Rabbits are called young rabbits after weaning. The cultivation of weaned young rabbits is the basis of rabbit production and the most critical stage in the process of raising rabbits. Due to the imperfect physiological development of the weaned young rabbits and the poor ability to resist the adverse external environment, it has brought great difficulties to the feeding management and disease prevention and treatment. At present, diarrhea is the main reason that affects the production of weaned young rabbits. Whether the diarrhea of weaned young rabbits is well controlled or not has gradually become one of the important indicators to measure the success of young rabbit breeding. If you want to keep a good petRabbit, some basic knowledge of rabbit is a must. Let's take a look at the causes and prevention of diarrhea in weaned young rabbits.

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1. Physiological characteristics of weaned young rabbits

The young rabbits have vigorous metabolism and rapid growth. The weight of 4-week-old young rabbits is 8-9 times of their birth weight. Therefore, the nutrients required per unit body weight of weaned young rabbits are high, and the requirements for dietary nutrients are also high. The weight and volume of the digestive tract of weaned young rabbits are small and incomplete. The activity of lactase before weaning is very high, but the secretion of maltase and sucrase is low, and the secretion of amylase is also insufficient. The content of other enzymes (such as trypsin, amylase, etc.) in pre-weaning rabbits is usually less than that of mature enzyme system Digestive enzyme content, resulting in lower digestibility of protein and starch in weaned young rabbits. After weaning, the lactose content in the feed is greatly reduced, resulting in a decrease in the production of lactic acid and a decrease in the total acidity in the stomach. At the same time, some proteins and inorganic cations in the feed will also combine with gastric acid, which will eventually lead to protein digestion disorders of weaned young rabbits and the proliferation of gastrointestinal disease microorganisms, thereby destroying the balance of microflora in the digestive tract of weaned young rabbits. In addition, weaned young rabbits have poor thermoregulation ability and are susceptible to thermal stress.

2. Reasons for diarrhea in weaned young rabbits

(1) Immune stress factors

Immune globulin of young rabbits is obtained from colostrum and breast milk, and the two weeks after weaning is the lowest level of immunity in the life of young rabbits. Due to the termination of maternal antibodies, new antibodies are not produced by themselves, and the resistance to pathogens is the worst, so it is easy to contract diseases. Especially gastrointestinal diseases.

Vaccine injection stress: Rabbits need to be injected with Escherichia coli vaccine or Clostridium welchii vaccine before weaning, and rabbit plague and Pasteurella vaccine are injected at 40-45 days of age after weaning. After the vaccine is injected, the young rabbits will have a lack of energy, reduced feed intake, diarrhea and other reactions.

(2) Digestive tract dysfunction

The pups are weaned and leave the mother rabbit. At this time, the digestive system is immature, and the young rabbits digest breast milk. It is difficult to completely build up the digestive enzymes of the young rabbits when it is mainly changed to completely self-feeding. Insufficient secretion of digestive enzymes and gastric acid, weak digestion and absorption of starch, vegetable protein, etc., and the formation of beneficial microbial communities are also important factors that cause diarrhea in weaned young rabbits.

(3) Dramatic changes in climate

During the weaning stage, the temperature in the young rabbit house is hot and cold, especially in the rabbit house without insulation measures, and Low temperature and high humidity make young rabbits feel colder. Substantial cooling and cold stimulation lead to reduced immunity of young rabbits, manifested as large groups of diarrhea (jelly-like feces), lethargy, loss of appetite, and diarrhea.

