Apori Samuel Obeng, Hagan Julius Kofi, Osei Yaa Doris
Department of Animal Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
Trop Anim Health Prod. 2015 Jan;47(1):221-5. doi: 10.1007/s11250-014-0714-2. Epub 2014 Nov 13.
A study on the growth and reproductive performance of two rabbit breeds was undertaken. Data on 588 kits and 97 does of California White and 574 kits and 90 does of New Zealand White rabbits reared under hot and humid environment in Ghana were taken. The reproductive performance of the two breeds, in terms of litter size at birth and weaning, litter weight at birth and weaning, kindling interval, age at sexual maturity, and gestation length as influenced by breed, season of kindling (rainy and dry), year of kindling (2005-2012), and parity (first to sixth and over) were determined. The performance of California White in terms of litter size at birth, at weaning, kit weight at birth, and age at first kindling was 5.9 ± 0.2, 4.6 ± 0.1, 54.7 ± 0.4 g, and 159.8 ± 0.2 days, respectively. That of New Zealand White was 5.9 ± 0.1, 5.1 ± 0.1, 55.2 ± 1.0 g, and 159.9 ± 0.2 days, respectively. The results obtained also showed a significant breed effects on kit weight at birth, litter weight at weaning, and mortality; whereas no significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed between the two breeds regarding the other traits measured. Parity had significant effects (p < 0.05) on all the growth and reproductive parameters measured with the exception of age at first kindling. Year of kindling also had significant effect on litter weight at birth, kit weight at birth, and at weaning (p < 0.05) but did not have any significant effect on the age at sexual maturity and mortality. Season also had significant (p < 0.05) effects on kit weight at birth, gestation length, kindling interval, and mortality with better performance experienced during the rainy season.
对两个兔品种的生长和繁殖性能进行了一项研究。收集了在加纳炎热潮湿环境中饲养的588只加利福尼亚白兔幼崽和97只母兔以及574只新西兰白兔幼崽和90只母兔的数据。测定了这两个品种在产仔数、断奶时窝仔数、出生窝重、断奶窝重、产仔间隔、性成熟年龄和妊娠期长度等繁殖性能方面受品种、产仔季节（雨季和旱季）、产仔年份（2005 - 2012年）和胎次（第一至第六胎及以上）的影响。加利福尼亚白兔在出生时窝仔数、断奶时窝仔数、出生时幼崽体重和首次产仔年龄方面的表现分别为5.9±0.2、4.6±0.1、54.7±0.4克和159.8±0.2天。新西兰白兔的相应数据分别为5.9±0.1、5.1±0.1、55.2±1.0克和159.9±0.2天。所得结果还表明，品种对出生时幼崽体重、断奶时窝重和死亡率有显著影响；而在其他所测性状方面，两个品种之间未观察到显著差异（p>0.05）。胎次对所有所测生长和繁殖参数均有显著影响（p<0.05），但首次产仔年龄除外。产仔年份对出生时窝重、出生时幼崽体重和断奶时幼崽体重也有显著影响（p<0.05），但对性成熟年龄和死亡率没有显著影响。季节对出生时幼崽体重、妊娠期长度、产仔间隔和死亡率也有显著影响（p<0.05），雨季的表现更好。
