Objective: This study aims at investigating the productive performance, metabolic, and hematological profiles of Algerian local rabbits does during their first pregnancy and according to dietary protein content. Materials and methods: A total of 52 nulliparous rabbit does, 3,116 ± 72.9 g live weight, were allocated individually to three groups (17/18 females per group) being on isoenergetic diets [2,600 kcal Digestible Energy (DE)/kg] that differ in their digestible protein content by 15%, 17%, and 19%, respectively, for L, M, and H diets. All these diets were provided ad libitum . Results: The use of a high protein diet did not affect does weight and feed intake during the pregnancy period. Statistically, no significant difference ( p > 0.05) was recorded in born or alive litter size and birth weight. There was no effect of diet and sampling time ( p > 0.05) on plasma metabolites but there were significant effects of sampling time ( p < 0.0001) on the metabolic parameters studied with prolificacy used as a covariate. Hematologic indices in pregnant rabbits were not affected by the diet exceeded the red blood cells rate that increased significantly ( p < 0.05) with the increase in dietary protein content during the different periods of gestation. Conclusion: The use of a high protein diet has no effect on weight during the pregnancy period. No effect of diet and sampling time on plasma metabolites and hematological profiles are recorded; however, significant effects of sampling time are recorded on the metabolic parameters.
Primiparous does express low mating acceptance during lactation and different oestrus induction methods are employed to improve sexual receptivity. The aim of this work was to study the effect of a biostimulation, a 48 h doe-litter separation (DLS), in primiparous lactating rabbits on mating acceptance, external characteristics of the vulva and plasma concentrations of estradiol, testosterone, progesterone and cortisol. Seventy primiparous does from local population were divided on day 1 after kindling into 2 equal groups: control (C, n=35), where does always had free access to the nest-box, and DLS (n=35), where free suckling was adopted, except from day 9 to day 11 post-partum (PP). Litter size was equalised to 6-7 kits. Before mating, blood samples were obtained from 10 does per group on 9 th and 11 th d post-partum (dpp). The results showed that the DLS treatment improved the mating acceptance on 11 th dpp (88.5 vs. 54.2%; P<0.01) and the frequency of red or pink and turgid vulva (54.3 vs. 20%; P<0.01). The sexual receptivity of DLS does depended on the time for which the female was presented to the male: 60% refused mating before opening the nest-box, while 80.9% of them accepted the male after the nursing episode. Plasma levels of estradiol, testosterone and progesterone in DLS group rose from 9 th to 11 th dpp (+44.4; +59.2 and +82%, respectively; P<0.01) compared to C group (+6.7; -3.9 and +33.4%, respectively; P>0.05). In contrast, cortisol plasma levels were not affected by the DLS treatment (-12.4 and -14.4% for control and DLS group; P>0.05). At day 11 PP, higher plasma E2 and P4 levels were described in DLS in comparison to C, although no significant difference was found, while plasma testosterone concentrations tended to be higher in DLS (165.5±27.1 vs. 114.9±31.9 pg/mL, for DLS and C, respectively; P=0.075). In summary, the 48 h doe-litter-separation acted as an efficient oestrus inductor in primiparous lactating rabbits. Insemination of biostimulated does must occur after the 1 st suckling episode following the separation. This biostimulation method did not modify cortisol secretion of the rabbit doe.
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