Rabbits, like all mammals, produce milk to nourish their young. Female rabbits, known as does, lactate to provide a complete and balanced diet for their offspring, called kits. This milk is uniquely formulated to support the rapid growth and specific developmental needs of kits.
How Rabbits Produce Milk
Milk production in rabbits is primarily controlled by hormones. Mammary glands synthesize and secrete milk, developing for lactation during pregnancy.
Lactation is regulated by a precise interplay of hormones. Prolactin stimulates milk synthesis within the mammary glands. As kits suckle, nerve signals prompt the release of oxytocin, which triggers the milk ejection reflex, also known as milk let-down. Hormonal levels, such as those of progesterone and estrogen, also fluctuate throughout pregnancy and lactation, influencing milk production.
Distinctive Qualities of Rabbit Milk
Rabbit milk possesses unique characteristics, setting it apart from other mammals’ milk. It is exceptionally rich in nutrients, primarily high in fat and protein. Mature rabbit milk typically contains between 11.6% and 13.8% fat and 8.4% to 11.6% crude protein.
This high energy density is crucial for the rapid growth of kits. In contrast, the lactose (sugar) content is relatively low, typically ranging from 1.4% to 2.6%. This low lactose level helps prevent digestive upset in young kits. The concentrated nature of rabbit milk, with its high fat and protein and low lactose, provides a highly efficient source of energy and building blocks for rapid development.
Importance for Kit Development
Mother’s milk is essential for the survival and early development of rabbit kits. Its unique composition supports their rapid growth rate, with kits often doubling their birth weight by six days of age. The highly concentrated milk allows for infrequent, short nursing sessions, which is a characteristic behavior of mother rabbits. Does typically nurse their kits only once or twice a day, usually for a brief period of 2 to 5 minutes. This infrequent nursing is a natural defense mechanism, minimizing the mother’s presence at the nest and reducing the risk of attracting predators.
During these short nursing bouts, kits can consume a significant amount of milk, sometimes up to 1/6 or even 35% of their body weight. Beyond providing nourishment, rabbit milk also contributes to the kits’ immune system development. It contains immunoglobulins, which are antibodies transferred from the mother that help protect the young from pathogens during their early, vulnerable stages. Furthermore, rabbit milk contains specific fatty acids, such as C8 and C10, which have bacteriostatic properties that inhibit bacterial growth in the kits’ digestive tracts, offering protection against enteric infections. If kits do not receive adequate maternal milk, their growth and survival are negatively impacted, as they are entirely dependent on it for nutrients until they begin consuming solid food around 18-19 days of age.