Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T09:10:46.946Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Reproductive traits of female rabbits as affected by heat stress and lighting regime under subtropical conditions of Egypt

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

I. F. M. Marai ,
A. A. M Habeeb  and
A. E. Gad
I. F. M. Marai*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
A. A. M Habeeb
Affiliation:
Department of Radiobiological Applications, NRC, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Inchas, Egypt
A. E. Gad
Affiliation:
Department of Radiobiological Applications, NRC, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Inchas, Egypt
*
E-mail:fayezmarai@yahoo.com
Get access

Abstract

The present work was planned to study the effects of different lighting regimes in both mild and hot periods of the year on New Zealand White doe rabbit traits. The light regimes used were natural daylight as control, 16 h light and 8 h darkness, 12 h light and 12 h darkness, and 8 h light and 16 h darkness. The traits studied were thermoregulatory parameters (respiration rate and temperatures of ear, rectum and skin), type of mating necessary, conception rate, gestation period, fur plucking, behavioural indicators of stress, litter size, litter weight, kit body weight, kit daily gain in weight, milk yield, kit milk intake, efficiency of conversion of milk into live-weight gain and kit mortality, at weekly intervals between birth and weaning at 35 days. Estimation of temperature-humidity index indicated that the doe rabbits were exposed to very severe heat stress, during the hot period of the year. Period of the year (heat stress) affected adversely many of the doe traits studied. The effects were significant (P < 0·001, 0·01 or 0·05) on thermoregulatory parameters (respiration rate and temperatures of ear, rectum and skin), litter weight at days 21 and 28 of age, kit body weight at birth, milk yield of the doe at day 7 of suckling and milk intake per kit at 7 and 14 days of age. Exposure of doe rabbits to a long daylight regime affected adversely many of the traits studied, while the contrary occurred with short daylight. The effects were significant (P < 0·001, 0·01 or 0·05) on litter size at all ages except at birth, litter weight at 14, 21 and 28 days of age, milk yield on all days studied, efficiency of conversion of milk into live-weight gain at days 7, 21 and 28 and mortality at birth and pre-weaning. There was no significant interaction between period of the year and light regime on any of the traits examined. Therefore, only the main factors are reported.

Keywords

heat stresslight regimerabbitsreproductionsubtropics
Type
Reproduction
Information
Animal Science , Volume 78 , Issue 1 , February 2004 , pp. 119 - 127
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2004

