When Are Rabbits Ready to Breed Again After Kindling?
The selection of convenance buck and doe is very much important aspect of breeding since good progeny is expected from good buck and doe. 1 has to consider the breeding stock in terms of fertility, maternal instinct, milk yield, growth rate, fecundity and viability.
Option of Breeding Stock
(a) Buck
The male person rabbit is known as buck. A buck develops its breeding capabilities at the age of 8 months. An ideal buck should continue to maintain its reproductive ability at least for two to 3 years. A immature cadet may be allowed to mate one doe at an interval of 3 to four days. But, from 12 months of age onwards information technology may mate 4-6 does in seven days. A buck beyond half-dozen years of age should exist culled since semen quality declines. In order to go along the buck healthy additional protein, vitamin and minerals are to be supplemented in diet. Two convenance bucks should not be kept in aforementioned place as they will fight each other and crusade injury.
(b) Doe
The female rabbit is known as doe. A doe should have the perfectability to reproduce. A doe becomes capable to reproduce based on brood,nutritional status and seasons. The smaller breeds attain sexual maturity before than larger breeds. A small breed may take mating at 3-iv monthsof age whereas the larger breed may have mating at viii-9 months of age.A doe can be used for convenance up to the historic period of 3 years and alternative shouldbe made afterwards.
Reproduction
(a) Ovulation
The rabbit belongs to a group of mammals which exercise not ovulate spontaneously. There is no oestrus bike. Ovulation requires stimulus of mating and thus induced in nature. Sexual stimulation with copulation or in response to exogenous, gonadotropins, ovulation takes identify. Erstwhile females may stimulate each other to the point of stimulation. This type of ovulation is expected in does condign pseudo significant or sterile for few days. Ovulation is apt to occur within the range of 9-13 hours. Merely, generally it takes place at 10 hours post-obit mating.It is thought that does may remain in constant heat throughout the yr or in breeding season. But, it is known that follicles develop and backslide in cycles of 15-16 days. There is a lack flow when the doe may loose interest for the buck. Ovulation tin can also exist induced through mechanical stimulation of vagina.
(b) Mating A doe whether is in heat condition or not is hard to recognize outwardly. But, does may show some manifestations like restlessness, nervousness, rubbing of head and chin on the side of the cage or other objects. The vulva becomes bloated and purple in colour. But, acceptability of the does to the bucks or does reaction to bucks should exist taken as a criteria for heat. Therefore, detection of heat through buck should exist fabricated before allowing for copulation.
The approximate age of first mating is effectually 5-6 months of age. As a rule doe should be taken to the cage of buck but never be done vice versa to avoid fighting. Early on morning and early on evening are the most conducive fourth dimension for mating. A receptive doe volition elevator her tail and let mating. Males vary profoundly in their sexual drive. A buck may be tiresome in performing the service to a strange cage. If a buck is virile and doe in perfect rut, mating will occur almost immediately. After successful mating the buck usually produces a typical weep and falls down to one side of the doe. One mating is normally sufficient. If a female does not allow in that example keeper should look for 3 to iv days or assist in mating holding the female person. Afterward mating the doe should be returned to her muzzle.
In a commercial rabbit farmers would like to have five or six litters per doe per year. This is possible just past weaning the litter at v weeks of age and mating the doe immediately following weaning. Each convenance wheel volition take 65 to 75 days. This can also be accomplished by mating the doe 21 days later on kindling.
(c) Pregnancy
The gestation (pregnancy) period in rabbit ranges from 28-32 days (approximately 30 days). The nest box is to be kept within the cage to facilitate the doe for preparing bedding for the new born. The nest is to be provided at least 5-half dozen days before parturition. The nest box should comprise nesting materials similar harbinger, grass, forest savings etc. Saw dust should non be used as bedding material. A doe may pullout some of her ain hairs to make nest for litters. Acceptable measures should be taken concerning feeding and direction during pregnancy period. Quantity of feed should be increased for x to 15 days of pregnancy. Plenty of fresh water should be provided.Environmental stresses should be avoided as far as possible.
Pregnancy can be detected by various methods: (a)Through palpation of abdomen by which embryos tin be felt past paw. This is best washed at about 2 weeks after mating. This technique tin can exist perfectly done through experience. (b)Placing the buck near the doe for mating. A cadet may not mate the pregnant one. (c)Uterine swelling-uterus may swell up to 12 mm at 9 days afterward mating. It may reach 20 mm at 13 days. Only experienced keeper may be able to predict the changes accurately. (d) Changes in torso weight-In that location are pregnant alter in torso weight from mating up to thirty days. Boilerplate gain of around 300-400 gm has been suggested from mating to thirty days in large sized rabbit.
