. Having a correct balance of these essential elements will not only promote healthy growth but will help your does to have productive healthy litters.

Fat Content (25 – 30%, Avg 28%) - Fats function as a secondary source of energy, and it aids in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. In addition if helps your rabbit to grow a healthy shiny coat and some breeders state that it may help slow the shedding process, but I cannot verify this claim.

Crude Fiber Content (14.5 – 20.8%, Avg 17.2%) - Fiber helps to keep your rabbits digestive system healthy by promoting proper bowel function as well as aiding in the digestion of other foods. In both humans and animals, fiber helps keep out gut working correctly and is an important part of your rabbits diet.

Protein Content (14.1-19.9%, Avg 16.6%) - A good source of protein is needed for the growth, disease resistance, milk production, and the overall general health and reproduction of your herd.

The Electrolytes (Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, and Magnesium) – Sodium, potassium and magnesium play a crucial role cardiac function and muscle contraction, while calcium is a vital component in the growth and healthy bone structure. However, just as in humans, excess calcium in the blood stream can lean to the production of urinary stones, and urinary tract problems, but the risk is minimal.

The Vitamins (A, B, E, and K)

Rabbits produce their own vitamin packed dietary supplement in their cecum that they then poop out. These small grape looking clusters called cecotropes are then eaten by the rabbit. I know it's sounds kind of gross, but cecotropes are not actually feces, rather they are the rabbits own home made nutrient-packed dietary supplement that is essential to their good rabbit's good health. If you have not seen these cecotropes before, do not be alarmed, rabbits usually produce them in the late evening or early morning hours leading some people to call them 'night feces'. Having said all of that, the additional vitamin content in BOSS are considered by most a definite advantage.

The Components of Calf-Manna

Calf-Manna is a performance supplement that many meat and show breeders swear by, and It is an integral part of our rabbitry. It's combination of high quality protein, low fat content, easily digestible carbohydrates and essential vitamins and minerals help to keep our rabbits healthy and enhance their overall weight without making them fat.

We purchase Calf-Manna from our local Tractor Supply, but you should be able find it at any feed store. Because we have already discussed the importance of fats, fiber, protein, vitamins and mineral earlier in this article I am just going to list the percentage of the major components.

Fat Content (3%)

Crude Fiber Content (3 – 6%)

Protein Content (Minimum 25%)

All of our rabbits get 1 teaspoon of Calf-Manna with their ¼ cup of our snack mix. In addition, we give our pregnant does 1 teaspoon a day, during their first week of pregnancy, 2 teaspoons a day during the second week until they kindle, then we give them 1 tablespoon of Calf-Manna daily.

Conclusion

Our recipe for 'BOSS Snack Mix' is an essential part of our rabbits diet. During the last three years we have been using it I have never seen and unusual shedding of our rabbits coats. In fact I would say our rabbits have very good prime coats all year. In addition, when butchering our animals to go into the freezer, they have minimal fat and exquisite musculature.

If you are raising rabbits for show and you are worried about 'blowing' their coats then, try our recipe during the winter months of October through April, then omit the BOSS. If you are wanting to learn more about raising rabbit, be sure and check out some of my other articles on the subject on our blog. And as always, if you have enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends and don't forget to send us on friend request on Facebook and Google+ so that you will not miss out on any of our new articles.

References:

Maynz, Melissa, Black Oil Sunflower Seeds, December 27, 2014

Feedipedia (Sunflower Seeds)

The Scoop On Poop, San Diego House Rabbit Society

Bunny Fight Club

Rule No. 1 – Never talk about 'Bunny Fight Club.'

Rule No. 2 – What ever happens in 'Bunny Fight Club' stays in 'Bunny Fight Club.'

Ok, so I am not Ed Norton Jr., or Brad Pitt by any means, and it was never my intention to start my own 'Bunny Fight Club,' but I felt I must share my embarrassing moment with other new rabbit owners and breeders. We had only been raising rabbits for about 3 months back in 2014 when I needed to do some maintenance to the rabbitry which required me to empty my three doe cages. Fortunately, so I thought at the time, I had a 2ft x 6ft long rabbit tractor that I could place the does in while I worked on the building rearranging the cages to make it easier to clean and water etc.

I had the first two does out and in the tractor and everything seemed fine and they were busying themselves eating the grass each appearing ambivalent to the other. Then came doe number three, after putting here in the tractor I watched them for a few minutes and everything appeared fine, so I began the necessary work on the rabbitry. Fifteen minutes later fur was flying and blood was let as the 'Battle Royale' began when two of the does took upon themselves to try and dominate the other.

