Nutrition Flashcards
What is the base ingredient in commercial rabbit pellets?
Dehydrated alfalfa meal
When traveling with rabbits what can you provide to assist in assuring an adequate amount of fluid intake?
Fresh root type vegetables and fruit
What is the average daily water requirement of one rabbit?
5 ounces per day
The loss of more than what percentage of water can cause death?
10%
In a commercial feed pellet, how much protein should it provide?
16%
In a commercial feed pellet, how much fat should it provide?
2-3%
In a commercial feed pellet, how much fiber should it provide?
16-18%
Why should light green vegetables be avoided as feed additives?
Can add excess amounts of fluid
What nutrient is found in rabbit manure?
Potassium
Why is fiber important in a rabbit’s diet?
Help control enteritis
What is the function of energy in a rabbit’s diet?
Growth, lactation, cold weather
What is the function of protein in a rabbit’s diet?
Growth and production
This habit allows the rabbit to be more efficient in the digestion of some nutrients?
Coprophagy or Cecotrophy
How much would it take to reduce the amount of protein content in alfalfa of the same amount of grass hay?
3 times as much
What is the function of fiber in a rabbit’s diet?
Control enteritis
What can the lack of water cause?
Enhance the possibility of going into molt
Why feed legume hay?
Good source of energy, higher protein and energy content than grass hay
What percent protein is found in grass hay?
3.5%
What percent protein is found in alfalfa?
10.9%
What determines the nutritional value of hay?
Type of hay, quality of forage, manner of curing process of hay such as time of harvest and conditions of harvest
What two nutrients provide energy?
Carbohydrates and Fats
What can inadequate protein cause?
Poor growth, poor production
What can inadequate energy cause?
Poor rate of gain, poor flesh condition, breeding problems, poor milking performance
What can inadequate fiber cause?
High energy levels, fur chewing, increased incidence of enteritis, increased incidence of fur blockage
What should you look for when using water bottles or automatic waterers?
That there is a constant supply of water
Why are rabbit droppings called a “cold” manure?
High nitrogen content
Rabbit manure is very high in potassium, why?
Alfalfa - main ingredient in rabbit ration and it is very high in potassium
Rabbit manure has high nitrogen content and is considered to be what kind of manure?
Cold manure
If you want to change feeds, how should you do it?
Gradually, mixing new and old food, while increasing the amount of new feed each day
Name the two types of hay
Legume and Grass
What are the most important feedstuffs to best prepare a quality meat pen?
Quality feed pellets and mother’s milk
How much feed should you provide a doe and meat pen litter with 5-6 kits?
As much feed as will be eaten in 24 hours
How do you prevent formation of mold in the hay?
Appropriate curing and storage
Excess energy can be detrimental and can cause what?
Enhance enteritis, cause obesity, increase molt, breeding problems
What nutritional value does eating cecotropes have for rabbits?
Increased fiber digestion, enhanced amino acid synthesis and vitamin B-complex synthesis
If the rabbit wastes the feed, it is usually an indication of what?
The rabbit is being overfed
Rolled oats, barley mixed with molasses, vitamins or minerals added to a rabbit’s ration are called what?
Supplements
What is the most common treat given to rabbits?
Some type of fibrous hay
What supplement can you add to your meat pen’s diet?
Rolled oats
Name two types of grass hay
Timothy and Bromegrass
Name two types of legume hay
Alfalfa and Clover
Rabbits are nocturnal animals; and therefore, it is suggested that the main pellet feeding be given when?
Late in the evening
Name three reasons to add hay to the rabbit’s diet
To add nutrients, To add fiber, To provide enjoyment and decrease boredom
Name three disadvantages to feeding hay
Process is time consuming, Must be fed daily, Hay is messy to feed, Wool of rabbit becomes contaminated with the forage, Hay of good quality is difficult to locate and may be expensive, Hay may be contaminated with infective coccidia eggs
How many days can you force a rabbit into a molt by increasing energy in the diet?
10 to 14 days
How can you force a rabbit into molt?
Increasing the energy of the diet dramatically for 10 to 14 days and increasing the environmental temperature substantially
One common method of increasing energy to the diet is by the addition of what?
Milk pellets
When is extra protein needed in a rabbit’s diet?
Growth, Gestation and Lactation
If you feed supplements, what should you do with the amount of pellets the rabbit gets?
Cut back
When a rabbit is in prime condition, what should you do with their ration?
Reduce the total volume
When conditioning rabbits, what is the recommended ratio of pellets to oats?
3 to 1
If you add supplements or treats to a rabbit’s diet, when should you provide them?
12 hours after feeding the normal ration
The amount of food should be limited to what the rabbit will consume in what amount of time?
20 to 30 minutes
What nutrient is essential to raising healthy animals?
Water
Name 4 root type vegetables or fruit that you can use while traveling to assure rabbit has constant supply of fluid intake?
Carrots, Apples, Potatoes, Rutabagas
When the kits begin to eat pellets, why is it good to put a few whole oats on top of the pellets?
Make firmer flesh
An adequate amount of what nutrient will lower the incidents of forced molt?
Protein
What type of hay is a good source of energy in a rabbit’s diet?
High quality legume hay
What supplements in rabbits’ diet can lower energy levels in commercial pellets?
Grass Hay, Rolled Oats, Barley
Name 3 times in a rabbit’s life that energy demands are considerably greater.
Growth, Gestation, Lactation
Why is a wire cage not an issue for rabbits to consume cecotropes?
Consume them directly from the rectum
Why should you make sure your food crock is heavy?
So that the rabbit can’t dump it and waste feed
The increased energy diets will usually be initiated how many days prior to the intended “prime” time?
20 to 60 days
It is recommended that the primary source of nutrition comes from where?
Commercially produced pelleted food
What may happen when excessive energy is fed to young rabbits?
Increase incidents of enteritis, increase incidents of molt or induce molt
What is the advantage of fixed formulation rabbit pellets?
Ingredients remain the same from batch to batch
If you are looking at the milling date on the feed bag, feed should not be used after what period of time?
Greater than 6 months old
Why should feed and bedding be stored off the ground and away from walls?
Not attract vermin
Name 3 nutrients that rabbit manure contains.
Nitrogen, Potassium, Phosphorus
During the final stages of priming a coat, reduce the volume of the basic ration and reduce high energy supplements; what supplements can you add?
Barley and Rolled Oats
Do smaller or larger breed rabbits need more energy per pound of body weight?
Smaller breeds
Why would you use grass hay or lesser quality legume hay?
To add fiber to the diet
What is not desirable in a rabbit pellet?
Fines, or dust
How can you add oils to a rabbit’s diet?
Place the oils on a piece of dried bread and give to the rabbit as a treat or add it to the grain ration
What magic food or trick can you give a rabbit to bring it into show condition in one to two weeks?
Isn’t one
Name three sources of energy in the rabbit ration.
High quality legume hay, supplemental concentrates, heavy grain, milk products, fats and sugar products
The total amount of food a rabbit can consume is limited to what?
Size of the rabbit’s digestive tract
What is protected, to some degree, by the mucus membrane surrounding the cecotropes?
Microorganisms
Why can you add jello, vinegar or household bleach to water at home or at shows?
Cover flavor of strange water