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

Ayyat, M. S. and Marai, I. F. M. 1998. Evaluation of application of the intensive rabbit production system under the sub-tropical conditions of Egypt. World Rabbit Science 6: 213–217.Google Scholar
Ayyat, M. S., Marai, I. F. M. and El-Sayiad, G. H. A. 1995. Genetic and non-genetic factors affecting milk production and pre-weaning litter traits of New Zealand White does, under Egyptian conditions. World Rabbit Science 3: 119–124.Google Scholar
Duncan, D. B. 1955. Multiple range and multiple F-test. Biometrics 11: 1–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
El-Fouly, M.A, Borady, A. M. A., Radwan, A. A. and Kamar, G. A. R. 1977. Seasonal variation in some reproductive traits of Bouscat and Giza White rabbits. Egyptian Journal of Animal Production 17: 9–13.Google Scholar
Farghaly, H. M. and El-Darawany, A. A. 1994. Genetic and nongenetic factors affecting reproductive performance in exotic rabbit breeds under Egyptian conditions. Options Méditerranéennes 8: 253–261.Google Scholar
Habeeb, A. A. M., Aboul-Naga, A. I. and Khadr, A. F. 1999. Deterioration effect of summer hot climate on bunnies of acclimatized rabbits during suckling period. Proceedings of the first international conference on indigenous versus acclimatized rabbits, El-Arish, North Sinai, Egypt, pp. 253–263.Google Scholar
Habeeb, A. A. M., Aboul-Naga, A. I. and Yousef, H. M. 1993. Influence of exposure to high temperature on daily gain, feed efficiency and blood components of growing male Californian rabbits. Egyptian Journal of Rabbit Science 3: 73–80.Google Scholar
Habeeb, A. A. M., El-Maghawry, A.M, Marai, I. F. M. and Gad, A. E. 1998. Physiological thermoregulation mechanism in rabbits drinking saline water under hot summer conditions. Proceedings of the first international conference on animal production and health in semi arid areas, El-Arish-North-Sinai, Egypt, pp. 443–456.Google Scholar
Habeeb, A. A. M., Marai, I. F. M. and Kamal, T. H. 1992. Heat stress. In Farm animals and the environment (ed. Philips, C.J. C. and Piggins, D.), pp. 27–47. CAB International, Wallingford.Google Scholar
Hassanein, M. A. 1980. Reproductivity of rabbits under different heat conditions. M. Sc. thesis, University of Cairo.Google Scholar
Hudson, R., Muller, A. and Kennedy, G. A. 1995. Parturition in the rabbit is compromised by day time nursing, the role of oxytocin. Biology of Reproduction 53: 519–524.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ibrahim, F. A. A. 1985. Studies on some factors affecting reproductive performance, milk production and preweaning growth in rabbits. M. Sc. thesis, University of Cairo.Google Scholar
Lebas, F., Coudert, P., Rouvier, R. and Rochambeau, H.de. 1986. Rabbit husbandry, health and production. FAO, Animal Production and Health Series.Google Scholar
Livestock and Poultry Heat Stress Indices. 1990. Livestock and poultry heat stress indices. Agriculture engineering technology guide. Clemson University, Clemson, SC.Google Scholar
Maclean, J. A. 1963. The regional distribution of cutaneous moisture vaporization in the Ayrshire calf. Journal of Agriculture Science, Cambridge 61: 275–283.Google Scholar
McNitt, J. I. and Moody, G. L. Jr 1991. Gestation length of four medium breeds of rabbits in Lousiana. Journal of Applied Rabbit Research 14: 80–82.Google Scholar
Mady, M. E., Khalifa, R. M. and El-Alamy, M. A. 1990. Effect of light regime and el troxin on the response of female rabbits to coitus. Journal of Applied Rabbit Research 12: 241–243.Google Scholar
Marai, I. F. M., Ayyat, M. S. and Abd El-Monem, U. M. 2000. Young doe rabbit performance traits as affected by dietary zinc, copper, calcium or magnesium supplements, under winter and summer conditions of Egypt. Proceedings of the seventh world rabbit congress, Valencia, Spain, pp. 313–320.Google Scholar
Marai, I. F. M., Ayyat, M. S. and Abd El-Monem, U. M. 2001. Growth performance and reproductive traits at first parity of New Zealand White female rabbits as affected by heat stress and its alleviation, under Egyptian conditions. Tr opical Animal Health and Production 33: 1–12.Google Scholar
Marai, I. F. M., Ayyat, M. S., Gabr, H. A. and Abd El-Monem, U.M. 1996. Effect of summer heat stress and its amelioration on production performance of New Zealand White adult female and male rabbits, under Egyptian conditions. Proceedings of the sixth world rabbit congress, Toulouse, France, vol. 2, pp. 197–208.Google Scholar
Marai, I. F. M., Ayyat, M. S., Gabr, H. A. and Abd El-Monem, U. M. 1999. Growth performance, some blood metabolites and carcass traits of New Zealand White broiler male rabbits as affected by heat stress and its alleviation, under Egyptian conditions. Options Méditerranéennes 41: 35–42.Google Scholar
Marai, I. F. M. and Habeeb, A. A. M. 1994. Thermoregulation in rabbits. Options Méditerranéennes 8: 33–41.Google Scholar
Marai, I. F. M., Habeeb, A. A. M. and Gad, A. E. 2002. Rabbit’s productive, reproductive and physiological traits as affected by heat stress (a review). Livestock Production Science 78: 71–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marai, I. F. M., Habeeb, A. A. M. and Gad, A. E. 2003. Reproductive traits of male rabbits as affected by climatic conditions, in the subtropical environment of Egypt. Animal Science 77: 451–458.Google Scholar
Rich, T. D. and Alliston, S. W. 1970. Influence of programmed circadian temperature changes on the reproductive performance of rabbit acclimated to two different temperatures. Journal of Animal Science 30: 960–966.Google Scholar
Richards, S. A. 1976. Evaporative water loss in domestic fowls and its partition in relation to ambient temperature. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 87: 527–532.Google Scholar
Shafie, M. M., Abd El-Malek, E.G., El-Issawi, H. F. and Kamar, G. A. R. 1970. Effect of environmental temperature on physiological body reactions of rabbits under subtropical conditions. Journal of Animal Production 10: 133–149.Google Scholar
Shafie, M. M., Kamar, G. A. R., Borady, A. M. and Hassanein, A. M. 1982. Thermorgulation in rabbits under different environmental conditions. Proceedings of the sixth international conference on animal poultry production, Zagazig, Egypt, pp. 21–23.Google Scholar
Shafie, M. M., Kamar, G. A. R., Borady, A. M. and Hassanein, A. M. 1984. Reproductive performance of Giza rabbit does under different natural and artificial environmental conditions. Egyptian Journal of Animal Production 24: 167–174.Google Scholar
Sittmann, D. B., Rollin, W. C., Sittmann, K. and Casady, R. B. 1964. Seasonal variation in reproductive traits of New Zealand White rabbits. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 8: 29–37.Google Scholar
Snedecor, G. W. and Cochran, W. G. 1982. Statistical methods, sixth edition.Iowa State University Press, Ames, IA.Google Scholar
Theau-Clement, M., Poujardieu, B. and Bellereaud, J. 1990. Influence des traitements lumineux, modes de reproduction et etats physiologiques sur la productivite de lapines multipares. Fifth journees de la recherche cunicole, Paris, France, vol. 1, paper 7.Google Scholar
Uzcategui, M. E. and Johnston, N. P. 1990. Effect of continuous and intermittent photoperiods on the reproductive performance and growth of rabbits. Journal of Applied Rabbit Research 13: 215–219.Google Scholar
Uzcategui, M. E. and Johnston, N. P. 1992. The effect of 10, 12 and 14 hour continuous and intermittent photoperiods on the reproductive performance of female rabbits. Journal of Applied Rabbit Research 15: 553–559.Google Scholar
Virag, G. Y., Papp, Z., Rafai, P., Jakab, L. and Kenessey, A. 2000. Effect of intermittent lighting schedule on doe and suckling rabbits performance. Proceedings of the seventh world rabbit congress, ‘management and economy’, Valencia, Spain.Google Scholar
Walter, M. R., Martinet, L., Moret, B. and Thibult, C. 1968. Regulation photoperiodique de l’activite sexuelle chez le lapin male et female. Archives d’Anatomie, d’Histologie et d’Embryologie 51: 773–780.Google ScholarPubMed