Milk

[chickenrunnin]

My father said as a boy growing up in Montana in the 40's, that after they would milk the cows, they would give the rabbits they raised for meat left over cows milk. He said they were the healthiest rabbits around, and they LOVED getting milk. Also, since I have been raising rabbits, several of my much older friends said the same thing.

Has anyone heard of this or use this practice?

 

[Ms. Research]

My father said as a boy growing up in Montana in the 40's, that after they would milk the cows, they would give the rabbits they raised for meat left over cows milk. He said they were the healthiest rabbits around, and they LOVED getting milk. Also, since I have been raising rabbits, several of my much older friends said the same thing.

Has anyone heard of this or use this practice?

I would be interested as well to hear if any other have heard of this or used this practice. I know once in a while I give my dog some milk or ice cream. It did his body good. Why not a rabbit?

 

[kstaven]

In the 40's the milk would have been straight from the cow and not pasteurized. Thus more fully digestible.

 

[Bossroo]

When I was a boy, my father , who was a Vet, gave a cup of milk to each rabbit for several weeks to fatten them up before slaughter. he used to give a cup of milk to lactating does too.

 

[chickenrunnin]

Thanks Bossroo for the information

Was if fresh from the cow or store bought? It would make sense to me if they were adults not used to milk that it could make them sick, but if the rabbits were used to it from infant on that it would be okay as they would already be accustomed to drinking and digesting it.

 

[dewey]

Old studies (a few of them are below) seem to conclude that buns are basically lactose intolerant at the least, and at best do not receive benefit from cow's milk...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8244905
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3876289
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7628957

Yet, then, I have (only) read things on the net about folks successfully raising young kits on even 2% cow's milk (debmark was 1 site). Have never came across info on those long term experiences, though, but some studies like above have shown an increase of lesions in rabbits fed cow's milk, along with other issues.

Since rabbit milk is much richer than cow's milk, it's hard to imagine cow's milk being able to put more meat on rabbits than rabbit milk can....but my meat kits stay with the doe until processing age and the does get a high quality pellet. Otherwise, for below weight meat rabbits, it seems like good quality rabbit pellet would be the quickest way put meat on their bones...seems like the milk would displace some consumption of other meat production food...also seems like large rabbit growers would be using cow milk if it was a production effective food.

Maybe the use of cow milk would seem to make a difference in meat rabbits that were typically fed "diet" foods of mostly veggies/hay (especially back in the 40's when that's all that was fed to meat rabbits) because of milk's fat and calories when compared to hay/greens?? I dunno.

It doesn't seem like there'd be a purpose in feeding a food that would be intended to put on actual fat, since what fat there is on a rabbit has to be trimmed off because, just like with deer and elk, the fat tastes horrid...........unlike pork & beef fat that's flavorful and adds delicious flavor to the meat.

Those linked studies seem(?) to be done before the thought was popular that nothing but baby cows should drink cow milk. My mom was born in the 20's and lots of great animal raising tips have been passed down over generations from then, and before. Some proven false and some not. (Like some used to think that feeding gun powder to dogs made them better guard dogs. )

 

[chickenrunnin]

I totally agree Dewey...i dont practice this with my animals. I was just curious as my dad was telling me about this. Thanks for all the effort you put into answering this question.

Kelly

 

[dewey]

Aww, well you're very welcome and thank you kindly. I type fast and have tons of links at hand for all kinds of research, lol. Your dad's story of feeding in the 40's actually brought back all kinds of nice memories.

 

[kstaven]

Aww, well you're very welcome and thank you kindly. I type fast and have tons of links at hand for all kinds of research, lol. Your dad's story of feeding in the 40's actually brought back all kinds of nice memories.

Studies are accurate as far as they go. But remember the conclusions are based on a pasteurized product.

 

[WorthItFarms]

While in college at Auburn University, it was summed up to me as "most mammals are lactose intolerant after weaning". It doesn't always happen immediately and pigs, for example, can tolerate it better than most, but it's usually upsetting to digestion at some point.