Needless to say someone screamed like a little girl (I am embarrassed to think that maybe it was me), as I ran towards the rabbit tractor in an effort to separate the two combatants. As I approached the rabbit tractor, I could see both had what looked like a fair amount of blood on both the combatants. One's muzzle was completely covered in blood, the other had several patches of blood on it's head and hindquarters. At this point I was not sure if one had bitten a chunk out the other or what wounds they had sustained as the color of blood really stood out on the white of the rabbits fur increasing my anxiety.

With the assistance of my wife I was able to get the rabbits separated and placed back in their respective cages. To be honest, they looked pretty battered and bloody although a quick cursory inspection of each rabbit while transporting them from the rabbit tractor back to their cages left no blood on my hands (other than my own). I remember as I carried them from the rabbit tractor to their cages I could feel their hearts beating at what felt like 300 beats a minute, and I am not sure how fast mine was beating but I know it was quite rapid as well.

As my wife and I watched them in their cages, the girls laid there panting, their chests heaving up and down and their heads rocking back and forth with their eyes slightly closed. The adrenaline from the whole fiasco made the pit of my stomach churn and the only thing I could think was “please do not let my stupidity cost me the life of one of these beautiful creatures.” I wanted to hold them and perform a closer inspection of their wounds at the time, but was afraid to do so. I knew that any additional undue stress upon the rabbits could cause them to die from stress related cardiac arrest due to the over production of adrenaline that can happen when their 'flight or fight' response is activated.

At this point I went into “nurse mode”, I knew from my years as an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse, the only thing left for me to do at this point was to watch and observe the girls and act only if I noticed any changes in their status. Within the hour the doe with the bloody nose was sitting up and grooming and I began to relax just a little, but her opponent laid curled up in a small plastic basket I had placed back in the corner of her cage a few weeks back. This particular doe was the one I was most worried about as she continued to exhibit signs of extreme stress and continued to lay there panting and rocking her head back and forth with her eyes only slightly opened. I was concerned that she was not going to recover from this event, and I chastised myself for being so stupid, especially since my friend Steven Coyne had told me when I purchased the does from him (four weeks prior to this event) that they had just began to become aggressive among themselves and he had to separate them to keep them from fighting.

So why did I not heed Steven's warnings? Maybe I rationalized my concerns away thinking the rabbit tractor was big enough (2ft x 6ft) that they would be to busy grazing on the grass to be concerned with infighting long enough for me to perform the necessary maintenance that was needed. Or was it simply my lack of experience raising rabbits? In truth it was probably a combination of both, but it was not a mistake I will make again.

The synopsis of the 'Bunny Fight Club' is as follows. It appears that doe number 1 took a paw to her nose which bleed profusely like any good punch in the nose will do. She then proceeded to rub her blood all over her opponent (I assume attempting to bite her), making doe number 2 appear as if she had multiple bite wounds that were bleeding. Yours truly, received more than twenty various scratches while attempting to separate the combatants (some which bleed more than doe number ones nose). Within 24 hours both does had recovered and I could find no bite or claw marks upon either doe, and all traces of blood had been groomed from their fur. Four days later, I on the other hand still had scratches that were somewhat tender, especially one on my right hand between two fingers where I received a deep gouge from one of the does powerful back legs. Overall, however, disaster was avoided, and no animal or owner appears to have suffered any permanent damage from this first and hopefully only 'Bunny Fight Club' experience.

If you are new to raising rabbits and you have several does who are 16 weeks or older, or they have began to start fighting among themselves, it is time to separate them from the grow out cages and place them in their own cage. In addition, I encourage you to not place them in the same rabbit tractor even for a few minutes as you may not be as fortunate as I was. Had my rabbit tractor not been placed in an area in which I could observe the rabbits behavior, they may have actually inflicted mortal wounds upon one another, or simply died from an adrenaline overdose related to the prolonged stress of such an encounter.

Update (March 14, 2016): It has been two years since I wrote this original article, but we never got around to starting this blog until now. We currently have over 16 adult New Zealand Whites and Reds in our rabbitry and 18 kits under 10 weeks. I have since learned to keep at least a minimum of 2 cages in reserve for those time when I need to perform cage maintenance. Believe me it helps keep the stress level way down when performing needed work to the rabbitry.

