| Livestock Research for Rural Development 30 (7) 2018 | Guide for preparation of papers | LRRD Newsletter | Citation of this paper |
The aim of this experiment was to study the reproductive traits of New Zealand white, Californian , Palomino brown and Havana black rabbit in the humid tropics . A total number of forty eight (48) does and twelve bucks (12 does and 3 bucks for each of the breeds) were used for the experiment which was carried out at the rabbitry unit of the Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State. Does are taken to the buck cage for successful mating and reproductive traits such as litter size at birth, gestation length, kit weight at birth, litter weight at birth, litter size at weaning, mortality rate and litter weight at weaning were observed. Mating and collection of data was carried out for four consecutive times. Data were analyzed using General Linear Model procedure of SAS (2007).
New Zealand white had the highest average number of kits born alive (6.75) followed by California and Havana black while Palomino brown had the least litter size at birth (4.23). The gestation length of New Zealand white and California breed were the same (31.9 days) while Havana black had the shortest gestation length in this study. Havana black had the highest litter size at weaning (5.01) followed by New Zealand white and Palomino brown while California breed had the least surviving kits (3.25) at weaning. High percentage pre-weaning mortality (39.0%) was observed in the Californian breed. Havana black produced kits with the highest value for litter weight at weaning (1530 g). This was followed by New Zealand white and Palomino brown while the least value for litter weight at weaning was recorded for California breed (1030 g). New Zealand white and Havana black had better reproductive performance than Palomino brown and California breed in the humid tropics.
Key words: gestation length, Havana black, kits, litter size
Reproductive performance is an important trait of interest affecting productivity and economic success. High prolificacy and fast growth make rabbit an ideal animal for meat production in developing tropics. However, the humid tropical climate contributes substantial stress on temperate breeds of rabbits that adversely affect their performance. The litter production reported from temperate regions of the world with an average litter size at birth of 9.5 kits has failed to materialize in the tropics (Marykutty and Nandakumar 2000). Profitability of production depends on the reproduction intensity and the number of kits weaned from each litter (Castellini et al 2010). Litter size (the number of kits born) is the most important economic character in rabbit production (Belhadi 2004; Nofal et al 2005). According to Moce and Santacreu (2010), most maternal lines are selected based on litter size at weaning, since this trait reflects both the prolificacy and mothering ability of the doe. Litter size is mainly controlled by heredity and can be improved by crossbreeding between breeds (Nofal et al 2005, Zerrrouki et al 2014). Pre-weaning survival percentage of kit rabbits is of vital importance in commercial rabbit farming, where it plays a major role in determining the net financial income of the farms (Rashwan and Marai 2000).
Kumaresan et al (2011) reported that there is no significant difference in litter size at birth and weaning between New Zealand White and other breeds studied. Apori et al (2015) recorded similar litter size at birth, gestation length and kindling interval for New Zealand White and California breed reared under an intensive system. Ozimba and Lukefahr (1991) also reported non–significant difference in litter size and litter weight at weaning among New Zealand White and California breed. However, Kabir et al (2012) observed that California White does produced significantly higher litter size at birth than the Chinchilla and New Zealand White does. The reports of Irekhore (2007) also indicated that California breed produced higher litter size at birth than New Zealand White.
Selection of suitable breed of rabbit to particular environment conditions is very much essential for successful rabbit production (Kumaresan et al, 2011). This study was therefore carried out to investigate the reproductive performance of Californian, New Zealand white, Havana black and Palomino brown which are all temperate breed when raised in a humid tropical environment which is characterized with very high temperature and relative humidity
The experiment was carried out at the rabbitry unit of the Department of Environmental Biology and Fisheries, Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko, Ondo state. Akungba–Akoko is located in Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo state, Nigeria. The area lies in the south western region of Nigeria (7º 28ˈ and 5º43ˈ) and has the following environmental condition: ambient temperature of 270CC and relative humidity of 46mm Hg.
A total number of forty eight (48) does and twelve (12) bucks were used for the experiment. These include 12 does and 3 bucks for each of California white, Palomino brown, New Zealand white and Havana black breed ).The experimental animals were kept in a wooden cage with each compartment of dimension of length× width× height: 80× 50 ×30 cm 3. The cages were constructed of wood and a wire mesh.The hutch was constructed in a way that it allow there waste to drop on the floor easily and has a single roof which covers all cages from rain or sunlight. They were fed with commercial pelleted diet; the diet used contained 15% Crude protein, 7% fat, 10% Crude fibre, 1.0% Calcium, together with available phosphorus of 0.35% and 2550Kcal/kg metabolisable energy. They were also supplied with forages. Clean water was also supplied to the rabbits ad- libitum.
