To breed representatives of the White Giant breed, you do not need to have special skills. They are quite unpretentious and do not require special conditions. It is considered one of the most successful breeds for breeding, since these rabbits are a source of not only valuable dietary meat, but also beautiful white fur.
Breed history
The breed appeared recently - in the 20th century. German and Belgian scientists were engaged in selection, taking the Belgian giant as the "basis". This large breed was widespread in Belgium and Germany, but it had a number of disadvantages - low fertility and poor vitality. It was these flaws that scientists "polished" for a long time.
First, the Belgian giant was crossed with chinchillas, then with the Gray giant. As a result of the selection, the first representatives of the White Giant with thick fur and large size were obtained. But the breeders did not stop there. They were faced with the task of introducing a pure white rabbit without a hint of a different color. Such fur has always been in demand in the fur industry.
All individuals with a dominant gray color were discarded, leaving only white eared ones. So, step by step, a new breed of White Giant was bred, which became a multiple winner of exhibitions.
He came to Russia in the 20th century, in the 20s. But the first representatives who came to Russia died due to a large climatic difference and genetic flaws. Only the strongest individuals survived, which served as the future gene pool for the creation of the Soviet population of this breed with improved performance.
On its basis, new rabbit breeds were obtained - a black-brown rabbit and Soviet chinchilla.
General description
Representatives of the rabbit breed White Giant are fully consistent with their name. These eared can be easily recognized by the snow-white fur and a rather large size.
Constitution
It is a powerful animal with a wide and straight back, strong long legs wide apart. Due to their heavy weight, corns are often formed on them. Wide ears are erect and long. According to the standard, their length should correspond to 1/4 of the length of the body, that is 12-15 cm. At the ends they are rounded.
The body is elongated with a rounded croup and a wide chest. Females and males practically do not differ in structure from each other, with the exception of the head. In males, it is more rounded.
Fur
The main characteristic of the breed is its thick, perfectly white fur. The real White giant has no tan marks, spots, marks of a different color, there should not be yellowness.
An individual with milky colored fur is discarded. His coat is smooth, dense, soft to the touch. Hair length - 4 cm.
Signs and defects of the breed
The thoroughbred rabbit should have snow-white thick fur. Its body length on average reaches 50 cm, some individuals grow up to 60 cm. Chest girth varies in the range of 36-38 cm. Depending on the weight, rabbits are divided into three classes:
- elite (weight is approximately 5800 g);
- first class with a mass of 5 300 g;
- second class - 4 800
Since only albinos were selected for breeding the breed, the eyes of all representatives are red. In the Soviet population, a different color is not allowed. European or English representatives may have blue eyes.
Individuals with the following disadvantages do not allow further breeding:
- narrow chest
- strongly developed chest;
- clubfoot;
- individuals with signs of rickets - a hunchbacked or downcast back, with a marked front paws.
Behavior
White giants are phlegmatic natures with a peaceful disposition. Their calm nature makes them ideal pets, so they can often be seen in the apartment. They quickly become attached to the owner, do not show aggressiveness not only to humans, but also to other animals. However, if necessary, rabbits can fight back and punish the offender.
Some individuals periodically fall into a trance or numbness, that is, they remain motionless for some time, look at one point and do not respond to external stimuli. This behavior is not considered a defect, but is a feature of these albinos.
Productivity
White giants are raised primarily for white fur. In second place is the meat component. The breed is of the meat type. An adult male gains up to 6 kg of live weight, the female weighs less - up to 5,200 g.
The rabbit has good fertility. For one okrol she brings 7-8 rabbits. At the same time, cannibalism is not typical for her, she will never eat her offspring. Rabbits are fearlessly left with their mother, who feeds them with milk. At the same time, the viability of the cubs reaches 99%. Babies grow quickly, have excellent appetite, and by 10 months they can gain 5 kg.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the breed include:
- high quality fur;
- fast weight gain;
- calm character;
- fertility;
- unpretentiousness in food.
Among the shortcomings are noted problems with physique, small offspring and poor survival of rabbits. However, all these disadvantages apply to the European and English White Giant populations. In the CIS, rabbit breeders mainly breed and raise representatives of Soviet breeding, which just corrected all these shortcomings. The Soviet White giants remained with the following flaws:
- the appearance of corns on the paws - pododermatitis, which causes the animal to suffer greatly;
- the female’s propensity for mastitis, so the breeder should carefully monitor their condition and health.
In the video below, the breeder provides an overview of the White Giant rabbit breed:
Breeding prospects in Russia
The white giant is often found on farms. This breed is suitable for both venerable breeders and novice farmers. Products made of warm white fur are still in demand among buyers, so the breed remains very promising commercially.
The fast weight gain and high palatability of the meat, but on the other hand, the moderate feed conversion, make it profitable to breed even without considering the production of skins.
Features of the content
The ears of this breed are unpretentious and undemanding to the conditions of detention. Even a rabbit breeder taking the first steps in this business will be able to create comfort for them.
Representatives of the Soviet selection are not afraid of frost and can walk in the fresh air in winter without harm to their health. However, the colder it is on the street, the more high-calorie food should be. Animals can be kept in cages outside.
Keeping rabbits in cages
Rabbits are usually kept in cages. Thanks to the thick and warm fur of the animal, the "house" does not require additional insulation. The main thing is that there are no drafts in it.
The cage should be spacious so that rabbits do not feel cramped. Set "houses" in the shade, avoiding places with direct sunlight. Due to the tendency of individuals to form corns, more attention should be paid to sex. It should be smooth and solid, wood flooring is allowed.
Mesh flooring for this breed is strictly prohibited.
Doors are made of mesh material, the optimal mesh size is 2 x 2 cm. In winter, it is hung with burlap so that the cold wind does not blow.