(d) Kindling (Parturition) Process of giving birth of new infant of rabbit is known as kindling. Information technology is a natural physiological phenomenon. The parturition very often takes identify at belatedly nighttime or early on morning. It may not require any interference by the keeper. The procedure usually completes within vii-xxx minutes. Sometime all the litters may non exist born on succession. Some may born after several hours or a day. The pregnancy may required to exist terminated through injection of oxytocin. Following parturition the does used to lick the young and may eat the placenta. The infant rabbits will attempt to suckle the mother. If the number of litter is 8, all may be able to suckle since doe has eight teats. The babe rabbits those will exist unable to suckle may turn weak and susceptible to diseases. Many of them may even die prematurely. The does should non be disturbed during this time and be fed ad lilbitum. Adequate food and water should be provided and so that optimum amount of milk is available to the baby rabbits. Rabbit used to nurse her young usually at night or early morning only for one time. six-12 baby kids may be barn from a unmarried kindling.
(e) Weaning
Immediately following birth infant rabbits are solely dependent on their female parent. They are born naked. Only at almost 7 days, there is growth of hair and vitality of them. The optics used to open subsequently ten days. The baby rabbits can lead their lives without mothers' milk at near 21 days of age. The young should be removed from their mother non earlier quaternary week. The doe should be removed from the cage. Foods like concentrates and grasses should be provided. The baby rabbits tin chew and eat after iii weeks of age. The does can be rebred provided the physical conditions of them are satisfactory in nature after one week of kindling.
(f) Identification of Sexual activity (Sexing)
Sexing is done at the time of weaning. The baby rabbit has to be placed on the manus and by the pressure of thumb and forefinger the sex organ is to be pushed on either side. In case of buck the penis will come out as a protruded mass having rounded tip. But, a slit will be located in example of Doe.
(Source: Namakkal KVK, Rabbit Farming)
Phase-wise description of reproductive stages in rabbit
| Breeding males required | 1 male for 10 females |
| Age at which first bred | Small breeds - iv months age (Polish, Dutch) Medium breed - five to 6 months (Newzealand White, Chinchilla) |
| Characteristics of reproduction | Polyoestrous. A female rabbit appears to have no definite oestrus wheel although a sure rhythm exists in their sexual receptivity. Cycle lasts for nearly 12 days of which 4 are infertile. |
| Signs of estrus | Congested, purple and moist vulva, restlessness, rubbing the chin on the sides of the cage, lying in mating posture and lifting the tail |
| Mating behaviour | The doe is always taken to the buck'south muzzle for mating, and if the doe is in total sexual receptivity it will elevator the tail and within a infinitesimal the buck will exist mating the doe. Mating is successful when the buck falls to one side or backwards after mating |
| Ovulation | Ovulation occurs 10 - 13 hours after copulation – reflex ovulation |
| Pseudo pregnancy/ | Pseudo pregnancy in rabbit may result from sterile copulation and lasts for 16 to 17 days. At the end of this period she may pull hair from her torso and attempt to brand nest and shows development of uterus and mammary gland. |
| Gestation period | 28 -34 days (average 31 days) |
| Pregnancy diagnosis | The methods adopted to determine the state of pregnancy are test mating, weight gain method and the 'palpation technique'. The palpation technique is the well-nigh reliable method if done past an experienced person. |
| Palpation technique | A completely relaxed doe should exist placed on a table which has been covered in sacking to prevent her from slipping. The doe should exist restrained by gently property the fold of skin behind ears and over the shoulders. The left hand is placed under the torso between the hind legs and in front end of the pelvis. The uterine horns are felt gently using fingers and thumb. The pollex is placed to right of horns. Embryos can be located and felt like small marble shaped bodies slipping backwards between thumb and fingers when moved gently in a sideways direction. An experienced person tin can deter-mine pregnancy by eighth to tenth solar day of mating using this technique. During final week of pregnancy a nest box lined with wood shaving or hay or coir fibre should be placed within the cage. |
| Litter size | 6-8 kits |
| Weaning | 4-6 weeks |
| Kindling interval | 2 months (it may be equally short as one month if bred immediately post-obit kindling) |
(Source: www.vuatkerala.org )
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