Early weaning of kits allows better reproductive responses in female rabbits

Published: 7 September 2023| Version 1 | DOI: 10.17632/t54vpk3mkg.1
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Description

Rabbit farming is worldwide one of the most practical, fastest and cheapest ways to obtain very high-quality meat, considerably improving family nutrition. Leading researchers (Xiccato et al., 2004) have proposed early weaning of litters as a management method to reduce body energy losses in the doe rabbit; remembering that, among the rabbit management tasks, weaning is a key point. Since this period could be considered essential to get the best performance from the does. The aim of this research was to analyze the effects of early weaning of kits with the use of milk replacer, on the productive response of weaned animals and the post-weaning recovery period of does. To carry out the experiment, three treatments were used (kits weaned at 32, 18 and 22 days, treatment 1, 2 and 3 respectively) with five repetitions each, where each repetition had an average of six kits housed with their respective mothers; considering each litter as an experimental unit. The feeding of the animals included Mulberry grass (Morus alba), commercial concentrated food and substitute milk. The analysis of the productive and reproductive data was carried out through an analysis of variance and the economic parameters through an analysis of Marginal Cost. No differences (P > 0.05) were observed between the productive and reproductive parameters (weight gain, prolificacy, mortality rate, postpartum heat and calving interval).

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Steps to reproduce

El análisis económico considera los gastos directamente relacionados con la tecnología en un análisis marginal, además se expresa la relación costo:beneficio del uso de leche sustituta en comparación a su ausencia. Los datos de la experimentación contienen la valoración de los principales parámetros productivos y de rendimiento. El perfil metodológico establece las características de la fase experimental, el lugar de ejecución de las actividades, la selección del tamaño muestral, la selección de las camadas, el cronograma de ejecución de dichas actividades y de observación, los análisis o valoraciones laboratoriales y estadísticas de los datos y el presupuesto del proceso experimental. El efecto del tiempo de destete (destete temprano) permite observar la relacion con el balance energético, en este caso negativo que se ve atenuado por efecto del destete temprano, donde las conejas que destetan entre 19 y 24 días (12 a 7 días antes del destete normal de 31 días), presentan un menor balance energético negativo, lo que les permite encarar futuras lactaciones con mayor eficiencia.

Institutions

Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriquez Urena

Categories

Animal Reproduction, Animal Feeding, Rabbit, Cost Management, Weaning, Coefficient of Performance

Funding

Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales, CONIAF

IDIAF/064-5/CM

Licence