From:
Ann Barzda
Date: 2008-11-12 14:59:41 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Re: Different Food Question
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Thank you for posting actual percentages!=A0 It certainly matches up with m=
y empirical data.=A0 Prior to breeding I make sure they are getting supplem=
ents, including calcium, taurine, and folic acid.=A0 After breeding I slowl=
y increase their food as I observe how hungry they are.=A0 By the time of b=
irth, they are getting natural diet with supplements at least twice a day, =
in addition to the always available kibble.=A0 After birth, when the babies=
are dependent on momma, I usually increase the natural food to three times=
a day, and that lasts until the babies are about 10 weeks old, when I can =
cut back to two times a day.=A0 Before I figured this out, I did observe th=
at the jills would get thinner and the babies wouldn't grow as fast. Now I =
have a jill that is skinny as a rail all year round, EXCEPT when she is lac=
tating - then she gets fat!=A0 LOL.=A0 I also increase the amount of fat a =
bit by adding more skin and not trimming the fat off the chicken I give the=
m
(which I do at other times of the year to control the fat percentage a bit=
.)
=A0
All in all, I have raised many healthy litters by recognizing that pregnant=
and lactating females need a lot more caloric-intake to be able to success=
fully raise their babies without compromising their own health.
=A0
Perhaps it helps that I am a female, so I have somewhat of an innate unders=
tanding of the needs of mothers and babies.=A0 <g>
=A0
ann
--- On Tue, 11/11/08, Sukie Crandall <sukie@mac.com> wrote:
The greater nutrition demands of jills during
pregnancy came up at the symposium.
Okay, those who were there know that I should
have written MUCH greater, and that kits
also fall in that category.
Oh, and in a private talk with Dr. Willard I was
able to confirm that refs I've read earlier are
more accurate on protein levels of chicks and
mice than some websites. They are pretty much
50% to 52% protein, which is why places like
Pretty Pet aimed for that number for their
high protein foods.
Sorry, but I don't have time to look that stuff up
right now, so am hoping someone else who was
there will elaborate from the lectures. Dr. Bob
Wagner's break-away group especially went into
this topic in great detail. Let's see what I can pull
up quickly:
Jills need 35% -50% protein DW (dry weight),
minimum carbs, 20%-30% fat DW
If pregnant or lactating then 2 to 3 TIMES earlier
maintenance needs w maintenance being 200-300 kcal/
kg BW (body weight) per day.
May need taurine.
Please, don't misread this. Both need a reasonable
amount of dietary fat.
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