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Martínez-Paredes E, Nicodemus N, Pascual JJ, García J. Challenges in rabbit doe feeding, including the young doe. WORLD RABBIT SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.4995/wrs.2022.15562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
In this review is summarized the last knowledge on rabbit doe nutrition, to complement the current nutritional requirements and strategies for the young and adult rabbit does, considering the production, health, and welfare issues. The rabbit doe must reach an adequate maturity level (body condition) at first artificial insemination (AI) to face its productive life with minimal guarantees (around 7.0 mm of perirenal fat thickness, 2.8 ng/mL of plasma leptin concentration and around 18% and 15-20% of body protein and fat, respectively). This goal can be achieved by restricting feed intake from 12 weeks of age until first AI or feeding ad libitum with a fibrous diet (<10.5 MJ digestible energy/kg) from 60 d of age to first parturition. Once the doe is reproducing, the increase of the n-3 fatty acids (or reduction of the n-6/n-3 ratio), soluble fibre (under epizootic enteropathy) and the Arg/Lys and Gln/Lys ratios may help to improve the reproductive traits of rabbit does, although their optimal level of inclusion remain to be identified. It is recommended to limit an excessive negative energy balance before parturition, and the supplementation of glucose precursors to reduce the ketosis incidence could be useful. The formulation of different diets for the doe and the litter to fit better their requirements and assuring their health would be an option to consider when it would be applicable in the farm. The influence of the mother on the litter microbiota and immune status and its potential modulation through the diet open a new research area that will deserve more studies in the next future.
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Bouquet A, Déru V, Blanchet B, Ganier P, Flatrès-Grall L, Ligonesche B, Carillier-Jacquin C, Labussière E, Gilbert H. Digestive efficiency traits in growing pigs are genetically correlated with sow litter traits in the Large White breed. Animal 2022; 16:100447. [PMID: 35074648 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2021.100447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Digestive efficiency traits are promising selection criteria to improve feed efficiency in pigs. However, the genetic relationships between digestive efficiency and sow reproductive traits are mostly unknown and need to be estimated. In this study, reproductive traits were available for 61 601 litters recorded on 21 719 Large White purebred sows. The traits were comprised of the number of born alive (NBA) and the number of weaned piglets (NWP), the number of stillbirths (NSB) and piglet mortality during suckling (PM). For a subset of 32518 litters, the mean (MBW) and CV of piglet birth weights (CVBW) were deduced from individual piglet weights as well as the proportion of piglets weighing less than 1 kg (PPL1K). Growth and feed efficiency traits were available for 4 643 Large White male pigs related to sows with reproductive performances. They comprised average daily gain (ADG), daily feed intake (DFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). A subset of 1 391 pigs had predictions for digestibility coefficients (DC) of energy, organic matter and nitrogen obtained by analysing faecal samples with near-infrared spectrometry. Estimated heritabilities were low for NBA, NSB, NWP and PM (0.08 ± 0.01 to 0.11 ± 0.01) and low to moderate for litter weight characteristics (0.14 ± 0.02 to 0.38 ± 0.01). Heritability estimates were moderate to high for ADG, DFI and FCR (0.37 ± 0.04 to 0.54 ± 0.05) and moderate for DC traits (0.26 ± 0.06 to 0.38 ± 0.07). Genetic correlations were low between ADG, or alternatively FCR, and reproductive traits. They were significantly different from zero with MBW (0.19 ± 0.06 with ADG and -0.15 ± 0.06 with FCR) and PPL1K (-0.19 ± 0.07 with ADG and 0.18 ± 0.07 with FCR). All genetic correlations between DFI and reproductive traits were low and not significantly different from zero. Genetic correlations between DC traits and NBA were significantly different from zero for DC of organic matter and energy (<-0.25 ± 0.11). DC traits were moderately correlated with MBW (>0.30 ± 0.11), CVBW (<-0.36 ± 0.11) and PPL1K (<-0.37 ± 0.11) at the genetic level. Genetic correlations between DC traits and PM were significantly negative and hence favourable (<-0.38 ± 0.12). Finally, genetic correlations between DC traits and NWP were close to zero. These results suggested that sows closely related to growing pigs with the best digestive efficiency would produce heavier and more homogeneous piglets, with slightly smaller litter sizes at birth but better survival. Hence, there is usable genetic variation in DC that could be exploited to define new selection strategies in maternal lines aiming at improving not only feed efficiency but also piglet survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bouquet
- IFIP-Institut du Porc, BP 35104, 35651 Le Rheu Cedex, France.
