Effect of prenatal overfeeding on the growth performance and postweaning behavioral parameters in rabbits

Abstract

Does are usually fed ad libitum during pregnancy, a fact that can result in intrauterine overfeeding and can have detrimental effects on embryonic programming with permanent changes in the physiology and behavior of the offspring. An experiment was therefore conducted to examine the effect of does' overfeeding during two different periods of pregnancy on the behavior of kits after weaning. Fifteen does were allocated into three groups: control (M) (100% of maintenance energy requirements [MER] throughout pregnancy), O1 (129% of MER between the 7th and 19th of pregnancy), and O2 (138% of MER between the 20th and 27th day of pregnancy). At the ages of 50 and 65 days, the behavior of 24 randomly selected rabbits in home cages was recorded for three consecutive days, while an open field test that constitutes a good indicator of locomotion score and stress was conducted for another 24 rabbits. Rabbits in O1 and O2 groups had more meals in shorter duration and moved and explored their environment less than the controls (P < 0.05). No significant effects on the exhibition of behavior were found during the open field test with the exception of rearing that was displayed more by the O1 and O2 rabbits. Comfort behaviors and resting had increased values, although frequency and duration of eating and drinking were significantly decreased at the age of 65 days (P < 0.05). Males had higher values for frequency of eating than the females (P < 0.01). We concluded that behavior of rabbits born from overnourished does was modified, with decreased values for locomotion and exploration.