Mating of the does: Does are taken to the buck cage and the number of service per conception was carefully monitored. Abdomen palpation was conducted on the 14 th day of mating to confirm successful mating after which non – pregnant does were re-mated for pregnancy to be achieved
The reproductive traits measured are:
Litter size at birth: This was the number of kits born alive by each doe.
Gestation length (days ): This was the period from the day of successful mating (conception) to the day of kindling.
Litter weight at birth: The weight of all the kits born together by each doe were taken at birth with a sensitive Metler ® weighing balance.
Kit weight at birth (g): The weight of individual kits born was taken at birth with a sensitive Metler ® weighing balance.
Litter size at weaning: This was the number of kits weaned by each doe.
Mortality rate (%): This was the percentage of dead kits before weaning to the number of kits born alive by each doe.
Litter weight at weaning: The weight of all the kits that survived at weaning from each doe were taken with a weighing balance
Mating and collection of data was carried out for 4 consecutive breeding period.
Data obtained from the measurements was analysed using SAS 2007. The linear model is as specified below:
Yij = µ+ Ai + eij
Yijk = the parameter of interest
µ = overall mean for the parameter of interest
Ai = fixed effect of ith breed (I=1-4)
eijk = rrandom error associated with each record.
The least square means of the reproductive traits of the breeds presented on Table 1 showed that the New Zealand white had the highest number of kits born alive (6.75) followed by California (5.33) and Havana black while Palomino brown had the least litter size at birth (4.23). However, Marykutty and Nandakumar (2000) reported non-significant effect of breed on litter size and litter weight at birth. The best (shortest) gestation length of 28.30 days was recorded for Havana black followed by California while the gestation length of New Zealand white and Palomino breed were the same (31.9 days) in this study. Apori et al (2015) also recorded similar gestation length and kindling interval for New Zealand White and California breed reared under an intensive system. New Zealand white produced kits with the least weight at birth (35.6 g) while the kits from Palomino brown had the heaviest kit weight (41.8g) at birth. However the reverse was the case for litter weight at birth. The least litter weight at birth was recorded for Palomino brown because of the few number of kits born alive while the New Zealand white with the large number of kits had the heaviest litter weight at birth. There was no significant difference in the litter weight of California breed and Havana black at birth as shown on Table 1.
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Table 1. Means of reproductive traits of California, New Zealand white, Havana black, and Palomino brown rabbit |
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|
Traits |
California |
New |
Havana |
Palomino |
SEM |
p |
||
|
Litter size at birth |
5.33b |
6.75a |
5.12b |
4.23c |
0.438 |
0.0231 |
||
|
Gestation length (days) |
29.7b |
31.9a |
28.3d |
31.9a |
0.651 |
0.0412 |
||
|
Kit weight at birth (g) |
37.6c |
35.6d |
39.9b |
41.8a |
0.533 |
0.0341 |
||
|
Litter weight at birth (g) |
201b |
240a |
204b |
177c |
21.2 |
0.0453 |
||
|
Litter size at weaning |
3.15d |
4.61b |
4.97a |
3.48c |
0.0112 |
0.0394 |
||
|
Mortality rate (%) |
39.02a |
26.50b |
12.20d |
16.02c |
0.821 |
0.0423 |
||
|
Kit weight at weaning(g) |
316b |
298c |
305c |
340a |
10.7 |
0.0481 |
||
|
Litter weight at weaning (g) |
1030d |
1480b |
1530a |
1370c |
45.5 |
0.0422 |
||
|
a b c d Means on the same row with different superscripts are significantly (p<0.05) different |
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Litter size at weaning seems to be the best trait to use as a selection criteria for improving the reproductive performance rather than litter size at birth or number born alive (Moustafa et al 2014). The productivity of rabbits depends principally on the number of young kits surviving the pre-weaning stage. The ability of a doe to produce thrifty young at birth and to raise these young to weaning determines her productivity (Sorensen et al. 2001). Therefore, maintaining high economic efficiency in commercial rabbit production necessitates high kit survival. Havana black had the highest litter size at weaning (4.97) followed by New Zealand white and Palomino brown while California breed had the least surviving kits (3.15) at weaning. Marykutty and Nandakumar (2000) reported that litter size and litter weight at weaning was affected by breed.