| | - V Déru
- INRAE GenPhySE, Chemin de Borde Rouge, Castanet Tolosan, France; France Génétique Porc, BP 35104, 35651 Le Rheu Cedex, France
| | - B Blanchet
- INRAE UE3P, Domaine de la Motte, 35650 Le Rheu, France
| | - P Ganier
- INRAE PEGASE, Institut Agro, 35590 Saint-Gilles, France
| | | | - B Ligonesche
- Nucléus, 7 rue des orchidées, 35650 Le Rheu, France
| | | | - E Labussière
- INRAE PEGASE, Institut Agro, 35590 Saint-Gilles, France
| | - H Gilbert
- INRAE GenPhySE, Chemin de Borde Rouge, Castanet Tolosan, France
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Taghouti M, García J, Ibáñez MA, Macchiavelli RE, Nicodemus N. Relationship between Body Chemical Composition and Reproductive Traits in Rabbit Does. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11082299. [PMID: 34438759 PMCID: PMC8388528 DOI: 10.3390/ani11082299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary At the beginning of the productive life of rabbit does, there must be a balance between ensuring at least a minimal degree of bodily development to guarantee a successful reproductive life, and the minimization of the unproductive rearing period, but nowadays there is no clear recommendation about the optimal moment for the first artificial insemination (AI). A better body condition at the first AI (higher body protein, fat and energy), that indicates a higher degree of maturity of the rabbit doe, did not influence fertility at the first AI (that is usually very high), but improved it at the second AI (that is usually lower than the first one). The percentage of kits born alive at the first and at the second AI also were positively influenced by the body protein content at the first AI. We can conclude that the degree of maturity at the first AI is a key point to optimize the does reproductive success, with body fat and body protein content being relevant factors. Abstract The relationship among live weight, chemical body composition and energy content (at artificial insemination (AI) and three days before parturition), estimated by bioelectrical impedance with fertility rates and the percentage of kits born alive, was studied during the first three AI. The first AI was conducted at 16 weeks of age in 137 rabbit does that weighted 3.91 ± 0.46 kg. Their body chemical composition was 17.4 ± 0.50%, 16.1 ± 2.6%, 1067 ± 219 kJ/100 g body weight, for protein, fat and energy, respectively. An increase in body protein, fat and energy content at the first AI did not affect fertility at the first AI but improved it at the second AI (p ≤ 0.030). Moreover, an increase in body fat and energy content at the second AI improved fertility at the second AI (p ≤ 0.001). Fertility at the third AI was positively influenced by body protein at the third AI and the increase in body protein and fat between the second parturition and the third AI (p ≤ 0.030). The percentage of kits born alive at the first and at the second AI improved with the increase in body protein at the first AI (p ≤ 0.040). In conclusion, a minimal body protein and fat content is required at the first AI to optimize the reproductive performance in young does.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meriem Taghouti
- FeedInov CoLab, Integrated Production Systems, Quinta da Fonte Boa, 2005-048 Santarém, Portugal;
| | - Javier García
- Departamento de Producción Agraria, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Agroalimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, C/Senda del Rey 18, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Miguel A. Ibáñez
- Departamento de Economía Agraria, Estadística y Gestión de Empresas, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Agroalimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, C/Senda del Rey 18, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Raúl E. Macchiavelli
- Colegio de Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Mayagüez 00681-9000, Puerto Rico;
| | - Nuria Nicodemus
- Departamento de Producción Agraria, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Agroalimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, C/Senda del Rey 18, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-9106-71072
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Consequences of rearing feeding programme on the performance of rabbit females from 1st to 2nd parturition. Animal 2019; 13:2173-2182. [PMID: 30917879 DOI: 10.1017/s175173111900051x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
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Early development and reproductive lifespan of rabbit females: implications of growth rate, rearing diet and body condition at first mating. Animal 2018; 12:2347-2355. [DOI: 10.1017/s1751731118000162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Savietto D, Marono S, Martínez I, Martínez-Paredes E, Ródenas L, Cervera C, Pascual J. Patterns of body condition use and its impact on fertility. WORLD RABBIT SCIENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.4995/wrs.2016.4006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
<p>A total of 60 nulliparous crossbred rabbit females were, a posteriori, divided into 2 experimental groups according to their natural “decision” to conceive or not at day 11 post first parturition (L: solely-lactating or LP: lactating-pregnant). This design allowed us to study the evolution of body reserves around first parturition and its influence on the future reproductive success of rabbit females. Primiparous rabbit females that failed to conceive when inseminated at day 11 post-partum (L) seemed to have a higher perirenal fat thickness (PFT) 12 d pre-partum (+0.25 mm; P=0.079) than females that conceived (LP). In the subsequent days, L females showed a significantly higher mobilisation rate than LP females (on av.–0.12 and –0.07 mm of PFT per day, respectively; P=0.007), reaching a lower PFT at partum (5.17 mm vs. 5.62 mm, respectively; P = 0.002). However, due to a greater recovery rate observed in L females (+0.15 vs. +0.08 mm of PFT per day for L and LP females, respectively; P=0.007), PFT at 10 d post-partum was similar (on av. 5.86 mm). These different patterns showed that PFT level at 12 d pre-partum and PFT mobilisation rate onwards seems to drive the start of a new pregnancy. It also seems to modify the energy metabolism of rabbit females, allowing does to recover perirenal fat tissue without compromising the production of milk necessary for the current litter.</p>
