NUTRITION
Rabbits proving popular Nestled in the foothills of Massey in West Auckland is a 4 acre property managed by Meryl Simmons, her husband Roger and two of their seven children, Amana and Nissi. Unlike the other lifestyle blocks in the area that mainly focus on sheep, cows and horses, this property is established as a large scale pet rabbit breeding business.
pets in New Zealand and also dwarfs for private and commercial sale. The Simmons family have one personal pet rabbit (a white plush lop called Tala) and many favourites scattered throughout the breeding operation, including an impressive Flemish Giant called Benson and a beautiful harlequin mini rex called Angelica. The average litter size is three to six
The family-owned business, Shiloh Rabbits, began in October 2000 with a pair of rabbits fittingly named Adam and Eve. As the breeding side grew, people began asking Meryl to rehome rabbits and board rabbits while they were away, which soon developed a boarding and rehoming service. Further services provided also include claw trimming, grooming, sexing and health checks, as well as also operating as a retail outlet for everything required to be a rabbit owner – which includes hutches and runs, hay, bottles, bowls, brushes, trimmers, toys and food. Shiloh Rabbits is one of the largest users of NRM Rabbit Pellets for their own operation, as well as onselling to other customers. Meryl believes that rabbits make popular small pets as the care they require is often less intensive than dogs, while the individual personalities that rabbits can develop over time still provide a high level of enjoyment. Shiloh Rabbits mainly breed mini lops, which are the most popular breed for
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baby rabbits, with the babies being weaned and sold from 6 weeks. Meryl takes pride in providing an on going service when selling rabbits privately and all rabbits are sent to their new homes with care instructions
| Roger, Meryl, Nissi and Amana Simmons.
and required accessories. The care instructions are extremely detailed with information on all aspects from common health problems to behaviour, with a specific focus on nutrition. Rabbits have a unique digestive action of being “double digesters”, ingesting their first passing of faeces, known as caecotrophs, before passing a second time in a smaller more round form. Meryl recommends a diet of pellets, a handful of fresh hay daily and “greens” including grass and weeds such as puha, dandelion leaves and flowers, dock and plantain. Suitable vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, parsley, carrots and small amounts of fruit.
consistently for 14 years to provide optimum nutrition to their rabbits at any stage of breeding and growth. Meryl recommends using plain pellets rather than mixed pellets that can encourage selective eating and has been loyal to NRM Rabbit Pellets due to the consistent high quality, low cost and that they are made in New Zealand. The inclusion of a coccidiostat for the prevention and control of intestinal coccidiosis is also a significant benefit and one that Meryl feels has contributed to the decrease in gut parasites over recent years. For more information on rabbit health and nutrition, contact your local Nutrition Specialist.
Shiloh Rabbits has been using and recommending NRM Rabbit Pellets
Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited | © May 2017. All rights reserved.
Article supplied by Luisa Wood, Nutrition Technical Advisor, Farmlands.
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