Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T02:33:28.199Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effect of lucerne-based diets on performance of reproductive rabbit does at two temperatures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

J. Fernández-Carmona ,
I. Alqedra ,
C. Cervera ,
J. Moya  and
J.J. Pascual
J. Fernández-Carmona
Affiliation:
Unidad de Alimentación Animal, Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, PO Box 22012, Valencia 46071, Spain
I. Alqedra
Affiliation:
Unidad de Alimentación Animal, Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, PO Box 22012, Valencia 46071, Spain
C. Cervera
Affiliation:
Unidad de Alimentación Animal, Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, PO Box 22012, Valencia 46071, Spain
J. Moya
Affiliation:
Unidad de Alimentación Animal, Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, PO Box 22012, Valencia 46071, Spain
J.J. Pascual*
Affiliation:
Unidad de Alimentación Animal, Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, PO Box 22012, Valencia 46071, Spain
*
†Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

New Zealand × Californian rabbit does were offered ad libitum three diets: diet A, with 960 g lucerne per kg dry matter (DM), having 8•7 MJ digestible energy (DE) and 108 g digestible protein (DP) per kg DM; diet AF with 920 g lucerne and 50 g animal fat per kg DM, having 9•6 MJ DE and 105 g DP per kg DM; and diet C, as a control diet having 12•0 MJ DE and 122 g DP per kg DM. Productive parameters were measured for the first five parities, and food intake and milk yield during the first two parities.

In experiment 1, 79 does (342 parities) were housed in a cooled building, litters were standardized to eight kits and weaned at 28 days of age. DM intake during lactation was lower (P < 0•001) but DE intake, milk yield and litter growth were higher for group C. Values for does on diet AF generally were between those of groups A and C. Average results for groups A, AF and C were respectively: 59, 65 and 51 days for the parturition interval; 160, 170 and 193 g for daily milk output in the first two lactations; 3•7, 4•0 and 4•5 kg for litter weight at weaning.

In experiment 2, 64 does (294 parities) were housed in a climatic chamber at a constant temperature of 30oC, litters were standardized to six kits and weaned at 35 days of age. DM intake during lactation was lower (P < 0•001) but milk yield and litter growth were higher (P < 0•001) for C does. Average results for groups A, AF and C were respectively: 70, 70 and 56 days for parturition interval; 106, 128 and 128 g for daily milk output in the first two lactations; 3•7, 4•4 and 4•4 kg for litter weight at weaning. Lucerne-based diets allowed a reasonable performance of reproductive rabbit does in the long term, even under hot conditions.

Keywords

lucernerabbitsreproductiontemperature.
Type
Non-ruminant nutrition, behaviour and production
Information
Animal Science , Volume 76 , Issue 2 , April 2003 , pp. 283 - 295
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Association of Official Analytical Chemists, . 1991. Official methods of analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, 16th edition. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Cervera, C., Fernández-Carmona, J., Viudes, P. and Blas, E. 1993. Effect of remating interval and diet on the performance of female rabbits and their litters. Animal Production 56: 399–405.Google Scholar
Fernández-Carmona, J., Cervera, C., Sabater, C. and Blas, E. 1995. Effect of diet composition on the production of rabbit breeding does housed in a traditional building and at 30oC. Animal Feed Science and Technology 52: 289–297.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fernández-Carmona, J., Pascual, J. J. and Cervera, C. 2000. The use of fat in rabbit diets. Proceedings of seventh world rabbit congress, Valencia, vol. C, pp. 29–59.Google Scholar
Harris, D. J., Cheeke, P. R. and Patton, N. M. 1981. Utilization of high alfalfa diets by rabbits. Journal of Applied Rabbit Research 4: 30–34.Google Scholar
Littell, R. C., Henry, P. R. and Ammerman, C. B. 1998. Statistical analysis of repeated measures data using SAS procedures. Journal of Animal Science 76: 1216–1231.Google Scholar
Papp, Z. and Rafai, P. 1988. Role of the microclimate in intensive rabbit production. I V. Effects of environmental temperature stresses in pregnant does, embryonic development and viability of young rabbits. Magyar Allatorvosok Lapja 43: 529–534.Google Scholar
Pascual, J. J., Cervera, C., Blas, E. and Fernández-Carmona, J. 1998. Effect of high fat diets on the performance and food intake of primiparous and multiparous rabbit does. Animal Science 66: 491–499.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pascual, J. J., Cervera, C., Blas, E. and Fernández-Carmona, J. 1999. Effect of high fat diets on the performance, milk yield and milk composition of multiparous rabbit does. Animal Science 68: 151–162.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pascual, J. J., Cervera, C. and Fernández-Carmona, J. 2002. A feeding program for young rabbit does based on lucerne. World Rabbit Science 10: 7–14.Google Scholar
Perez, J. M., Lebas, F., Gidenne, T., Maertens, L., Xiccato, G., Parigi-Bini, R., Dalle Zotte, A., Cossu, M. E., Carazzolo, A., Villamide, M. J., Carabaño, R., Fraga, M. J., Ramos, M. A., Cervera, C., Blas, E., Fernández, J., Falcao e Cunha, L. and Bengala Freire, J. 1995. European reference method for in vivo determination of diet digestibility in rabbits. World Rabbit Science 3: 41–43.Google Scholar
Simplicio, J. B., Fernández-Carmona, J., Cervera, C. and Blas, E. 1991. Efecto del pienso sobre la producción de la coneja a una temperatura ambiente alta. Investigación Agraria, Producción y Sanidad Animales 6: 67–74.Google Scholar
Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. 1990. User’s guide: statistics. Statistical Analysis Systems Institute Inc., Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Van Soest, P. J., Robertson, J. B. and Lewis, B. A. 1991. Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber and non starch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science 74: 3583–3597.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Xiccato, G. 1996. Nutrition of lactation does. Proceedings of sixth world rabbit congress, Toulouse, vol. 1, pp. 29–47.Google Scholar
Xiccato, G., Parigi-Bini, R., Dalle Zotte, A., Carazzolo, A. and Cossu, M. E. 1995. Effect of dietary energy level, addition of fat and physiological state on performance and energy balance of lactating and pregnant rabbit does. Animal Science 61: 387–398.CrossRefGoogle Scholar