18/11/2020
HOW TO INCREASE RABBIT LITTER SIZE
One important question for a rabbit farmer is how a doe can give birth to multiple kits.
Your does have to build those babies out of the 'supplies' of their own bodies. Therefore, getting enough protein, fat, and other nutrients in the diet becomes very very important to the does' ability to grow the kits inside her belly.
She may conceive 12 kits, but if her body cannot give them enough nutrition to continue growing, at least some of those kits will die inside her, and her body will break them down into their basic nutrients and re-absorb all the nutrients back into her bloodstream, little kit-bones and all.
Another important question is how do you feed your pregnant doe?Do you have access to animal feeds? Choose the bright green growing portions of plants, and grasses before they flower. Once they have flowered, the nutrients are significantly drained. We don't know the nutrient levels in the forages that grow in your area - that would be a good thing to research.
Another question to consider would be;
Do your rabbits come from other does that produce 12 instead of 2 offspring?
The ability to kindle larger litters is moderately heritable - it can be, genetically passed to the next generation. Therefore if you need your rabbits to kindle and raise large litters, start with, or select replacement animals from, those rabbits that consistently perform as you need them to perform.
In a matter of a few generations of selecting the right replacements, you could build a herd that will make the best use of the forages you provide them and successfully conceive and kindle a greater number of offspring.
Lastly, how much mating time do you allow the doe and buck?
The act of the buck riding the back of the doe is what causes the doe to ovulate, to release the eggs which will be fertilized by the buck's s***m. Our theory is that a lot of mating activity may result in more eggs released, though we're not positive there's a correlation. (Many breeders DO think that multiple breedings increase litter size at least a little bit, and some do a repeat breeding approximately 5-6 hours after the first breeding session.)
Therefore, try allowing the buck and the doe to remain together for 15-30 minutes in order to mate and re-mate at will.
Note: I prefer the 3 fall-off method and never leave them together as the doe can get annoyed and injure the buck. However, you know your rabbit's temperament and do what you think is best.