(4) Nutritional reasons

Due to the limitation of nutritional and physiological characteristics, the weaned young rabbits are affected by stress factors such as weaning and changing feeds. This results in a decrease in feed intake or refusal of food for 1-2 days after weaning, and a large amount of food intake due to hunger after 2-3 days. A large amount of nutrients ingested in a short period of time are difficult to digest in the digestive tract of young rabbits, resulting in digestive delay. Undigested nutrients, especially carbohydrates, are easily fermentable, leading to the proliferation of some pathogenic microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract, which in turn leads to diarrhea in young rabbits. Weaned young rabbits only have a very low ability to hydrolyze dietary protein, and the digestive tract and other enzymes are not fully developed, so their ability to digest vegetable protein is very limited. At the same time, protein is a highly active antigenic substance. After entering the digestive tract, a local immune response will occur, resulting in damage to the digestive tract. High protein levels in the diet can easily cause diarrhea in young rabbits. If the crude protein level in the diet exceeds 25%, severe diarrhea will occur. Generally, the crude protein level in the diet of young rabbits should not exceed 20%. Whether the digestibility in the feed is too high, because the secretion of amylase, maltase and sucrase in the weaned young rabbits is insufficient. If the digestibility in the feed is too high, carbohydrates will be fermented in the gastrointestinal tract, rancid, and cause pathogenic bacteria. Diarrhea due to mass reproduction. Experiments show that when the digestible energy in the feed exceeds 15MJ, it can cause severe diarrhea in young rabbits. Therefore, when formulating feed for young rabbits, the addition amount of high starch feed such as corn should be strictly controlled. The content of crude fiber in the diet should be appropriate. The addition of high-quality and easily digestible hay powder in the diet plays an important role in the normal development and function of the gastrointestinal tract and other digestive organs of weaned young rabbits and the maintenance of normal microflora. An appropriate amount of crude fiber can shorten the time for carbohydrates and proteins to pass through the gastrointestinal tract, reduce the fermentation time of carbohydrates in the gastrointestinal tract, and effectively prevent the occurrence of diarrhea. The ability of young rabbits to digest crude fiber is not as strong as that of adult rabbits. Poor quality and excessive cellulose will mechanically damage the mucosa of the digestive tract and cause diarrhea. (such as rice husks, peanut husks, sawdust, etc.)

The feed is moldy and deteriorated, eating frozen feed, dew grass, fat oxidative rancidity and various anti-nutritional factors (such as lectins, protease inhibitors, etc.) The presence of can also cause diarrhea in young rabbits.

The random addition of antibacterial drugs to the feed of young rabbits increases the drug resistance of pathogenic bacteria. The generation and enhancement of drug resistance make the intestinal flora of young rabbits mutated, which tends to be complex and difficult to control. Antibiotics and bacteria choose each other, bacteria are constantly mutated, and drug resistance is constantly increasing, which further increases the possibility of diarrhea.

(5) Environmental factors

From the adaptation of the mother to the isolation of the mother and the baby, and even the litters are completely disrupted, so that they are assigned to other litters. The extremely unfamiliar new house makes the weaned young rabbits feel extremely panic, which leads to autonomic dysfunction, disturbance of endocrine balance, and decreased immunity. Observations show that 10-30% of the weaned young rabbits refuse to eat 12 hours before they are weaned, and they refuse to drink or eat, and the water intake decreases significantly. 80% of the young rabbits need 4-5 days to adapt to the new environment, and it takes 7 days to fully adapt. The incidence of diarrhea caused by decreased digestive ability due to environmental changes is about 20% higher than that in the original housing. In addition, incomplete or irregular disinfection of the young rabbit house can also cause diarrhea in weaned young rabbits.

(6) Disease Factors

Rabbit colibacillosis, Clostridium welchiii, salmonellosis, and rotavirus infection can all cause juveniles. Diarrhea in rabbits. Parasitic infections such as coccidia can also cause diarrhea and death in young rabbits.

3. Comprehensive prevention and control measures

There are many factors that cause diarrhea in weaned young rabbits. Diarrhea prevention and treatment requires a comprehensive set of comprehensive measures.

(1) Prevention and treatment of nutritional diarrhea

Prepare feed for young rabbits with comprehensive nutrition and coordinated nutrient ratio, and pay attention to the amount of vitamins and minerals added. Reasonable selection of food raw materials and reasonable protein content and digestible energy level should give priority to adding animal protein feeds such as high-quality fish meal, DPS (intestinal membrane protein powder), whey powder, milk replacer powder, puffing Soybean meal and other high-quality protein raw materials, and control the protein content of the feed within a reasonable range, pay attention to the following balance when formulating feed for young rabbits: the balance between protein, digestible energy and crude fiber; the balance between calcium and phosphorus; the balance between amino acids The balance between pH and alkalinity in the feed; and the balance of other nutrients, (vitamins, trace elements, etc.). Contemporary animal science has demonstrated that by precisely balancing the supply of amino acids, the crude protein level of the feed can be reasonably reduced without compromising the performance of the rabbit, but rather improving it.

