The fertility rate of artificial inseminated rabbit does: the impact of some doe related factors
1999
Maertens, L. (Center for Agricultural Research - Ghent, Merelbeke (Belgium). Dpt. Dierenvoeding en Veehouderij) | Bousselmi, H (Institute for Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen (Belgium). Dpt. of Animal Health and Production)
The results of 1891 artificial inseminations (AI) in rabbit does, hold in 2 batches and using a 42 reproduction rhythm, were analysed. The effects of parity number, lactation and insemination order (1st or re-insemination) of does were studied. Nulliparous does had a fertility rate (FR) of 78.7 per cent, indicating that a batch system could affect negatively the FR. The FR of lactating does was significantly (P0.01) affected by the parity number. A quite linear increase of the FR was observed between primiparous does and does in their 4th and following lactations and amounted 57.2 (1st), 62.2, (2nd) 66.4 (3th) and 74.0 per cent (4th and following), respectively. This improvement is explained by the increasing feed intake with parity number, which reduces the energy deficit during the lactation and consequently leads to a higher fertility rate. The average FR of lactating does inseminated 11 days post parturition was 69.4 per cent. The non-pregnant does, re-inseminated 3 days after weaning, had a very favourable FR (80.6 per cent). However, the following insemination of these does during the lactation, was not very fertile (only 48.9 per cent). On the contrary, does which had at least 2 consecutive fertile inseminations showed a much higher FR (78.1 per cent). It is concluded that a rest period does not have a positive impact on the success of the following insemination when performed during the subsequent lactation.
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