California breed displayed a very poor mothering ability with the highest kit mortality rate. This may be as a result of inability of the dams to produce sufficient fur in the nesting box for their naked kits at birth. Ozimba and Lukefahr (1991) reported higher percentage mortality rate for California breed than New Zealand White and other breeds studied. According to Topczewska et al (2013), high rate of failures during rearing as a result of high percentage pre-weaning mortality was observed in the California (39.02%) Apori et al (2015) also reported high percentage pre-weaning mortality and lower litter size at weaning for California breed compared with New Zealand White reared under an intensive system. Litter weight at weaning is controlled by the number of kits survived at weaning (Risam et al 2005). Kits produced by Palomino brown had the heaviest weight at weaning (340g). This may be as a result of their initial body weight at birth. Litter weight at weaning is dependent on the number of kits born, lactation and care of the kits. Havana black produced kits with the highest value for litter weight at weaning (1530g). This was followed by New Zealand white and Palomino brown while the least value for litter weight at weaning was recorded for California breed (1030g) as shown on Table1. These significant differences in the litter weight might be as a result of their number of surviving kits at weaning. Apori et al (2015) reported lower litter weight at weaning for California breed compared with New Zealand White reared under an intensive system.
The Pearson correlation of the reproductive traits presented on Table 2 shows a range of relationships among the reproductive traits. There was a strong negative correlation (-0.697) between the litter size at birth and kit weight at birth, the larger the number of kits born alive, the lower the weight of the kits. Adeyinka et al (2007) stated that litter size at birth in rabbit is negatively correlated with individual rabbit weight at birth. There was a highly significant (p<0.01) positive relationship between the litter size at birth and litter weight at birth (0.878). There is a strong correlation between number of live born rabbit and litter weight (Topczewska et al 2013). Iraqi et al (2007) reported a strong positive correlation of 0.991 between litter size at birth and litter weight at birth. The correlation between kit weight at birth and litter weight at birth was also positive. There was also a moderate positive correlation (0.541) between the litter size at birth and litter size at weaning. Iraqi et al (2007) reported a correlation of 0.40 between litter size at birth and litter size at weaning.
The relationship between the mortality and litter size at weaning was negative (-0.722) and highly significant (p<0.01), the higher the mortality rate the fewer the litter size at weaning. There was also a negative correlation between the mortality and kit weight at birth. Kits with low weight at birth are more prone to pre weaning mortality. Heavier kits compete more effectively for mother’s milk and favourable thermal positions in the litter huddle, grow faster and are better able to maintain body equilibrium than lighter kits (Mucino et al 2009). Therefore, they are more likely to survive.
The correlation coefficient between kit weight at birth and kit weight at weaning was positive and moderate (0.513); kits with high weight at birth have better chances for survival and better growth.There was also a positive correlation (0.423) between the litter size at birth and pre -weaning mortality.
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Table 2. Pearson correlation of the reproductive traits in rabbit |
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|
|
LSB |
KWB |
LWB |
LSW |
MR |
KWW |
LWW |
|
|
LSB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
KWB |
-0.697* |
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|
LWB |
0.878** |
0.352* |
||||||
|
LSW |
0.541* |
0.234 |
0.252 |
|||||
|
MR |
0.423* |
-0.688* |
0.431* |
-0.722** |
||||
|
KWW |
0.121 |
0.513* |
0.132 |
-0.414* |
0.273 |
|||
|
LWW |
0.386 |
0.142 |
0.521* |
0.843** |
-0.522 |
0.243 |
||
|
LSB = Litter size at birth, KWB= Kit weight at birth, LWB= Litter weight at birth, LSW= Litter size at weaning, MR= Mortality rate, KWW= Kit weight at weaning, LWW= Litter weight at weaning *p<0.05 **p<0.01 |
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Similarly, high pre-weaning mortality in large litters has been reported by Kpodekon et al (2006). Elmaghraby et al (2004) also reported a positive correlation (r = 0.64, p< 0.01) between litter size and pre-weaning mortality in large litters. In large litters, limited number of teats in rabbit females causes an exhaustive competition among litter mates for milk and well-insulated (thermally advantageous) positions in the litter cluster (Bautista et al, 2005). In addition, milk available to individual kits decreases with the increase of litter size (Zerrouki et al , 2005). The availability of milk to kits during lactation period affects their survival (Amroun et al 2018) Weak competitors might, therefore, suffer starvation and are more likely to die.There was a highly significant (p<0.01) positive relationship between the litter size at weaning and litter weight at weaning. The larger the litter size at weaning, the heavier litter weight at weaning.
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Received 1 January 2018; Accepted 25 May 2018; Published 3 July 2018