Adding an appropriate amount of acidulant to the feed of young rabbits can alleviate the insufficient secretion of gastric acid in young rabbits and play an important role in preventing and treating diarrhea.

Appropriate addition of exogenous enzymes such as protease, cellulase, glucanase and other complex enzyme preparations can help the digestion of dietary protein, carbohydrates and crude fiber, reduce nutritional diarrhea, and the general addition amount 0.5% to 1%.

Appropriate addition of feed immune enhancers, such as oligonucleotides, lactic acid bacteria, bifidobacteria and other microecological additives, and Chinese herbal immune enhancers such as astragalus polysaccharides, Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides, etc., can improve the cells of rabbits. and humoral immunity.

(2) Prevention and treatment of stress diarrhea

Rabbits generally start feeding from 17 to 20 days, and the feeding time should be based on breed, make appropriate adjustments for different seasons. Generally speaking, meat rabbits can be fed at 16 to 18 days, and rex rabbits and hairy rabbits can be fed at 18 to 20 days. In hot summer, feeding can be carried out in advance; in winter, due to the cold weather, young rabbits have poor thermoregulation ability, so the feeding time can be appropriately postponed. Feeding makes the gastrointestinal tract and other digestive systems of young rabbits exercise before weaning, promotes the secretion of related enzymes, and strengthens the immune tolerance to feed protein, especially vegetable protein, so as to adapt to feeding after weaning, which is to reduce diarrhea in weaned young rabbits. important part. In order to prevent the stress of weaning and grouping, weaning should be done gradually, and grouping should be minimized, and the original nest and cage should be adjusted individually. Keep the temperature in the house and a certain humidity, avoid the temperature from being too high or too low, pay attention to heatstroke prevention in summer, the house temperature should not exceed 30 ℃, and keep warm in winter, the house temperature should not be lower than 15 ℃, and the humidity should be kept between 60% and 70%. .

In order to reduce the side effects of stress, some anti-stress additives such as electrolytic multivitamins, organic chromium, glutamine, etc. can be added. In addition, weaned young rabbits should keep the original feed formula, the feeding method, and the original cage of the original nest. And ensuring adequate and clean drinking water can relieve the diarrhea of young rabbits.

(3) Treatment of diseased diarrhea

Pregnant female rabbits were vaccinated with Escherichia coli vaccine, Clostridium welchii vaccine, etc. 15 days before delivery . Rabbits can obtain good passive rabbit antibodies. The 25-day-old rabbits can be injected with Escherichia coli vaccine and Clostridium welchii vaccine. (Conditional can make their own vaccine, the effect is better). Since there is no specific treatment for viral diarrhea, symptomatic treatment is mainly used for rabbits, such as administration of astringent antidiarrheal agents such as tannin protein, nitric acid and other drugs, and antibiotics and sulfonamides to prevent secondary bacterial infection. For diarrhea caused by bacteria, in view of the emergence of bacterial resistance, antibiotics should be used alternately and the dose should be accurate. The prevention and treatment of diarrhea in weaned young rabbits should take comprehensive control measures from three aspects: feeding management, vaccine prevention and drug control.

Anti-coccidial drugs such as chlorpheniramine, diclazuril, gram ball powder, etc. should be added to the feed to prevent diarrhea caused by coccidiosis and anti-coccidial drugs should be used alternately. When adding antibacterial drugs to the feed to prevent diarrhea, it should be noted that due to the long-term use of a drug, bacteria are prone to develop drug resistance, and should be reasonably matched and attention should be paid to rotating drugs.

In summary, it can be seen that due to the particularity of the developmental imperfection of weaned young rabbits, they are more sensitive to the internal and external environment, and many factors can lead to diarrhea. In order to achieve satisfactory results, comprehensive measures must be taken in the prevention and treatment. Although there are many factors that cause diarrhea in weaned young rabbits, they are ultimately related to improper feeding and management. Therefore, it is the most important to comprehensively improve and standardize the daily feeding and management of weaned young rabbits among many prevention and control measures.