Rabbit silver: a description of the breed, reviews, care

Rabbits of silver breed are popular mainly in our country and in Ukraine. They are usually raised in personal household plots, and sometimes on large farms. This breed belongs to meat-skins, it has a rather unusual appearance, very beautiful fur and unpretentiousness.

History of breeding

The homeland of the modern silvery rabbit is the French province of Champagne. Animals of this unusual coloration were quite popular with European farmers in the century before last. In our country, a silver rabbit was imported in the 20s of the last century. As a result of the selection work carried out with him, a beautiful breed of deep silvery color appeared, quickly gaining weight, early and prolific. It was registered in 1952. The removal of a silver rabbit in the form as it exists today is entirely due to the Soviet breeders of Kaplevsky.

general description

Perhaps, the main advantage of such animals as rabbits of the silver breed is their skin is very beautiful color. The ostevoy hair is light, the guide is almost black, and the podpushek - light blue. The combination of all these shades gives a very pleasant color to the eyes of old silver. This unusual color is uniformly distributed throughout the body of the rabbit. The ears, nose, tail and legs are slightly darker, but also silvery.

The body of the rabbits of this breed is proportional and harmonious, has a cylindrical shape. The chest is wide and deep, the back is straight, the sacral region is powerful and well developed. In length rabbit silver giant can reach 57 cm. The chest circumference in the area of scapula in adult individuals is approximately 36 cm. Weight of silvery giants ranges from 4.5 to 5.5 kg. Some individuals can reach 6.5 kg.

Breed of rabbits silver: reviews

The merits of this breed can be attributed, including. And a very high yield of meat at slaughter (60%). Also, these animals deserve good reviews due to their fertility. In a litter, there are usually at least 6-8 rabbits. Among other things, silvery rabbits are characterized by early maturity.

The meat of rabbits of this breed, judging by the reviews, has simply excellent taste qualities. Skins taken from carcasses are very large in size. Their undoubted advantage is that they absolutely do not require staining. In color, they, according to many fur farmers, strongly resemble the fur of Siberian squirrels. Of course, at the reception points of skins take them very readily and they are quite expensive.

In addition to good productivity, the silver rabbit is unpretentious. Cultivate these animals on a standard set of feeds. To care for them for some special technology is not required.

Features of the content

Since the silver rabbit was well adapted to the cold climate of our country during the selection process, it is possible to keep these animals on the street even in winter. The cells are installed in a place protected from wind and scorching sun rays . Of course, they should be quite spacious. Such that the animal could easily get up on its hind legs or make at least one jump.

Also, a silvery rabbit is well adapted to the content in sheds. It is not recommended to breed these animals only in closed barns. With this method of maintenance, they significantly reduce the reproductive ability and deteriorate the quality of the skin. If desired, you can breed these animals and in an aviary way.

To the cold, silvery rabbits are not susceptible, but the heat is not tolerated very well. Therefore, special attention in the summer period of time should be given to the shading of cells.

Feeding

Food for these animals is best given strictly on schedule. In this case, the silver rabbit is much better at gaining weight. As for the diet itself, it is standard for these animals. From rough forages in the summer give grass and branches, in the winter - good hay and brooms. Of concentrated - barley or oat groats. From juicy - carrots, beets, sometimes zucchini, apples, cabbage, etc.

Breeding

Sluchku spend on the territory of the male. Less than a month later there are rabbits. They weigh about 72-75 grams. Mom silvery rabbits are very good - they feed young, monitor and care for them. By 2 months, young animals are already gaining weight of about 1.5-1.7 kg, to three - up to 3 kg, to four - up to 4 kg. Thus, in four months - this is quite an adult silver rabbit. Photos of these beautiful animals can be seen on the page.

A very interesting feature of this breed is also the fact that the small rabbits are of a monochromatic black color. After a while, the muzzle, paws and tail become silvery. Completely this beautiful shade of a skin of animals acquires to four-monthly age - after a moult. A silvery giant is a rabbit that develops just like this and no other way. Such a gradual change of color is considered one of the main characteristics of the breed.

Silvery rabbits are distinguished by their milkiness and quite willingly accept other people's cubs. In case of any threat, they aggressively defend their brood.

Helpful information

From the scientific point of view, silveriness is caused by a defect of the dominant gene "R". This interesting color of the skin arises precisely because of its mutation. In the follicle of rabbit hair, pigments simply cease to form.

The unacceptable shortcomings of the breed include a light chest, a completely black head and very different in color undercoats. As it should look like a real silver rabbit, the photos presented on this page show visually.