Protein supplements are concentrate feeds that are high in protein, and they are used to increase the level of protein in the total diet to the recommended level. For the most part, protein supplements of most interest to rabbit growers are derived from plants rather than the more expensive animal protein supplements. The most widely used is soybean meal, though, in usual feed combinations, linseed meal, peanut meal, and sesame meal may also be used successfully. If cottonseed meal is used, it should be treated for removal of gossypol, and even then it should be limited to no more than about 5-7 percent of the diet. Miscellaneous feeds include a wide variety of ingredients that are of little interest to commercial producers but may be of interest to small operators.
Table wastes, except meat, fat, or spoiled foods, are acceptable.
Milk and milk by-products are excellent but usually are too expensive. In practice, salt is generally added to a diet at a level of 0.5 percent or provided free choice as a salt block. The example diets in Table 3 are adequate in mineral elements so far as is known. Since the great majority of rabbit breeders, including those raising rabbits in medical and biological laboratories, use commercially prepared pelleted feeds, the diets in Table 3 are formulated on the basis of suitability for pelleting. It should be stressed that many other feed combinations are possible.