Influence of the diet used before and after the first mating on reproductive performance of rabbits does

Authors

  • A. Nizza University of Naples- Federico II

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.1997.327

Abstract

The aim of this study was to verify the influence of different diets used before and after the first mating on reproductive performance of does. 100 New Zealand White fema les growing rabbits (50 days old) were fed two different diets with concentrate pellets: in the first diet (fibrous diet - F) crude fibre contents (CF) were 22.8% DM; in the second diet (normal diet - T) CF were 18.0% DM. From day 10 of the first pregnancy, 50 does (25 does for the F group and 25 does for T group) received a traditional lactating concentrate (L) with Crude Protein (CP) 18.3% DM and Digestible Energy (DE) 11.37 MJ/kg DM. The other 50 does received, in the same time, bu! in different feeders, two different feeds: the E diet (energetic diet) with CP 23.4% DM and DE 14.59 MJ/kg DM and the F diet. Using F diet in the growing period the rabbits increase the feed intake (119.1 vs 110.3 g/d/kg Lw0.75) during the successive lactations and more young rabbits were weaned (8.04 vs 7.69) and he litters were heavier at 21 (2685 g vs 2584 g) and 35 days (7421 g vs 6896 g). However the two different diets used caused a decrease of food consumption (111.3 vs 117.1 g/d/kg LW0.75). The consumption of E food was higher than F and the rabbits of this group showed the highest DE intake (1i5 vs 1.19 MJ/d/ LW0.75) and DP intake (15.08 vs 13.31 g/d/kg LW0.75). Also the litters at 21 (2698 g vs 2588 g) and 35 days (7321 g vs 7038 g) were heavier. The obtained data confirm the efficiency of the administration during the growing period of a diet rich in fibre. The same data cannot give sufficient information to judge the use of 2 free choice diets during he reproduction period.

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Published

2010-07-05

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Papers