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Martínez-Paredes E, Ródenas L, Pascual J, Blas E, Brecchia G, Boiti C, Cervera C. Effects of rearing feeding programme on the young rabbit females’ behaviour and welfare indicators. WORLD RABBIT SCIENCE 2015. [DOI: 10.4995/wrs.2015.3987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
<p>Restriction of young rabbit females during rearing is a widespread management technique that could have negative consequences on their welfare and behaviour. In the present work, a total of 24 young rabbit females aged 9 wk were used to evaluate 3 rearing feeding programmes until first parturition: CAL, fed ad libitum with a control diet [C: 11.0 MJ digestible energy (DE) and 114 g digestible protein (DP) per kg dry matter (DM)]; CR, receiving the C diet restricted (140 g/d) from 12 wk of age; and F, fed ad libitum with a low energy/high fibre diet [F: 8.7 MJ DE and 88 g DP per kg DM]. F females presented lower body weight than CAL and CR females at week 18 (–0.4 kg and –0.2 kg; P<0.05), but differences in body weight disappeared at parturition. Feeding programme affected the daily feed intake of young females during rearing and gestation periods (on av. of 2 periods: 140, 127 and 179 g DM/d, for CAL, CR and F females, respectively; P<0.001). Blood levels of glucose and insulin decreased with the age of rabbits (from 97 to 73 mg/dL for glucose and from 11 to 6 μUI/mL for insulin at 13 and 20 wk, respectively; P<0.001). Concentration of non-esterified fatty acids was higher in the blood of CAL females (+0.13 mmol/L compared to F; P<0.05), while corticosterone was higher in F females (+0.7 μg/dL compared to CAL; P<0.05). The type of feeding schedule affected the lying still and eating behaviour (P<0.01) of CR females, especially before and after feeding supply, as well as their behavioural stressed indicators (stereotypies; P<0.01), which were more frequent in CR females before feeding supply at 20 weeks of age. Therefore, ad libitum use of a low energy/high fibre diet is an adequate feeding programme for young rabbit females, which does not alter their behavioural patterns.</p>
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Savietto D, Friggens NC, Pascual JJ. Reproductive robustness differs between generalist and specialist maternal rabbit lines: the role of acquisition and allocation of resources. Genet Sel Evol 2015; 47:2. [PMID: 25595328 PMCID: PMC4297438 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-014-0073-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Farm animals are normally selected under highly controlled, non-limiting conditions to favour the expression of their genetic potential. Selection strategies can also focus on a single trait to favour the most ‘specialized’ animals. Theoretically, if the environment provides enough resources, the selection strategy should not lead to changes in the interactions between life functions such as reproduction and survival. However, highly ‘specialized’ farm animals can be required for breeding under conditions that differ largely from selection conditions. The consequence is a degraded ability of ‘specialized’ animals to sustain reproduction, production and health, which leads to a reduced lifespan. This study was designed to address this issue using maternal rabbit lines. A highly specialized line with respect to numerical productivity at weaning (called V) and a generalist line that originated from females with a long reproductive life (called LP) were used to study the strategies that these lines develop to acquire and use the available resources when housed in different environments. In addition, two generations of line V, generations 16 and 36, were available simultaneously, which contributed to better understand how selection criteria applied in a specific environment changed the interplay between functions related to reproduction and survival. Results We show that, under constrained conditions, line LP has a greater capacity for resource acquisition than line V, which prevents excessive mobilization of body reserves. However, 20 generations of selection for litter size at weaning did not lead to an increased capacity of nutrient (or resource) acquisition. For the two generations of line V, the partitioning of resources between milk production, body reserves preservation or repletion or foetal growth differed. Conclusions Combining foundational and selection criteria with a specific selection environment resulted in female rabbits that had a different capacity to deal with environmental constraints. An increased robustness was considered as an emergent property of combining a multiple trait foundational criterion with a wide range of environmental conditions. Since such a strategy was successful to increase the robustness of female rabbits without impairing their productivity, there is no reason that it should not be applied in other livestock species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davi Savietto
- Instito de Ciencia y Tecnología Animal (ICTA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, Valencia, 46022, Spain.
