Countryside feed

[Andrei]

DL Methionine, Calcium carbonate, Salt, Ferrous Carbonate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Manganese Sulgfate, Zink oxide, Zinc Sulfate, Cobalt Carbonate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydreochloride, ...... are part of the rabbit pelets.
Whem I was racing homing pigeons I feed them turkey pellets that are highly medicated and many became infertile.
Respiratory antybiotics from floxacine family are known to cause infertility.
I increase fertility with propolis and pollen at this time.
Even on stale males.

 

[sawfish99]

I would like to be clear that I do not yet have definitive results from the necropsy. I have been talking with the doctors about what they found so far, but we are still digging deeper into tissue samples and feed analysis to determine the source of the problem.

On the other hand, I can absolutely, speak to the financial and productivity impact of using the feed at our farm. While I like the organic, non-soy content. I can't afford to raise rabbit meat that will cost us over $12/lb to produce!

In contrast, everyone I know that has used the chicken feed is very happy with the results. And the pigs do fabulous on the countryside swine feed.

 

[sawfish99]

The results of the necropsy was somewhat inconclusive. It identified baterial infection as the most likely cause of death, however, the vet noted it was unclear what the source of the various bacteria may have been and couldn't explain how a bacterial infection would break out through the entire rabbitry at one time. Especially since the level of bacteria found should not have been lethal to a healthy rabbit. It is highly suspected that the cause of death was multifaceted and the rabbits may have been compromised by an imbalance in the diet. Since changing off the Countryside Feed, the deaths have ceased and all rabbits appear to be improving.

Based on the expense associated with further testing, we are not going to dig further. I don't really want to wind up in a litigation with the company anyways, and I doubt the conclusion will be specific enough to cause them to just agree to pay out for $750 worth of dead rabbits.

 

[Andrei]

So intestinal bacterial infection that should not have killed but it did.
First I suspect a week immune system and work on that.
Second I would control intestinal bacteria with apple cider vinegar.
And hope for the best.

 

[bonbean01]

Sorry about your rabbits and the test results not being for certain one way or the other. I would do the same as you...not put anymore money into tests and the whole litigation thing without certain proof would be a waste of more time and money.

 

[sawfish99]

Since switching back to commercial feed, the rabbits have stopped dying and started eating again. I still believe something was related to the feed.

 

[Southern by choice]

Glad to hear the other rabbits are doing better. Very sorry about your loss. For those of us that farm, no matter what it is we farm, it isn't just the financial loss. The financial loss of course is part of it but the emotional strain, financial burden, and the stress is often the greater of the hardships.
Really hoping for great productivity for your rabbitry.

 

[bonbean01]

You are probably right...switching back to commercial feed and seeing improvement and no more dying is very telling. Hoping all goes smoothly for you now!!!! Thank you for sharing this...I have been sharing with my nephew and niece who are raising rabbits.

 

[Southern by choice]

I really like how you handled all this BTW!