Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1914-03-21
THE BREEDING OF BELGIAN
HARES.
Some Interesting Facts in Regard to
These Money Makers.

Belgian hares will usually breed at
the age of six months, but this is not
advisable, for when they are bred so
young, their young will not as rule
be as large and strong as where you
wait till the doe is about eight months
old and then bred The buck should
| also be at least eight months old or
little older when he is used as a stud
buck, and if he is a good one he can
be used for two or three years.
In breeding, look to the does for
size and shape and to the buck for
color. From a good doe properly
mated, you will be sure to get good
youngsters. In breeding, always put
the doe in the bucks hutch, and not
vice versa. If she is not in heat she
will make a plaintive little noise and
run from him. After waiting a few
moments remove the doe to her own
hutch if she is still unwilling, and try
| her again the next day and continue
until she is served Better results
follow from one good service than
| from several When the doe is bred
place her in the hutch in which she
is to raise her family You may expect
the little ones thirty days from the day
of service.
About ten days before the little ones
are due, see that the doe is provided
with plenty of good fine hay suitable
| to build her nest with This she will
use in a few days to build her nest
with, lining it nicely with fur which
she will pull from her own body She
may not make immediate use of the
extra hay given her, but this need not
cause any uneasiness; allow her to
pursue her own course and all will go
we'll Do not fail to provide plenty of
good nourishing food for her during
CESSATION, and see that she is at all
times supplied with fresh water, as the
thirst of the doe at kindling becomes
abnormal, and when not supplied with
water they have been known to kill
their young After kindling, and for
that matter, during the entire period
of pregnancy, the doe should be kept
as quiet as, possible Soon after the
little ones have arrived it will be well
| to look into the nest box to see if any
are dead; in doing this disturb the
mother as little as possible. If there
should be any dead, of course they
must be removed at once.
The period of CESSATION being only
thirty days, with an early return OF
the sexual passion in the rabbit fam
lily, causes many breeders to breed
their does too frequently. In order to
obtain best results, we would not adj
wise to breed the doe till the young
are two months OLD, and in this way
you can raise four filters year and
keep your doe in good shape. Too
frequent breeding will have tend
ency to mpoverish the doe, thereby
causing the young to lack vigor and
SItHRln, WHICH otuSl Wi9S ShN "Ouib
have been able to give them A doe
supporting a large litter of young,
must give forth a large amount OF
feed she consumes to her young. and
it seems almost impossible that doe
can support litter of dozen
young and make them all grow as fast
as they do. There is nothing of which
| know that grow as fast as Belgians.
They will double their size in a very
short time, and this rapid growth con
tinues till they are six or seven
months old when they grow slower.
One buck is able to serve about eight
or ten does if the services are not too
close together Every breeder should
however, keep two bucks so as to
furnish stock not related Do not in
breed, as it will deteoriate your stock;
better pay SIS for good buck not re
lated, and the service he will do you
will be worth several times that
amount. 1t is best to breed the does
in the cool of the morning, especially
in warm weather
Some authorities claim that an old
buck and young doe beget the best
and the largest young.-U. G. Con
over, Cozaddale, Ohio,
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