Reproductive performance of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in captivity under different management systems in Argentina

Abstract

-The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris Linnaeus, 1766) is a wild rodent of great economic interest and is easily domesticated. Variations in reproductive parameters for the capybaras depend on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, which modulate the different stages of its reproduction either in captivity or wildlife. In captivity, an intensive production system is feasible, offering an economical profit under certain reproductive conditions. This work evaluates the reproductive performance of capybaras under different management systems in captivity, interpreting the results biologically and giving management guidelines to optimize their intensive production. The study was carried out at the Capybara Breeding Station, located in the Agricultural Experimental Station "Delta del Paraná", belonging to the National Institute for Agricultural Technology (INTA; Campana, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina; 34• 08'S; 58• 12'W), from August 1997 to December 1998. Three different management systems were tested: System I "Isolated pens" (IP), composed of three different types of outdoor enclosures for "reproduction", "maternity" and "growth". System II "Isolated females" (IM), formed by a central enclosure ("reproduction pen"), communicating with 12 paddocks ("maternity pen") and "growth pens". System III "Mixed pens" (MP), an enclosure of 35 × 10-m divided in "reproduction area" and "maternity pens"; the offspring were moved to "growth pens" elsewhere. A temporary weaning technique was tested for the "mixed pens" system. The variables analyzed for all systems were litter size at birth and at weaning, nursing and interbirth periods, and survival rates (at birth, weaning and total). The reproductive efficiency of each adult female was calculated as the total number of individuals weaned alive in a one-year period. During the study, 348 young were born in 104 births, from a total of 59 adult females. We conclude that the system that performs the best for capybara reproduction is the "mixed pens" system, including temporary weaning. Under this management strategy the following parameters were registered: mean litter size of 3.8 newborn per birth; 85% of live offspring at weaning; two births per year per female; all resulting in a reproductive efficiency of 6.5 young weaned alive per year × female. These reproductive parameters provide the necessary conditions to obtain economical profit of captive-bred capybaras.breeding management / capybara / captivity / production / reproduction Résumé -Performances de reproduction du cabiaï (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) en captivité dans différents systèmes de production en Argentine. Le cabiaï (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris Linnaeus, 1766) est un rongeur sauvage de grand intérêt économique qui se domestique facilement. Les paramètres de reproduction des cabiaïs varient en fonction de facteurs intrinsèques et extrinsèques qui modulent les différentes étapes de sa reproduction aussi bien en captivité qu'en milieu naturel. En captivité, un système de production intensive est viable e...

Morphology and Reproductive Physiology of Female Capybaras

“…Several studies show that, in the wild, the litters on average contain four young (Ojasti 1973 ;Herrera and Macdonald 1987 ;Moreira and Macdonald 1996 ) . Studies in Argentina with different captive breeding systems have noted that capybaras can give birth twice per year, with 6.5 young per year (Alvarez and Kravetz 2006 ) or 3.4 ± 0.2 young per year (Cueto 1999 ) .…”

Nutritional value of some feedstuffs used in the diet of captive capybaras

“…Capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) breed relatively easily in captivity (Ojasti, 1991); this trait, in association with other biological and behavioral characteristics -sedentarism, docility, and sociability -has encouraged the captive breeding of capybaras in Latin American countries (Ojasti, 1991;González-Jiménez, 1995;Nogueira-Filho & Nogueira, 2004;Alvarez & Kravetz, 2006). However, the main factor that has favored the domestication of the capybara is its diet (Emmons, 1987).…”

The Impact of Management Practices on Female Capybara Reproductive Parameters in Captivity

“…The research station in Piracicaba recorded mean litter size of 3.3 ± 1.5 (N = 80; Nogueira 1997 ) , while in the Buenos Aires breeding center, litters ranged from 3.1 ± 2.1 (N = 12) to 3.8 ± 1.6 (N = 61; Alvarez and Kravetz 2006 ) . In this evaluation, in Argentina, the litter size per parturition was independent (P = 0.23) of the husbandry practices adopted (Alvarez and Kravetz 2006 ) .…”