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Consequences of rearing feeding programme on the performance of rabbit females from 1st to 2nd parturition
- E. Martínez-Paredes, D. Savietto, L. Ródenas, C. Cervera, E. Blas, G. Brecchia, C. Boiti, J. J. Pascual
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To evaluate how rearing programmes could affect resources allocation and reproductive performance of primiparous rabbit females, a total of 118 rabbit females were used to evaluate the effects of five rearing feeding programmes on their performance from 1st to 2nd parturition: CAL, fed ad libitum C diet (11.0 MJ digestible energy (DE), 114 g digestible protein (DP) and 358 g NDF/kg dry matter (DM) until 1st parturition; CR, fed ad libitum with C diet until 12 weeks of age and then C diet restricted (140 g/day) until 1st parturition; F, fed ad libitum with F diet (8.7 MJ DE, 88 g DP and 476 NDF/kg DM) until 1st parturition; FC, fed with F diet ad libitum until 16 weeks of age, and C diet ad libitum until 1st parturition; FCF, fed with F diet ad libitum until 16 weeks of age, then C diet ad libitum until 20 weeks and then F diet ad libitum until 1st parturition. From 1st parturition, C diet was ad libitum offered to all the experimental groups until 2nd parturition. CAL females presented lower feed intake than females of F, FC and FCF groups in the 1st week of lactation (on av. −16.6%; P<0.05). During 1st lactation, the perirenal fat thickness change in CAL females was not different from 0 (+0.02 mm), while in the other four groups it increased (on av. +0.44 mm; P<0.05). Plasma of females fed with F diet during rearing (F, FC and FCF) had lower non-esterified fatty acids content than those exclusively fed with C diet (–0.088 and –0.072 mmol/l compared to CAL and CR, respectively; P<0.05). FCF litters had higher weight than F litters at day 21 of lactation (+247 g; P<0.05), but FCF litter had significantly lower weight than FC litters at weaning (+170 g; P<0.05). CR females had the shortest average interval between the 1st and 2nd parturition (49 days) and FCF females the longest (+ 9 days compared to CR; P<0.05). At 2nd parturition, liveborn litters of F females were larger and heavier than litters of FCF females (+2.22 kits and +138 g; P<0.05), probably due to the lower mortality at birth of F litters (–16.5 percentage points; P<0.05). In conclusion, rearing females on fibrous diets seems to increase the ability of primiparous rabbit females to obtain resources, especially at the onset of lactation.
Effects of feeding programme on the performance and energy balance of nulliparous rabbit does
- E. Martínez-Paredes, L. Ródenas, B. Martínez-Vallespín, C. Cervera, E. Blas, G. Brecchia, C. Boiti, J. J. Pascual
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A total of 190 rabbit females were used to evaluate five feeding programmes from 9 weeks of age to the first parturition: CAL, fed ad libitum with a control diet (C: 11.0 MJ digestible energy (DE) and 114 g digestible protein (DP)/kg dry matter (DM)) until first parturition; CR, fed ad libitum with C diet until 12 weeks of age and then C diet restricted (140 g/day) until first parturition; F, fed ad libitum with a low-energy, high-fibre diet (F: 8.7 MJ DE and 88 g DP/kg DM) until first parturition; FC, fed with F diet ad libitum until 16 weeks of age, and C diet ad libitum until first parturition; FCF, fed with F diet ad libitum until 16 weeks of age, then C diet ad libitum until 20 weeks and then F diet ad libitum until first parturition. The rabbits were artificially inseminated at 18 weeks of age. CAL group had a higher mortality rate compared with the other groups between 9 and 12 weeks of age (34% v. 3%; P < 0.05) and during the last 3 weeks of first pregnancy (14% v. 3%; P < 0.05). The CAL and FC females presented higher BW and perirenal fat thickness (PFT) than CR females at 11 days of pregnancy (+0.41 kg and +0.6 mm; P < 0.05), with F females showing medium values. The type of feeding procedure did not affect the fertility rate of young females at first artificial insemination. Differences in BW disappeared at parturition, when only CAL females presented a greater PFT than CR and FC females (+0.3 mm; P < 0.05). In comparison with FCF, CAL females had smaller and thinner live born litters (−2.5 kits and −139 g, respectively; P < 0.05), with CR, F and FC females showing medium values. The low number of kits born alive for CAL females was because of their lesser total number of kits born (−1.7 kits; P < 0.05) and the greater mortality of their litters at birth (+13.9%; P < 0.05) compared with FCF females. Non-esterified fatty acid was higher in the blood of females fed C diet (CAL and CR) than in others at partum day (on average +0.15 mmol/l; P < 0.05). In conclusion, the ad libitum use of diets for lactating rabbit does throughout the rearing period could lead young rabbit females to present a higher risk of early death and smaller litter size at first parturition. Feed restriction or earlier use of suitably fibrous diets led females to achieve the critical BW and fat mass at first mating to ensure reproduction.
