Effect of feed restriction during pregnancy on performance and productivity of new zealand rabbit does

Abstract EN

This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of the stage of feed restriction during pregnancy on performance and productivity of young rabbit does.

Thirty New Zealand White female rabbits of 20 weeks of age (first kindling) and weighed (2800 ± 100g) were randomly divided into 3 groups and fed one of the following feeding programs.

Group 1: Feed was provided ad libitum throughout the experimental period (control).

Group 2: Rabbits were offered daily a restricted amount of feed (60 % restriction) for the first half of pregnancy (the first fifteen days) then offered ad libitum feeding (R1, early feed restriction).

Group 3 : Rabbits were provided ad libitum feed through the first half of pregnancy period then offered daily a restricted amount of feed (60 % restriction) for the second half of pregnancy (R2, late feed restriction).

Treatments started after natural mating.

After parturition, all does and their young were provided ad libitum amount of feed till weaning.

Does were weighed individually at the start of the experiment then every two weeks and just after kindling.

For each doe, the living pups were weighed and the average birth weight was calculated, then pups were weighed at 21 days of age and at the day of weaning (the 30th day).

Five days after kindling, two blood samples were taken from each female, one for determination of the hematological parameters and the other for separation of serum for prolactin and total protein determination.

The results of our study revealed that (R1) did not affect maternal body weights, the litter weight increased at birth and the mean pup weight from birth till weaning as compared to the (control) group.

Whereas (R2) significantly reduced the weight of does at the 4th week of pregnancy and that continues till the second week after kindling then they returned to the normal weight, the litter weight decreased at birth and also decreased the postnatal pup weights and had significantly highest mortality %.

Feeding level during gestation period did not affect the litter size at birth, there were no abortions.

There was no significant difference in blood parameters or serum prolactin between the (control) and feed restricted groups.

The total protein was significantly decreased in (R2) group.

It is concluded that, in order to reduce the excessive fatness of young rabbit does, restricted feeding during the first half (the first two weeks) of gestation is recommended.