Brambles

in Portugal they choose this plant... cistus salvifollius "rock roses" in the spring the CP and TP (crude protein and total protein respectively) are insanely high "120 and 85g/kg DM"

https://www.mindenpictures.com/stock-photo-european-rabbit-oryctolagus-cuniculus-young-feeding-on-bramble-rubus-naturephotography-image80131207.html [image]https://www.mindenpictures.com/cache/pcache2/80131207.jpg[/image]

Nutritive value of Cistus salvifolius shrubs for small ruminants May 2011Fuel and Energy Abstracts 165(3):167-175 DOI:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2011.02.021 Authors: A.M. Bruno-Soares , Teresa J S Matos University of Lisbon , Jorge Cadima https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241094821_Nutritive_value_of_Cistus_salvifolius_shrubs_for_small_ruminants

The diet of the European wild rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.), on different coastal habitats of Central Portugal January 2001 Mammalia 65(4):437-450 DOI:10.1515/mamm.2001.65.4.437 Authors: Carla Cristina Marques Fundação da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa Maria da Luz Mathias University of Lisbon https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249943926_The_diet_of_the_European_wild_rabbit_Oryctolagus_cuniculus_L_on_different_coastal_habitats_of_Central_Portugal?fbclid=IwAR0HKO5sUGu8kjkvpSkBC4K1h-aK5DDYliMaFOLxqBip7tuvDAgvSFBpm7s

"This study describes the diet of two populations of European wild rabbits inhabiting a maritime sand dune system and a scrubland, in Central Portugal. Histological analyses were applied to 11 monthly samples of rabbit droppings from each 
study site. Results obtained were compared and an evaluation of the quantitative and qualitative similarity of the food consumed by both populations was carried out. In the sand dune habitat grasses formed the bulk of the diet throughout 
the year (53%), three species accounting for about 40% of the yearly diet : Dactylis glomerata, Holcus lanatus and Ammophila arenaria, characteristically coastal species. By contrast, in the scrubland, although grasses represented a 
substantial part of the diet (38%), dicotyledon species were the most widely eaten (48%), particularly Cistus salvifolius, Cistus crispus and Ulex parviflorus. The diet of rabbits at the sand dune habitat was more varied in winter and 
summer, but in the scrubland, a more diversified diet was found in winter and spring. The differences between the food choices of the two populations are discussed on the basis of the preferences of rabbit and the availability of 
particular food items, especially regarding endemic or rare plant species."

A shrub is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Cistus salviifolius, common names sage-leaved rock-rose,[1] salvia cistus[2] or Gallipoli rose, is a shrub of the family Cistaceae. bushy shrub Cistus crispus is a shrubby species of flowering plant in the family Cistaceae , with pink to purple flowers, native to south-western Europe and western north Africa. Ulex parviflorus Small-flowered Gorse: shrub,

Effects of diet composition on intake by adult wild European rabbits 1989 Dec;13(3):201-9. doi: 10.1016/0195-6663(89)90013-5. K A Monk Department of Agriculture and Horticulture, University of Reading, England. PMID: 2556961 DOI: 10.1016/0195-6663(89)90013-5 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2556961/

"The voluntary dry matter intake (DMI) of several grass and legume diets, and the amount of dry matter (DM), nitrogen, fibre, and energy assimilated from each diet (i.e. the digestibility coefficients) are presented for the wild European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus. The DMI may be predicted from DM% and percentage of total nitrogen (on a DM basis) for a high DM diet (90-95%) but the general relationship may stand for fresh forage also. The metabolizable energy of a diet is correlated with DMI through the DM% and the percentage of nitrogen and fibre in the diet on a DM basis. The DM digestibility coefficient is correlated with fibre content. The wild rabbit's high efficiency of protein digestibility and low fibre digestibility compared with ruminants is also a characteristic of the domestic rabbit. It is suggested that the proportions of different nutrients required by wild rabbits are similar to those required by domestic animals."