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Grilled Brined Rabbit

Of all the recipes that I use rabbit in, this simple grilled rabbit one is my favorite. Grilled rabbit that has been brined is not only succulent, but the flavor profile is out of this world. The greatness of this recipe is it's simplicity and minimal amount of ingredients that allow the flavor of the rabbit to shine. The one caveat is that you need to brine the rabbit the day before you want to grill it to ensure that the meat has timer to absorb the flavors of the brine.

Now this recipe, although simple, contains two flavor components, the first is the brine, and the second is the marinade and basting liquid. The majority of the flavor inside of the meat comes from the brine, as any spices that are placed in the brine are pulled into the meat overnight. The marinade, is primarily used to give an additional flavor boost (flavor to the outside of the meat), and is not really used as a tenderizing agent as marinades often are.

The Brine

This brine is a slight variation of my all-purpose brine used in my blog article: Brining: Adds Flavor and Juiciness to Chicken, Turkey, and Rabbit. I highly recommend that you brine your rabbit before grilling, the flavor and juiciness of a rabbit that has been brined and grilled is phenomenal compared to one that has not been brined. I promise you, if you just try brining your rabbit once, before you grill it, you will never grill it without brining again.

Grilled Rabbit Brine

8 cups (2 quarts) water

½ cup kosher salt

½ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon black peppercorns

8 whole allspice berries
2 bay leaves dried

1-inch piece of cinnamon

In a large stock pot add all the ingredient except the cold water and bring to a boil, stirring until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove the stockpot from the heat and allow to cool. After cooled down completely, place in the fridge overnight for use the next day. I try and always make a brine the day before we are going to butcher. If you like you rabbit with a kick, then add two whole jalapeños chopped with seeds to the brine.

Chef's Note: I personally like the taste of this brine, my wife thinks it could use just a little less salt. I urge you to try it just as it is in the recipe, but if you discover that it does taste to salty for you, then decease the salt to 1/3 cup, or simply add an additional quart of water to the stockpot.

Once the brine has been refrigerated, add your rabbit and allow it to brine for 8 to 16 hours. I usually place the rabbit in the brine and allow it to soak overnight or until I am ready to cook it the next day. About an hour before you are ready to begin cooking, drain the brine from the stockpot and add the marinade.

Grilled Rabbit Marinade

¼ cup olive oil

4 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon honey

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon dried parsley

¼ teaspoon rubbed thyme

Combine all the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together and set aside until you are ready to add it to your rabbit. About an hour before you are ready to begin grilling, drain the brine from the stockpot and add the marinade, then prepare your grill to cook the meat.

Using A Charcoal Grill – If using a a charcoal grill heat until coals turn ash white then place meat on the grill and cook for 10 to 15 minutes per side for a total of 35 to 45 minutes or until the juices run clear. The disadvantage to a charcoal grill is that it is more difficult to cook your rabbit using indirect heat. Having the meat directly over the coals increases the risk of flair ups from any oil or fat from the meat and the marinade.

Using A Gas Grill – When using a gas grill, heat with both burners on high for 5 minutes, then turn one burner off and place the meat on the side of the grill in which the burner is off and cook for 15 minutes. Then turn on both burners and turn the meat and place it on the other side of the grill and turn the burner under the meat off and cook for another 15 minutes. Repeat as necessary until the meat has cooked for 45 minutes or until the juices run clear.

When you grill is ready, remove the rabbit from the marinade and place on a platter or baking sheet. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to kill off any unwanted bacteria from the raw meat. Once the marinade has cooked for the allotted time, remove from the heat and set aside. You will use the marinade to baste the rabbit with each time you turn it during the grilling process.

Conclusion

As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, brining adds not only flavor but moisture to rabbit. This is important as rabbit is extremely lean and can quickly dry out when grilled. Using a brine like the one in this article is the most reliable way to keep your rabbit from quickly becoming a meal that is tough and chewy and something that no one wants to eat. If you have friends and family that are skeptical about eating rabbit, this is one of the best recipes to use to introduce them to the joys of eating rabbit.

If you are wanting to learn about cooking rabbit, be sure and check out some of my other articles on the subject on our blog. And as always, if you have enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends and don't forget to send us on friend request on Facebook and Google+ so that you will not miss out on any of our new articles.

References From Our Other Blog: Culinary You:

Brining: Adds Flavor and Juiciness to Chicken, Turkey, and Rabbit.