In the cells, feeders and drinking bowls of easily washable material are installed. Since the eared ones feed on food that other rodents like mice and rats like, rabbits must be protected from such a neighborhood. For this, the bottom and sides of the cage are upholstered with iron so that rodents cannot get inside the cage. Otherwise, rabbits will suffer from hunger and may contract infectious diseases from them.
How to make a drinker yourself, read here.
Content mother liquor
Females who are preparing for an okrol should be placed in a mother-cage - a nest 7-10 days before the babies appear. It is attached to the side and it has the following dimensions:
- width - 30 cm;
- length - 60 cm;
- height - 35 cm.
They also provide for a removable roof to facilitate inspection of the nest and brood.
All rooms are kept clean and regularly disinfected once a month - they are treated with a blowtorch or bleached with lime. Litter is removed 2-3 times a week.
Feeding
The white giant, in comparison with other rabbit breeds, needs more protein food, which ensures the normal development of the eared and rapid growth of muscle mass.
We recommend reading the article - how, when and what to feed the rabbits.
Standards diet
On average, the norm of the diet looks like this:
- 50-70% is spent on concentrated feed - compound feed, bran, cake;
- 20-30% for coarse ones are hay and grass, they contain fiber;
- 15-20% are root crops, silage, melons. They are fed in the autumn-winter period.
When drawing up the diet, it is necessary to take into account gender, rabbit age, weather conditions, season.
Herbal selection
They are responsible for choosing grasses for the livestock, as many plants contain substances poisonous to rabbits - they are representatives of the nightshade family, spurge, celandine, dope, henbane, and others.
The plucked grass must be slightly dried before giving to the rabbits. This procedure makes it more digestible for the animal. Wet grass causes fermentation in the intestines. Beets are given with caution, as it weakens.
In winter, alfalfa hay is given, while the rest of the time they do without it, since rabbits begin to fatten on it.
Drinking bowls must have water, warm in winter. The rabbit does not drink, which means that it has enough liquid obtained from fresh grass or juicy root crops.
Reproduction
The white rabbit is ready to mate almost all year round, so there are no problems with this. In addition, females are good mothers who care for offspring and feed all rabbits.
Large animals without defects are selected for the tribe. Females are ready for breeding as early as 4 months, but they are bred at the age of 8-9 months. An earlier pregnancy causes the death of the rabbit and the entire litter.
Young males are planted in females at 5-6 months. Later acquaintance with the opposite sex makes the male passive, and he begins to quickly eat fat.
Before mating, the rabbit is sent to visit the male and left for 1-2 hours. Then she is returned to her house. A week later, another mating is performed. If the female is aggressive towards the male (bites, fights back), then this means that she is already in position.
Read the article about mating rabbits, rules and features of their mating.
Pregnancy lasts 30-31 days. 1.5 weeks before birth, the expectant mother begins to prepare the nest. At this time, the mother liquor is put in a cage.
Care for the young
Rabbits give birth, even the first ones, usually pass without problems. Newborn cubs lie in a nest in a heap, covered with fur. They begin to leave the nest in 2-3 weeks. In this case, the rabbits eat the same as the mother. Rabbits are deposited from the rabbit at the age of 2-3 months.
Since the intestines of young rabbits are weak, new products are introduced into the diet gradually, starting with small doses and increasing them over 2 weeks.
Diseases and Pests
The main disease is pododermatitis or corns. If the rabbit becomes lethargic, moves a little, then the first thing to do is examine the hind legs.
In the first stage of the disease, the skin is affected, on which calluses are clearly visible. Then cracks are formed, increasing in size. Without proper treatment, they are aggravated by bleeding, the rabbit becomes painful to move around, he loses his appetite and suffers from diarrhea. In the last stage, the disease affects the tendons and bones.
Slaughter and skinning
Animals are sent for slaughter at the age of 3-5 months. By this time, they are gaining 2.5-3.5 kg of live weight. As a tool, use a stick with a rubber hose on the end. The rabbit is taken by the hind legs and beat him on the occipital part of the head. This is one of the most humane ways. They cut the carcass by hanging it by its hind legs on a horizontal bar or branch.
Chopping off the head is not practiced, since the animal's nervous system continues to function for some time, and the rabbit suffers greatly.
Where to buy and prices for White Giants
It is better to buy individuals in specialized farms or from a trusted seller. The Soviet White giant is inexpensive. The cost consists of the class of parents and the margin of the seller. As a rule, the cost of a monthly rabbit ranges from 300-500 rubles.
There is little chance of buying an individual of the wrong breed, since the Hungarian white pannon has become more popular lately. Its cost is an order of magnitude higher than the White Giant, most likely on the contrary, the White Giant can be given out as a pannon.
Reviews of the owners of the White Giant rabbit breed
Since the breed is not picky, it is especially popular with farmers. Reviews about her are pretty good.
Sergey, 38 years old, Saratov. I have our rabbits on my farm, Soviet ones - White giants. They’re not afraid of frost, they have strong immunity, they bring offspring regularly. The meat is tender and tasty, the skins are excellent. And nothing more is needed.
Matvey, 42 years old, Rostov. I am new to business. One grandfather advised to start acquaintance with rabbits with the White Giant. He said that they can live on the street, they don't need to build a shed yet, they eat everything like locusts. Baby rabbits are brought in constantly. He says you can handle these, see if you like the business or not, and there you can already buy something more elaborate.
In general, I took advantage of the advice and do not regret it. While I do not consider other breeds, this one suits in all respects.
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Thanks to the calm disposition and unpretentiousness, the White giants found themselves huge popularity among rabbit breeders. The breed is considered one of the most promising for breeding. With proper care, calm and peaceful animals have high rates of early maturity, fertility and flesh.