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Ragab M, Sánchez JP, Baselga M. Effective population size and inbreeding depression on litter size in rabbits. A case study. J Anim Breed Genet 2014; 132:68-73. [PMID: 25081866 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2013] [Accepted: 06/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to use demographic and litter size data on four Spanish maternal lines of rabbits (A, V, H and LP), as a case study, in order to: (i) estimate the effective population size of the lines, as a measure of the rate of increase of inbreeding, and (ii) study whether the inbreeding effect on litter size traits depends on the pattern of its accumulation over time. The lines are being selected for litter size at weaning and are kept closed at the same selection nucleus under the same selection and management programme. The study considered 47,794 l and a pedigree of 14,622 animals. Some practices in mating and selection management allow an increase of the inbreeding coefficient lower than 0.01 per generation in these lines of around 25 males and 125 females. Their effective population size (Ne) was around 57.3, showing that the effect of selection, increasing the inbreeding, was counterbalanced by the management practices, intended to reduce the rate of inbreeding increase. The inbreeding of each individual was broken down into three components: old, intermediate and new inbreeding. The coefficients of regression of the old, intermediate and new inbreeding on total born (TB), number born alive (NBA) and number weaned (NW) per litter showed a decreasing trend from positive to negative values. Regression coefficients significantly different from zero were those for the old inbreeding on TB (6.79 ± 2.37) and NBA (5.92 ± 2.37). The contrast between the coefficients of regression between the old and new inbreeding were significant for the three litter size traits: 7.57 ± 1.72 for TB; 6.66 ± 1.73 for NBA and 5.13 ± 1.67 for NW. These results have been interpreted as the combined action of purging unfavourable genes and artificial selection favoured by the inbreeding throughout the generations of selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Ragab
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Animal, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Poultry Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafer El-Sheikh University, Kafer El-Sheikh, Egypt
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Pascual JJ, Savietto D, Cervera C, Baselga M. Resources allocation in reproductive rabbit does: a review of feeding and genetic strategies for suitable performance. WORLD RABBIT SCIENCE 2013. [DOI: 10.4995/wrs.2013.1236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Environmental sensitivity differs between rabbit lines selected for reproductive intensity and longevity. Animal 2013; 7:1969-77. [DOI: 10.1017/s175173111300178x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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Savietto D, Blas E, Cervera C, Baselga M, Friggens NC, Larsen T, Pascual JJ. Digestive efficiency in rabbit does according to environment and genetic type. WORLD RABBIT SCIENCE 2012. [DOI: 10.4995/wrs.2012.1152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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Ferrian S, Guerrero I, Blas E, García-Diego FJ, Viana D, Pascual JJ, Corpa JM. How selection for reproduction or foundation for longevity could have affected blood lymphocyte populations of rabbit does under conventional and heat stress conditions. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2012; 150:53-60. [PMID: 22948031 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2012.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2011] [Revised: 07/21/2012] [Accepted: 08/10/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The present work characterises how selection for reproduction (by comparing two generations - 16th and 36th - of the V line selected for litter size at weaning) or foundation for reproductive longevity (the LP line) can affect the blood lymphocytes populations of reproductive rabbit does under normal [conventional housing, average daily minimum and maximum temperatures of 14°C and 20°C, respectively] and heat stress conditions [climatic chamber, 25°C and 36°C] from the first to the second parturition. Housing under heat stress conditions significantly reduced the B lymphocytes counts in female rabbits (-34 × 10(6)/L; P<0.05). The highest lymphocytes population value in blood (total, T CD5(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+)) was noted at the first parturition, while the B lymphocytes count was significantly lower at the second parturition (-61 × 10(6)/L; P<0.05). Selection for litter size at weaning (V females) reduced the average counts of total and B lymphocytes in blood (-502 and -60 × 10(6)/L, respectively; P<0.01), mainly because these populations in V36 females continuously lowered from the first to the second parturition under normal housing conditions. Thus, more selected females (V36) at the second parturition showed significantly lower counts in blood for total, T CD5(+) and CD25(+) lymphocytes (-1303, -446 and -33 × 10(6)/L, respectively; P<0.05). The main differences in blood counts between V36 and V16 females disappeared when housed under heat stress conditions, except for T CD5(+) and CD25(+), which significantly increased (T CD5(+): +428 × 10(6)/L; CD25(+): +41 × 10(6)/L; P<0.01) in the V16 vs. V36 females on day 10 post-partum. Under