Friday, March 11, 2016

Grilled Tandorri Rabbit

One of my all time favorite grilled Indian/Pakistani dishes, the deep fiery red orange color of the meat really stands out, while the yogurt and spice marinade add a unique depth of flavor. This dish tastes great with rabbit. More often than not, this recipe can leave your lips tingling with it's generous use of red chili peppers, but the dish does not have to be spicy hot. That is a major misconception about Indian/Pakistani food, that it is always served flaming spicy hot. There are indeed some dishes that are made that way, but tandoori is generally mild in regards to the heat factor.

There are a wide variety of commercially prepared tandoori spice mixtures available at your local ethnic (Indian or Pakistani) market. One of my favorite is the Pakistani 'Shan' brand, but like many package mixes, it tends to be hotter than the average American enjoys. And as we have previously discussed on multiple occasions, buying pre-packaged mixes is always more expensive than making the recipe from scratch. As always, using your own recipe allows you to control the ingredients. You decide if you want your tandoori to be flaming hot or not.

As almost no one here in the states has a tandoori oven at home, we will be cooking our rabbit on the grill. I will also include instructions on how to cook it in the oven, but I prefer the method of grilling. Again, I give you the options, you make the decisions. If you want to make your own Indian pastes to use in you dishes check out my article 'Basic Masala Paste' on my blog 'Culinary You'. Included in this article are recipes for more than 6 different curry pastes that you can use in recipes like this one instead of having to use the dry spices. I actually have some canned up in small jelly jars in my pantry.

The Recipe

8 to 10 pieces of rabbit

1 recipe yogurt marinade with spices added (see below)

Yogurt (wet) Mixture

1 cup plain yogurt

¼ cup canola oil or ghee (clarified butter)

¼ cup lemon juice

1 drop red food coloring

3 drops yellow food coloring

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix throughly with a spoon or whisk and set aside and make you dry spice mixture.

Spice (dry) Mixture

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon curry powder or garam masala

½ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine your dry spices together and mix throughly and then add to the yogurt mixture and mix throughly with a spoon or whisk. If you like your tandoori hot double the amount of cayenne pepper, or combine the dry spices with the wet mixture in a blender and add 2 whole pickled or fresh jalapeño peppers seeds and all and puree your yogurt marinade until smooth.

Rinse and pat dry the rabbit, season with salt and black pepper as desired. Place in a large bowl or 1 gallon zip lock bag and pour the marinade over the meat. Place the marinating meat in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 to 6 hours, for the best flavor marinate the meat overnight.

When you are ready to cook, heat up your grill or preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Remove the meat from the marinade and placed on a plate (if grilling) or a foil lined baking sheet if you are cooking it in the oven.

Grilling Procedure – If using a a charcoal grill heat until coals turn ash white then place meat on the grill and cook for 10 to 15 minutes per side for a total of 35 to 45 minutes or until the juices run clear. When using a gas grill, I heat mine for 5 minutes, then turn one burner off and place the meat on the side of the grill in which the burner is off and cook for 15 minutes. Then turn on both burners and turn the meat and place it on the other side of the grill and turn the burner under the meat off and cook for another 15 minutes. Repeat as necessary until the meat has cooked for 45 minutes or until the juices run clear.

Oven Procedure – Bake chicken or rabbit for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, then place under broiler and heat until browned. Be careful to check regularly when broiler on as meat can burn easily.

Chef's Note: If you are going to use one of my pre-made curry pastes found in the article: 'Basic Masala Paste', then substitute 3 tablespoons of the curry paste for the dry spice mixture.

Conclusion

While this recipe is traditionally made with chicken, it is great with rabbit. My family really enjoys it both ways. This recipe is just another of the great ways in which you can substitute your home raised rabbit for chicken and share with your friends and family. I hope you will give it a try and that your family will enjoy it is much as mine.

Indian Style Grilled Rabbit….Fantastic!

TAP Homestead And Rabbitry, Canton, TX (469)-526-3665

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

How And What We Feed

Monday, March 28, 2016

Choosing The Right Feed (Pellet)

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Proper Rabbit Nutrition

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Meet Jammer

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

New Broken Buck 'Magnum'

Monday, March 14, 2016

BOSS Snack Mix

Bunny Fight Club

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Grilled Brined Rabbit

Friday, March 11, 2016

Grilled Tandorri Rabbit

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