TRANSFER TO A NEW CAGE Weaning rabbits from a doe: timing and rules Kindling is one of the most anticipated events on the farm for any breeder. However, successful breeding of rabbits does not mean that they can produce good meat and fur. You should know many rules that will help you get an excellent and high-quality product in the future. Age of weaning offspring from a female It is important to note that weaning rabbits from a doe does not affect the meat and skin of the animal in any way. In addition, a doe can be allowed to mate on the second day after giving birth, based on the compacted birth schedule on the farm. Often, a nursing female may already be pregnant with new offspring. Even experienced rabbit owners still debate the question of when to wean rabbits from the female. There are several options, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. Rabbit owners disagree on the weaning of rabbits. However, there are still some rules and regulations for the weaning procedure: First of all, the rabbits should be weaned from their mother no later than 24 days after birth. It is impossible earlier, since the babies' digestive organs have not yet formed, so they can die without mother's milk. After 3 weeks, the rabbits' milk teeth change, and they begin to enjoy the food that their mother eats with interest. This herd instinct is inherent in rabbits by nature: they are happy to adopt each other's experience. The female can have milk for up to 3 months, but often the rabbits do not feed the rabbits for such a long time. If the rabbits are already more than 40 days old, they may well begin to eat independently and even actively lead a sexual life. It is very important not to miss this moment, since the pregnant female should not be less than 6 months old. Otherwise, her body may simply not withstand the stress. From a physiological point of view, the most optimal age for weaning rabbits from a doe is 24 days after the babies are born. But, as a rule, such young animals grow up weaker. Other livestock breeders recommend weaning babies no earlier than 28 days after their birth. Such a rush can be explained by the fact that there are three types of kindling schedules on the farm: A loose breeding schedule is aimed at improving the quality of meat and is intended for broiler fattening. Occasionally, you can wean rabbits two months after their birth. This is called broiler weaning, thanks to which you can produce high-quality meat. But in this case, the birth rate schedule will be significantly lower. A semi-tight schedule allows you to grow rabbits for the sale of all types of rabbit products, due to its neutrality. Rabbits, whose mating occurs according to this kindling schedule, can calmly feed rabbits for more than a month. These females are usually mated with a male in the second week after birth. The offspring of such a female will be sold as high-quality meat in the future. Rabbits that are separated from their mother after 40 days are larger and stronger, and females subsequently give birth to healthy rabbits. A compacted breeding schedule is suitable for large farms aimed at selling skins. With a compacted kindling schedule, the female is mated on the second day after the birth of the babies. If the rabbits are not separated from the pregnant female by 28 days of life, the rabbit will simply not be able to restore her strength and nervous system to give birth to new offspring. If the little rabbits are already at least 1 month old, you can start feeding them greens and compound feed. Often, month-old babies weigh half a kilogram. Everything depends on the breed and the amount of food they receive. Usually, on large farms, the methods of separating rabbits from the mother are alternated or they are individually selected in accordance with the requirements for the offspring and the purpose of its further use. What requirements should be observed? To minimize stress for both the babies and the mother, certain rules for weaning the offspring should be followed. To cope with this task as best as possible, you need to familiarize yourself with some of the methods, of which there are only three: One-time weaning of the entire litter from the doe is carried out when the babies are 1.5 months old. The babies no longer need a large amount of mother's milk and practically do not experience stress. To finally reduce the threat of nervous experiences in the offspring, it is permissible to let the rabbit in once every couple of days. Weaning a nursing mother is good because the babies will not have to experience severe stress from a change of environment. The threat of new smells and noises is excluded. Gradual weaning of the offspring is considered the most optimal option, but quite troublesome. Weaker babies should be left near the mother for a few more days, and strong babies should be transplanted into cages. This will allow all the rabbits to be fattened to the norm and will not have