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Evolution of anti-eCG antibodies in response to eCG doses and number of injections. Relationship with productivity of rabbit does

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2008

M. Theau-Clément ,
F. Lebas ,
J. F. Beckers  and
P. V. Drion
M. Theau-Clément*
Affiliation:
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Station d’Amélioration Génétique des Animaux, BP 52627 – 31326 Castanet-Tolosan Cedex, France
F. Lebas
Affiliation:
Cuniculture, 87a Chemin de Lasserre, 31450 Corronsac, France
J. F. Beckers
Affiliation:
Université de Liège, Physiologie de la Reproduction, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Bd de Colonster N°20, B41, P71B-400, Sart-Tilman, Belgium
P. V. Drion
Affiliation:
Université de Liège, Physiologie de la Reproduction, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Bd de Colonster N°20, B41, P71B-400, Sart-Tilman, Belgium
*
E-mail: Michele.Theau-Clement@toulouse.inra.fr
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Abstract

The aim of this experiment was to study the kinetics of anti-eCG (equine chorionic gonadotrophin) antibodies in relation to eCG dose (8 or 25 IU) and number of injections (n = 11) in comparison with a control group (no injection), and to relate antibody production to sexual receptivity and productivity of rabbit does. In all, 124 lactating primiparous rabbit does were inseminated every 35 days for a year. Just before eCG injection (48 h before insemination), blood samples were collected from all the does to assay anti-eCG antibodies. The anti-eCG antibody binding rate, regardless of the injected dose, shows that none of the does developed detectable anti-eCG antibodies before the 7th injection. The level of detectable anti-eCG antibodies began to show an increase at the 7th injection and was significant only for the 25 IU dose at the 11th injection. At the end of the experiment, 15% and 39% of does treated with 8 and 25 IU, respectively, developed immunity to eCG (binding rate >6%: higher binding rate of the control group). Consequently, the immune response depends on the eCG dose and on the number of injections. Moreover, productivity of does estimated from the number of weaned rabbits produced per insemination is not influenced by the level of eCG antibodies (7.0 and 6.9 for binding rate <6% and binding rate ⩾6%, respectively). Only 19 inseminations (n = 6 and n = 13 for 8 and 25 IU, respectively) were made on hyperimmune does. Consequently, the immune response to eCG seems to be marginal for rabbit does. Moreover, under the described experimental conditions, reproductive performances of hyperimmune does were not affected.

Keywords

rabbiteCGanti-eCG antibodiesimmune responseproductivity
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 2 , Issue 5 , May 2008 , pp. 746 - 751
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2008

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