A successful rabbit feed program will not only help you have overall healthier rabbits, but will also help you cut costs. Lower feeding costs result in higher net profits, and a higher quality feed will result in higher quality rabbits that can sell for more. Rabbits have sensitive stomachs, so feeding them properly is also important for keeping them healthy.
The most important staple of a rabbit’s diet is hay. They should be given hay freely and in large quantities. Your breeding stock that are older than 6 months will need timothy hay, which will keep them from getting too fat as it is low in calories. Your younger rabbits that are being raised as broilers need alfalfa, which has a higher calorie count that will help them put on weight, and more calcium which will help their bones keep up with their growing bodies.
A good supplement to hay is commercial pellets, which should also be given to all rabbits. With your breeding stock, you can feed 1/8 of a cup per day per 5 pounds (2.2 kilograms) of weight. Your younger rabbits can be fed this freely in feeders. The most expensive part of feeding your rabbits will be the purchase of pellets, so you can add fresh greens and more hay to their diet in order to cut back on the amount of pellets used.
Fresh greens are not only an important part of a healthy rabbit diet, but it is also good to reduce total feeding cost if you have a garden or yard area from which you can pull weeds and grow vegetables. You can also use vegetable scraps from your kitchen. No matter where you get your fresh greens, be sure thoroughly wash them to avoid any pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
Some examples of good leafy vegetables you can feed your rabbits are cilantro, celery, raspberry leaves, radish greens, and clover greens and sprouts. These vegetables are great for providing Vitamin A: romaine lettuce, collard greens, carrot leaves, carrots, dandelion flowers and leaves, broccoli, parsley, beet greens, and kale. Small amounts of fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, peaches, oranges, or apples can be given, but never more than twice a week.
Water is another important aspect to keeping your rabbits healthy. They must have constant access to clean and fresh water. If the water in your area contains a lot of minerals, you may need to distill it first or have it purified first. The same goes for people who have water that contains a lot of added chemicals. Although it should go without saying, human treats should never be a part of rabbit feed, as these can be dangerous to rabbits.