Factors Influencing the Productive and Reproductive Performance of Local Rabbit Strain in Algerian

Abstract

The objective of the present work was to study the factors influencing productive and reproductive performances of local rabbit strain in Algeria and to determine the influence of the factors (the mode of reproduction, the age of the mothers and the parity) on the number of total born rabbits, rabbits born alive and the number of weaned rabbits in a hutch of breeding of local rabbit strain. A follow-up of breeding was carried out on a total number of 60 rabbits of which 47 reproductive females inseminated naturally (31) or artificially (16) and 08 males for natural mating and 05 for artificial insemination. The herd is composed of rabbits of variable phenotype but of the same strain (different colors of the coat) of local strain. We found that: The breeding method in rabbits had a non-significant effect (P>0, 05) on the reproductive performance as well as the productive performance (slaughter weight) of the rabbits. A slight superiority was observed in the lot conducted under artificial insemination (AI) compared to the one conducted under natural reproduction. On the other hand, the reproduction mode had a significant effect on the number of weaned rabbits (P<0.01) with a remarkable superiority for the lot conducted under artificial insemination compared to the one conducted under natural reproduction (RN). The weights of the rabbits at slaughter resulting from natural or artificial insemination are very close for both reproduction modes.