CAGE KEEPING OF RABBITS The right type of housing for a rabbit is the key to obtaining maximum profit with minimum labor costs. Keeping rabbits in enclosures or pits creates natural living conditions for the animals. However, cage breeding of rabbits is the most popular and there are reasons for this. It is not difficult to navigate the variety of keeping systems. Just compare your conditions and capabilities with the features of each method. Rabbits, for all their fertility and profitability, require increased comfort of keeping. They do not tolerate extreme heat, can die in the cold in winter. Care for them should provide clean rooms, fresh air, clear water and good feeding. Veterinary control, vaccinations, disease prevention are also important. Traditional way of keeping. Modern cages have a well-thought-out design. They are made of wood with the use of metal mesh, plastic. The average size of a cage for one individual is a meter in length and half a meter in depth and height. But each breed has its own size. Cages can be stationary and portable. Portable ones are convenient for breeding animals in a heated room in winter, and outside in warm weather. Where to place stationary cages depends on the climate. It can be either a closed room or a canopy. One of the types of stationary cages is sheds. These are stationary cages equipped with auxiliary devices for care, located in a long row, in several tiers. A cage for a rabbit is a kind of one- or two-section "apartment with all the amenities", the care in which is minimal. It is designed for a certain number of inhabitants. Thus, there are cages for pregnant and lactating females with offspring, cages for commercial young animals, for male producers. Advantages and disadvantages of the cage method The undoubted advantage of breeding rabbits in cages is complete control over the condition and life of each individual at any time. When keeping in cages, feed is used most rationally. Care is individual, taking into account the characteristics of the temperament. This allows for high-quality breeding selection. Animals are isolated from each other, which reduces the risk of epidemics. The main disadvantage of cage keeping is the need for quite significant costs for the purchase (or manufacture) of cages, the labor intensity of the process of caring for rabbits. Free keeping The free way of breeding rabbits is gaining more and more fans. This has a completely rational explanation - with free keeping, animals are as close as possible to the natural "way" of life. There are three types of life "on the street": in enclosures; in pits; on pasture. If the territory allows, then pasture keeping of rabbits is the most profitable in terms of material and labor costs. In essence, grazing is a large enclosure with a natural food base. The main thing here is to provide a high-quality (uninterrupted and clean) watering place, reliable fencing and shelters. The most labor-intensive operations - cleaning and feeding - are eliminated. How to properly feed rabbits - read here. Advantages of free-range breeding The ability to move a lot has a beneficial effect on the character and health of the animals. Rabbits become calmer outside, aggression disappears. The offspring grows up strong and even, since females feed not only their own, but also other rabbits. With sufficient feeding, animals gain weight faster than "caged" animals and reach sexual maturity earlier. Caring for rabbits is much easier. You can feed and water them all at once and not every day. Cleaning is required much less often. Disadvantages of free-range keeping A serious disadvantage of free-range breeding of rabbits is the almost complete loss of daily control over the animals. There is a real threat of losing the entire livestock in case of infection. In addition, selection work is greatly complicated (or becomes impossible). With long-term, several years, keeping rabbits outside, they become smaller and degenerate. Breeding rabbits in an enclosure Keeping the entire rabbit family in an enclosure can be very convenient and profitable for seasonal breeding of animals for meat (for example, in the country) or in a small farmstead. The area of ​​the enclosure is calculated based on needs: 4-5 sq. m is needed for a female with a family; 1 sq. m is needed for one head of young animals. With a denser placement, rabbits begin to divide the territory, fight and can seriously injure each other. For year-round free keeping, an outdoor enclosure can be conveniently attached to a barn. In it, the animals can hide from bad weather, crouch, and live in winter. When this is not possible, shelters should be built. These can be artificial holes, a closed canopy, several cages or a large common cage.