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| A stretch of road. The verge is about 15' wide and it was about 100' to the next tree. It was mowed once this year. |
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| The dominant species of grass is Smooth Brome (Bromus inermis). The blue flowers in the top picture are chicory. |
For ruminants like cows and sheep, the rule of thumb was to budget 4% of body-weight for daily dry-matter intake. I am not saying that is a good rule for rabbits, but it is what I have to work with.
Four, mature, New Zealand doe rabbits at 12 pounds apiece will weigh about 50 pounds. That pencils out to 2 pounds of dry-matter per day and that 70 pounds of dry matter would last them a month...longer if you add a little bit of corn. If they have litters, though, the feed bill goes way up.
Three, 100' lengths of that verge would quite handily get those does (sans kits) from May 15-through-November 15 in my climate.
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| This is what a 1/4 mile of that verge looks like. |
The farmers consider mowing roadsides a burdensome chore. It has to be done to keep it from coming up in trees that rob water and nutrients from the cash-crop. In this case, the farmer cannot farm to the road's edge due to utility poles.
Yes, it was a hot and muggy run this morning.
Planning
The roadside grass is a bonus and you might not be able to get it. You might have to plant and harvest your own patch.
According to the Wisconsin Team Forage website, the average yearly dry-matter yield by species:
- Timothy: 10,600lb/acre
- Tall Fescue: 13,200lb/acre (excellent choice for wetter soils. Less palatable than many other kinds of grass)
- Smooth Brome: 11,800lb/acre (very palatable)
- Orchardgrass: 12,800lb/acre
- Perennial Ryegrass: 9,400lb/acre (winter kill issues in Wisconsin. Very palatable))
- Red Clover: 6500/lb/acre (four-year life with only 1000lb harvested the first year)
Normally, you would plant the Red Clover with your grass since they play well together. The Red Clover can supply nitrogen and the grass "fluffs-up" the Red Clover and helps it dry when it is cut for hay.
You want to take those yield values with a grain of salt because you will have a steep learning curve.
Noted for future reference
According to Raindrop website, the Hill and Upper Orchards received about 1" of rain last night. If confirmed by the raingauge, that pushes the next watering exercise to August 20.
Protein requirement for rabbit feed
ReplyDeleteThe protein requirement for rabbit feed varies based on the rabbit's age, growth stage, activity level, reproductive status, and overall health. Here are the general guidelines for protein percentages in rabbit feed:
Gestation and Lactation: 18% dry matter (DM) protein
Growth: 15% to 16% DM protein
Maintenance: 13% DM protein
From : https://stillwaterrabbitry.com/2025/05/30/understanding-rabbit-feed-protein-percentages-a-comprehensive-guide/
Well worth a full reading. The GOLD Standard of dry fodder for rabbits is alfalfa but even then too much protein is also a problem as described in the above page.
What is the dry weight protein of the forages you described Joe?
Pre-pelleted rabbit feed farm kids fed their rabbits:
Hay, grain, and forage
Before pelleted feeds, scientific farmers fed rabbits a diet primarily consisting of hay, grain, and forage. They often supplemented their diet with grain and roots, as rabbits are herbivores that thrive on green food. This traditional feeding method ensured that rabbits received a balanced diet that included essential nutrients for their health and growth
https://riseandshinerabbitry.com/2012/09/09/naturally-feeding-rabbits/
I've SEEN high quality breeding rabbits fail to breed or carry to term or nurse their kits from folks trying to "FEED NATURALLY" stuff from the side of roads and fields.
That is a trick question.
ReplyDeleteA first cutting that is late or poorly stored can have protein levels of 8% and cows (which can digest almost anything) can lose weight on it.
The same patch of ground, if cut when the earliest grasses (like Orchardgrass) have their seed-stalks first fully extended can have twice that level of protein. And the second cutting will be even better and of higher tonnage than the parcel that is first-cut later.
More concerning to me is the issue of trace minerals. My area is deficient in selenium and iodine (for animal health) and molybdenum and boron for plant health. Other areas are deficient in magnesium (grass tetany) or other elements.
I am amused that is a "trick question".
DeleteBut I am somewhat aware of the varying amounts of protein in forage as I have some experience with cattle, milk cows, rabbits, sheep and poultry.
Probably why that proverb that "The eye of the farmer is the of success".
Mixed forage PLUS grains and I'd suggest root crops for more protein as well as better mineral balance. Just as old "Scientific Farmers" of the 1890's did.
Some old 1890's articles mentioned how mineral deficiencies in milk cattle was resolved by feeding "Tree Fodder" aka tree limbs and leaves (can be dried for winter BTW) as trees mine deeper than often depleted common crops for minerals.
Since Rabbits NEED tree bits to knaw upon because their teeth never stop growing and require hard chew toys to grind them back maybe tree fodder is useful? I know my neighbors rabbits ADORE fresh and in winter dried tree fodder along with Comfrey (a noted mineral abundant fodder).
Or you could invest in some mineralized salt blocks for rabbits?
I didn't notice what the rabbit breeder in the article you posted used. Could you remind me if he had minerals-salt free feed or not?
I saw no evidence of salt.
DeleteThe main thrust of the video was not about raising rabbits. It was more of a nickel-tour around their garden(s) in mid-summer.
As noted earlier, there are sub-optimal things they are doing. For one, the rabbits do not look like they have been selected for meat or fur characteristics and the housing is crowded.
Later in the video he shows his nutria. They are in sheet-metal lined enclosures. Nutria give possum a run for "ugliest mammal".
We had rabbits when I was a kid. Nope, NOT worth the effort...
ReplyDeleteNot worth the effort when you can get meat from Walmart and such. Not worth the effort when you can buy food for a reasonable percentage of your current income.
DeleteBut mostly I've found when you're not using decent nutrition and safe housing for this very productive source of high quality meat.
How much beef dear friends can you raise on the 1/4 acre of alfalfa -forage mix when that can support a pair od good breeding does, a buck and keep a family of 4 in "Mock Chicken" (as I hid it before LOL) forever.
I would suspect you could use garden waste and weeds for part of your rabbit feed if you aren’t already feeding it to chickens
ReplyDeleteYou could probably provide some of your rabbit feed from garden waste and weeds if you aren’t already feeding it to the chickens
ReplyDeleteI had a hard time butchering the bunnies the time I tried raising rabbits for meat, chickens were not a problem.
ReplyDeleteThe rabbits were quieter and took less room.