normal conditions, no differences between LP and V36 females were found for most lymphocyte populations; only higher counts were noted in CD25(+) (+20 × 10(6)/L; P<0.05) for LP females. However, the lymphocytes counts [especially total (+1327 × 10(6)/L; P<0.01) and T CD5(+) (+376 × 10(6)/L; P<0.10)] of LP females increased under heat vs. normal conditions when lymphocytes populations presented the lowest values (second parturition), while V36 females' counts remained invariable. Positive correlations were found between feed intake (r=+0.51; P<0.001) and females' perirenal fat thickness (r=+0.40; P<0.001) with B lymphocytes counts in the blood of primiparous rabbit females in the week 2 of lactation. These results indicate that selection for litter size at weaning might diminish their immune system's response and adaptation capacity, while the foundation for reproductive longevity criteria leads to more robust rabbit females as they present greater modulation under heat stress conditions when the immune system is affected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selena Ferrian
- Instituto de Investigación CEU en Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, Avda. Seminario, s/n. 46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain
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Rebollar P, Pereda N, Schwarz B, Millán P, Lorenzo P, Nicodemus N. Effect of feed restriction or feeding high-fibre diet during the rearing period on body composition, serum parameters and productive performance of rabbit does. Anim Feed Sci Technol 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2010.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Castellini C, Dal Bosco A, Arias-Álvarez M, Lorenzo PL, Cardinali R, Rebollar PG. The main factors affecting the reproductive performance of rabbit does: A review. Anim Reprod Sci 2010; 122:174-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2010.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2010] [Revised: 09/22/2010] [Accepted: 10/01/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Effect of level of fibre and type of grinding on the performance of rabbit does and their litters during the first three lactations. Livest Sci 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2010.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Quevedo F, Cervera C, Blas E, Baselga M, Pascual JJ. Long-term effect of selection for litter size and feeding programme on the performance of reproductive rabbit does 2. Lactation and growing period. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1079/asc200688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
AbstractA total of 166 crossbred does were used to study the possible long-term effect of two types of crossbred does (H1v.H2, old and current generations, respectively) from the cross of different generations of lines selected for litter size, the use of a rearing programme based on a low-energy diet, and the administration of a high-energy diet during reproductive life, on the performance and body condition of lactating rabbit does and their litters until slaughter. The body condition of the reproductive rabbit does increased in the successive cycles to the fourth parturition, being maintained from this moment on. Animals more selected for litter size at weaning presented a greater food intake (+3%;P<0·05) and milk yield (+6%;P<0·05) during the first 21 days of lactation, which could be related to greater maternal aptitude. The difference in the weight of pups at slaughter time (+24 g for H2 respect to H1 pups) was one third lower than that expected from the generation response of the paternal line (0·45 g/day), perhaps related to the different enteropathy incidence depending on the genetic type. The use of a high-energy diet during the reproduction period increased the milk yield (+22%;P<0·05) of does, as the growth (+16 g at weaning day;P<0·05) and survival index (+2%;P<0·05) of the litters during lactation, but could produce a more sudden weaning of pups as a consequence of their lower pre-weaning food intake (−42%;P<0·05), which has been related with a greater health risk index during the growing period (+4·2%;P<0·05). Reproductive does given a high fibre diet during the rearing period (from 3 kg live weight to 28th day of the first pregnancy) reached parturition with a higher live weight than does that received a moderate energy diet restricted during this same period (+142 g;P<0·05). All other parameters controlled for the lactating does and their litters were not affected by the type of diet received during the rearing period. Females that were not effectively mated at first AI (11 dayspost partum) showed a greater increase in their perirenal fat thickness between partum and the 11th day of lactation than those lactating females that showed an effective mating (+0·22v.+0·37 mm, respectively;P<0·05).
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Theilgaard P, Sánchez J, Pascual J, Friggens N, Baselga M. Effect of body fatness and selection for prolificacy on survival of rabbit does assessed using a cryopreserved control population. Livest Sci 2006. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2006.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Modelling the lactation curve of rabbit does: Towards a model including fit suitability and biological interpretation. Livest Sci 2006. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livprodsci.2005.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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