Growth of suckled rabbit kits depending on litter size at birth

David Zapletal, Dominika Švancarová, Branislav Gálik

Abstract


Article Details: Received: 2020-07-02 | Accepted: 2020-10-09 | Available online: 2021-03-31

https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2021.24.01.55-59

Standardization of litter size after birth is a common management practice used on broiler rabbit farms to optimize the growth intensity of kits in the litter. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the litter size at birth before the standardization performed on the subsequent growth intensity of suckled HYPLUS broiler rabbit kits. A total of 70 litters with a total of 639 newborn kits were selected for evaluation, while assessed litter sizes at birth covered 7 to 12 kits per litter. The assessed levels of litter sizes at kindling did not show significant differences in the average birth weight of the kits. Although the litter size was standardized to 8 kits for primiparous and to 9 kits for multiparous does on the first day after birth, the intrinsic litter size of does at kindling had a highly significant effect on the average live weight (LW) of 19-day old suckled kits (P <0.01). The average LW of kits at this age were higher in females which kindled 7 and 8 kits in litter compared to females in which the number of kits born in the litter was between 9 and 12. The same trend as in the case of LW was found for average daily gain values, while its higher values (P <0.01) were found in litters where does kindled only 7 and 8 kits per litter (19.1 and 17.9 g day-1, resp.) in contrast to litters in which does kindled 9 to 12 kits per litter (14.0 to 15.4 g day-1). The performed standardization of litter size in the involved farm thus was not a sufficient management practice to reduce the variability of the average LW of suckled kits at 19 days of age.

Keywords: broiler rabbit, does, litter standardization, nursing, pre-weaning period

References

Alfonso-Carrillo, C. et al. (2014). Effect of late weaning and use of alternative cages on performance of does, suckling and fattening rabbits under extensive reproductive management. Livestock Science, 167, 425–434. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2014.05.018

Bautista, A. et al. (2008). Do newborn domestic rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus compete for thermally advantageous positions in the litter huddle? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 62(3), 331–339. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-007-0420-4

Blasco, A. et al. (2018). Genetics of growth, carcass and meat quality in rabbits. Meat Science, 145, 178–185. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.06.030

Castellini, C. et al. (2003). Comparison of different reproduction protocols for rabbit does: effect of litter size and mating interval. Livestock Production Science, 83, 131–139. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-6226(03)00070-8

Chrenek, P. et al. (2007). The yield and composition of milk from transgenic rabbits. Asian Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 20(4), 482–486. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2007.482

Dalle Zotte, A. et al. (2013). Influence of rabbit sire genetic origin, season of birth and parity order on doe and litter performance in an organic production system. Asian Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 26(1), 43–49. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2012.12401

Fik, M. et al. (2018). Reproduction performances, growth and slaughter traits analysis of rabbit of Nitra breed. Acta Fytotechnica et Zootechnica, 21(4), 162–165. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2018.21.04.162-165

FIK, M. (2020). Possibilities for improvement of rabbit reproduction. Nitra: SPU, 90 p.

Fortun-Lamothe, L. et al. (2003). Estimation de la production laitière à partir de la croissance des lapereaux. In  Proceedings of the 10èmes Journ. Rech. Cunicole, Paris: ITAVI éd., Paris (pp. 69–72). In French.

Juárez, J.D. et al. (2020). Evaluation by re-derivation of a paternal line after 18 generations on seminal traits, proteome and fertility. Livestock Science, 232, 103894. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2019.103894

Ludwiczak, A. et al. (2020). Hycole doe milk properties and kit growth. Animals, 10(2), 214. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10020214

Maertens, L. et al. (2006). Rabbit milk: A review of quantity, quality and non-dietary affecting factors. World Rabbit Science, 14, 205–230. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2006.565

Migdal, L. et al. (2019). Association of polymorphisms in the GH and GHR genes with growth and carcass traits in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Czech Journal of Animal Science, 64(6), 255–264. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17221/27/2019-CJAS

Palka, S. et al. (2018). Effect of housing system and breed on growth, slaughter traits and meat quality traits in rabbits. Scientific Annals of Polish Society of Animal Production-Roczniki Naukowe, 14(4), 9–18.

Parigi-Bini, R. et al. (1992). Energy and protein utilization and partition in rabbit does concurrently pregnant and lactating. Animal Science, 55(1), 153–162. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003356100037387

Pascual, J.J. et al. (2013). Resources allocation in reproductive rabbit does: A review of feeding and genetic strategies for suitable performance. World Rabbit Science, 21, 123–144. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2013.1236

Poigner, J. et al. (2000). Effect of birth weight and litter size on growth and mortality in rabbits. World Rabbit Science, 8(1), 17–22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2000.413

Reyes-Meza, V. et al. (2011). Possible contribution of position in the litter huddle to long-term differences in behavioral style in the domestic rabbit. Physiology & Behavior, 104 (5), 778–785, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.07.019

Rödel, G.H. et  al. (2008). Why do heavy littermates grow better than lighter ones? A study in wild and domestic European rabbits. Physiology & Behavior, 95, 441–448. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2008.07.011

Szendrö, Zs. et al. (2012). Management of reproduction on small, medium and large rabbit farms: A review. Asian Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 25(5), 738–748. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2012.12015

Szendrö, Zs. et al. (2019). The birth weight of rabbits: Influencing factors and effect on behavioural, productive and reproductive traits: A review. Livestock Science, 230, 103841. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2019.103841

Šimek, V. et al. (2019). The comparison of the selected morphometric traits in three medium-sized rabbit breeds. Acta Fytotechnica et Zootechnica, 22(4), 138–143. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2019.22.04.138-143

Tůma, J. et al. (2010). The effect of season and parity order on fertility of rabbit does and kit growth. Czech Journal of Animal Science, 55(8), 330–336. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17221/317/2009-cjas

Volek, Z. et al. (2014). Effect of diets containing whole white lupin seeds on rabbit doe milk yield and milk fatty acid composition as well as the growth and health of their litters. Journal of Animal Science, 92, 2041–2049. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2013-7120


Full Text:

PDF

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2021 Acta Fytotechnica et Zootechnica

© Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources