# Feeding Yeast to Rabbits



## ONThorsegirl (Apr 2, 2005)

I have been reading acouple of the nutrition threads. I got thinking for a bit...

We were raising steers and market lambs for show the past few years, and last year I started giving my steers beer, one beer a day. for the yeast culture. I then switched to pure brewers yeast ,the same that is found in the supplement Showbloom http://emmert.com/showbloom/index.shtml The yeast helps aid in digestion, its high in protein, minerals, and other beneficial compnents. For our steers they were averaging 1,200lbs and were getting about 1/4 of a cup of brewers yeast, added to the feed, they ate it great...They seemed to do well, it helps digest the other whole grains in their diet, most of their feed was grain, supplemented with hay. 

I was wondering since it is so good for other types of livestock....has anyone tried it with rabbits? The problem I see is that it would fall threw the J feeders. 

I think the yeast was in a 40 pound bag, for about 20.00. its expensive but would last forever. Keep it in the freezer and it would last longer. The bag I got had pictures of rabbits, chickens, horses everything. It gave feeding instructions for each animal but unfortunatly I have forgotten to keep the bag. I can always buy another bag, but I was wondering if anyone else has fed it!

Melissa


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

I can't recall ever hearing about anyone feeding brewer's yeast to rabbits. It's an interesting idea and I know it has health benefits in general, but I would go very cautiously, given rabbits' tendency toward bloat. 

Don't go by the pictures on the package. That may simply mean that the company makes products for all those animals. If you don't need another bag right now, couldn't you simply read the label instructions or contact the company for information?

It is difficult to feed certain fine ingredients to rabbits. On the home ration thread, we've been talking a bit about flax seed... same problem there. It might be possible to combine these ingredients in some kind of a biscuit form, but in the case of yeast the heat may destroy its beneficial properties. Something to think about, anyway. Another way to keep from losing it during feeding might be to sprinkle it over something that has been lightly dressed with blackstrap. I use a bit of blackstrap on the grain I feed when I feel the rabbits need a boost: a spell of really cold weather, fryers in the voracious appetite stage, nursing does. So we certainly can find a way to feed yeast, *IF* it turns out to be a good supplement for rabbits.

Interesting idea... I'm glad you posted about it.


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## trinityoaks (Sep 17, 2008)

I went to the company Web site that ONThorsegirl linked to. They have a formulation that is specifically for rabbits. I've seen it at the TSC here. More info is at this page:

http://emmert.com/showbloom/showbloomrabbits.shtml

The ingredient list is as follows:



> Ingredients: brewers dried yeast, brewers dried grain, dried whey, cane molasses, vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, ascorbic acid, papaya enzyme, yucca schidiger


And the nutritional info:



> Crude Protein (min)................................... 30 %
> Crude Fat (min) ........................................2 %
> Crude Fiber (min) ......................................5.5 %
> Crude Fiber (max) .....................................10.5 %
> ...


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