Reproductive rhythm and litter weaning age as they affect rabbit doe performance and body energy balance
- G. Xiccato, A. Trocino, C. Boiti, G. Brecchia
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- Animal Science / Volume 81 / Issue 2 / October 2005
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 09 March 2007, pp. 289-296
- Print publication:
- October 2005
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Abstract One hundred and twenty multiparous does were synchronized to give birth the same day (initial kindling). The trial lasted until the successive (final) kindling. Immediately following initial kindling, 22 does were selected for comparative slaughter. The remaining does were assigned to three reproductive rhythms and mated 2 (R2), 11 (R11) or 26 (R26) days post partum. Within each rhythm, the does were further divided into two groups with litters weaned at 21 (W21) or 25 (W25) days of age. A total of 54 does were pregnant and were slaughtered soon after final kindling. By increasing the kindling-to-mating interval from 2 to 26 days, total milk production was increased (5590 to 6065 g for R2 and R26, respectively; P < 0·05); voluntary food intake during lactation was not affected (356 g/day on average), but during the dry period was reduced (182 to 169 g/day; P < 0·05) in this way accounting for a decrease during the experimental period on the whole (299 to 249 g/day; P < 0·01). At the final kindling, the number of kits born per litter was lower in does submitted to the R11 than to the R26 rhythm (P < 0·01). By increasing the kindling-to-mating interval, doe body water concentration decreased, while fat and energy increased (P < 0·01) and higher empty body gain was recorded (from −123 to −4, and to +97 g, in R2, R11 and R26 does, respectively; P < 0·001). As a result, body protein, fat and energy balances changed from negative values to approach equilibrium as reproductive rhythm became extensive (energy balance: −0·14, −0·02 and +0·01 of the initial body content in R2, R11 and R26 does, respectively; P < 0·001). At 28 days after kindling, blood leptin concentration was higher (P < 0·01) and IGF-1 lower (P < 0·05) in R26 does. Daily food intake throughout the experiment was lower (P < 0·05) in W21 does due to the longer dry period. Increasing weaning age from 21 to 25 days increased both number of kits born alive per litter (from 7·4 to 9·6; P < 0·05) and doe body water concentration, while body energy tended to decrease (P < 0·1). At 28 days after kindling lower blood leptin concentration was recorded in W21 than W25 does (1·87 v. 2·76 μg/l, P < 0·05).
Metabolic adaptation and hormonal regulation in young rabbit does during long-term caloric restriction and subsequent compensatory growth
- J. M. Rommers, C. Boiti, G. Brecchia, R. Meijerhof, J. P. T. M. Noordhuizen, E. Decuypere, B. Kemp
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- Animal Science / Volume 79 / Issue 2 / October 2004
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 18 August 2016, pp. 255-264
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- October 2004
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An experiment was performed to assess the metabolic adaptation and hormonal regulation in young female rabbits during long-term food restriction and subsequent compensatory growth during rearing. Feeding level was either ad libitum (AL, no. = 52) or restricted (R, no. = 52). From 6 to 12 weeks of age, food intake ofR was kept at a constant level. This resulted in an increase in relative restriction as compared with AL to 0-54of AL intake at 12 weeks of age (restriction period). Thereafter food intake gradually increased to 0-95 of AL at 17 weeks of age (recovery period). During the last 5 days before insemination at 17-5 weeks of age, all animals were fed to appetite. Blood samples were taken weekly from 6 to 17 weeks of age from 11 animals in each group. Growth rate of R was reduced during the restricted period (29 (s.d. 2) v. 44 (s.d. 5) g/day for R and AL, respectively; P 0-05), but was higher in the recovery period (30 (s.d. 3) v. 27 (s.d. 4) g/day, respectively; P<0-05). At first insemination, AL rabbits were heavier than R (4202 (s.d. 388) v. 3798 (s.d. 220) g, respectively; P < 0-001). During the restricted period, plasma glucose was constantly lower (P < 0-05) in R. Insulin levels paralleled those of glucose, being lower (P < 0-05) in R than in AL. Restriction reduced (P < 0-05) circulating corticosterone and tri-iodothyronine (T3) levels in R. Leptin, non-esterified fatty acids, and plasma urea nitrogen levels were similar for AL and R during food restriction, whereas triglycerides were similar until 10 weeks of age, after which the levels were lower in R. During the recovery period, the food intake of the R but not AL rabbits increased. Insulin was the only hormone in R rabbits that had returned to levels found in AL rabbits by the 2nd week of the recovery period. Glucose, T3, and corticosterone levels returned to levels found in AL rabbits between 3 to 4 weeks after refeeding. Non-esterified fatty acids, triglycerides, and leptin were higher (P < 0-05) in AL rabbits from 13 weeks of age onwards. The pattern of changes in the endocrine status during food restriction and compensatory growth in rabbits do conform with those from other species, although some specific changes may vary depending on the severity of food restriction and its duration.