| FEATURE |
DETAILS |
Type |
Russel
is a complete food formulated for the needs of rabbits |
| Processing |
Many of the ingredients within Russel are processed (pelleted, flaked, rolled,
extruded) to improve their digestibility whilst retaining a natural appearance. |
| Quality Ingredients |
Only
the highest quality cereals, legumes, forages and oils are used in a fixed formulation. On the packet the ingredients themselves are
declared rather than categories of ingredients, so the owner knows exactly what they are
buying. |
| Coccidiostat Free |
Russel contains no coccidiostats, nor is it produced on a line where
coccidiostats are used. Coccidiostats may be
damaging to rabbits, just as they are to guinea pigs.
|
| Nutritional Balance |
As long as steps are taken to ensure that
selective feeding does not occur, the whole diet is balanced i.e. Russel supplies all the key nutrients needed to meet the daily needs of the
animal, together with sufficient energy to sustain the animal. The Russel Rabbit foods can also be
described as a balanced diet, as each nutrient is at the correct level, and in the correct
ratio to the energy content and other nutrients. |
| b-Carotene, Vitamins A, E |
Russel contains
alfalfa and carrots, both rich in b-carotene. The
levels of Vitamin A and E in the finished product are enhanced through adding supplement
to the extrusions, in order to ensure that reproductive performance is not compromised in
breeding does, and that development young rapidly growing rabbits do not develop muscular
dystrophy. |
Vitamins &
Minerals |
Traditionally
many manufacturers incorporate vitamins into the pellets with coarse mixes which are often
refused (a bitter metallic taste deters rabbits from eating them). Supreme incorporate vitamins and minerals into
their extrusions. The supplement is created
to take into account the shelf-life of the product and the effect that processing has on
the vitamins (different vitamins have different thermal stabilities). Many of the ingredients supply calcium and
phosphorus, but in order to ensure that their levels within the product are perfectly
balanced the product is supplemented. The
final level of calcium is 0.9% (1.0% in Russel Junior) with a Ca:P ratio of 2:1. Most of the minerals that Supreme use in
their supplements are in the sulphate form, as these are more readily available to the
animal than the oxide. |
Shelf-life |
1 year |
| Stimulation |
Russel contains a
variety of ingredients of different
shapes, sizes and textures which
encourages the animal to forage, a natural behaviour, and as long as selective feeding is
discouraged will provide enrichment to the life of the animal. |
| Dental Challenge |
Russel contains
alfalfa (Supreme’s equivalent to grass), and provides fibrous material which aids
appropriate dental wear and may help to prevent dental overgrowth. |
| Fibre |
The high level of fibre in Russel helps maintain the
health and function of the gastro-intestinal tract, and keep the animals occupied. |
