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
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