A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF THREE RABBIT BREEDS UNDER NATURAL MATING AND ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate three rabbit breeds, asaffected by natural mating and artificial insemination on someproductive and reproductive parameters. One hundred and sixty femaleswere used in artificial insemination (AI) [64 New Zealand White(NZW), 48 Californian (Cal) and 48 Senawey (Sen)]. In artificialinsemination, the semen was diluted with two semen extenders. Fiftytwo females were chosen (20 NZW, 16 Cal and 16 Sen) for naturalmating. Number of services per conception (NSC), number of mateddoes (NM), number of pregnant does (NP), litter size at birth (LSB) andat weaning (LSW), gestation period (GP), bunny weight at birth (BWB)and at weaning (BWW), litter weight at birth (LWB) and litter weight atweaning (LWW) were recorded. Fertility rate (FR) and mortality rate(MR) were calculated. There was no significant effect of breed on GPand litter size. NZW rabbit had the heaviest BWB and BWW, LWB andLWW. Sen had the lowest MR under natural mating (Na). Using AIdecreased FR, increased NSC, decreased LSB, LSW and MR. Secondejaculate and second dilunt or the interaction between them increasedFR, LSB and LSW. The interaction between first ejaculate (E