Biotechnology in Animal Husbandry 25 (5-6), p 1249-1253, 2009 ISSN 1450-9156
Publisher: Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade-Zemun UDC 636.92
ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION OF RABBITS
I. Dimitrova 1, G. Angelov 2, A. Teneva1, P. Uzev2
1
Faculty of Agronomy, University of Forestry, Sofia, Bulgaria
2
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Forestry, Sofia, Bulgaria
Corresponding author: ivonna_dimitrova@yahoo.co.uk
Original scientific paper
Abstract: The success of artificial insemination technique in rabbits depends
on various factors, but some of them as scheme of hormonal stimulation, breed and
parity of does are very important. The experiment was carried out at the rabbit
farm of the University of Forestry (Bulgaria) in August and September 2008 using
does from two breeds - White New Zealand and Californian. It compared two
schemes of hormonal stimulation. First scheme included application of PMSG and
GnRH. In the second it was applied only GnRH. As a result in first case we obtain
28.57% fertility rate and in second – 62.50% fertility rate. White New Zealand
does showed higher level of fertility then Californian does.
Key words: rabbit doe, reproduction, artificial insemination, fertility,
prolificacy
Introduction
Artificial insemination (AI) is a powerful tool for genetic improvement of
animals, which also offers better sanitary quarantee. It allows better work
organization as well as decreased manpower costs. AI of rabbit does appeared on
European farms in the late 1980’s. (Theau-Clement, 2007). Many factors affect the
reproductive performances of the female. The success of artificial insemination
technique in rabbits depends mainly of the parity number, the physiological status
and the sexual receptivity at the moment of insemination (Castellini, 1996). In
European commercial farms, the most common reproductive rhythm is based on AI
of the does around 11 days after kindling and on weaning of the young rabbits at
28–30 days of age (Castelliin et al., 2006).
In the rabbit doe, ovulation does not occur spontaneously, but it has to be
induced through a neurohormonal reflex, which is initiated during mating. When
using AI, in the absence of a male, ovulation has to be induced by artificial
hormonal stimulation. The ovulation inducing method most frequently used is an
intramuscular application of GnRH (Quintela et al., 2004).
1250 I. Dimitrova et al.
The aim of this study was to compare two schemes of hormonal stimulation
of rabbit does.
Materials and Methods
The trial was carried out at the experimental rabbit farm of the University of
Forestry (Bulgaria) in August and September 2008., using does from two breeds -
White New Zealand and Californian. First scheme of hormonal stimulation
included one application of PMSG (Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotrophin) 40 IU
intramuscularly (Folligon, Intervet, Holland) 48 hours before sperm insemination
and GnRH (Gonadotropin-releasing hormone) (Fertagil, Intervet, Holland) – 0.2 ml
intramuscularly administered at the moment of insemination. The second scheme
of hormonal stimulation included only GnRH (Fertagil, Intervet, Holland)
application – 0.2 ml intramuscularly at the moment of insemination. Multiparous
does were inseminated two days after weaning. In both cases the does were
inseminated with fresh semen diluted of a commercial diluent (Magapor, Spain).
Results and Discussion
In Table 1 is shown that in the first experimental scheme of hormonal
stimulation it was obtained 28.57% fertility rate total for the two breeds. The
average prolificacy for both breeds was 7.5 and pregnancy duration was 33 days.
But, in this case we obtained pregnancies only in White New Zealand animals.
Fertility rate in White New Zealand females was 55.55 % - equal for nulliparous
and multiparous does. Californian ones did not reply on this scheme of hormonal
stimulation – no one pregnancy was occurred.
Table 1. Fertility rate in the first scheme of hormonal stimulation (PMSG + GnRH)
White New Zealand breed
Group n Group n %
Inseminated Nulliparous 18 Pregnant Nulliparous 10 55.55
females rabbit does females rabbit does
Multiparous 18 Multiparous 10 55.55
rabbit does rabbit does
Total 36 Total 20 55.55
Californian breed
Group n Group n %
Inseminated Nulliparous 18 Pregnant Nulliparous 0 0
females rabbit does females rabbit does
Multiparous 16 Multiparous 0 0
rabbit does rabbit does
Total 34 Total 0 0
Total for two breeds
Inseminated 70 Pregnant 20 28.57
females females
Artificial insemination of rabbits 1251
In the second experiment (Table 2), which included hormonal stimulation
only with GnRH at the moment of insemination, it was obtained 62.50% fertility
rate total for the two breeds. White New Zealand does again exceeded Californian
ones in studied trait – they reached 80% fertility rate while Californian does
showed 33.33%. In both case multiparous does had higher fertility rate than
nulliparous ones. In White New Zealand breed multiparous females reached
84.61%, while nulliparous showed lower fertility rate -75.0%. In Californian breed
the difference is much significant - 40.0% for multiparous against 20% for
nulliparous does. The average prolificacy for both breeds was 7.6 and pregnancy
duration was 31.6 days.
Table 2. Fertility rate in the second scheme of hormonal stimulation (single GnRH)
White New Zealand breed
Group n Group n %
Inseminated Nulliparous 12 Pregnant Nulliparous 9 75.00
females rabbit does females rabbit does
Multiparous 13 Multiparous 11 84.61
rabbit does rabbit does
Total 25 Total 20 80.00
Californian breed
Group n Group n %
Inseminated Nulliparous 5 Pregnant Nulliparous 1 20.00
females rabbit does females rabbit does
Multiparous 10 Multiparous 4 40.00
rabbit does rabbit does
Total 15 Total 5 33.33
Total for two breeds
Inseminated 40 Pregnant 25 62.50
females females
The obtained results showed that the second scheme of hormonal
stimulation, using only GnRH application was more effective. Similar results
reported Rodriguez De Lara et al. (2000). Some authors have reported efficiency
by stimulation with PMSG in follicular growth (Bonano et al., 1990) and
consequently increase prolificacy (Martens, 1995), but followed by higher stillborn
birth mortality. The results obtained in our experiment did not show difference in
both prolificacy between two compared schemes of hormonal stimulation – 7.5 vs.
7.6 average numbers of litter size and in birth mortality rate.
Nulliparous does generally exhibit high fertility rate, whereas the
reproductive performance of multiparous does is lower, because of the intensive
reproductive rhythms (Castellini et al., 2005). In our case we used extensive
reproductive system (insemination two days after wining) and this is why in this
experiment we obtained higher or equal fertility rate for multiparous does and
1252 I. Dimitrova et al.
nulliparous does. Maertens and Bousselmi (1999) reported fertility rate of
nulliparous does 78.7%. Lower fertility rate of Californian does in comparison with
White New Zealand ones was observed from other authors too (Rodriguez De Lara
et al., 2000; Gomes et al., 2004). The reproductive performance of rabbit does are
affected not only by parity, but also by other factors as body condition, rhythm of
insemination, lacting status, sexual receptivity and season (El-Gaafary and Marai,
1994; Brecchia et al., 2008). It was shown that season affected both natural mating
and artificial insemination. Our experiments was carried out in August and
September, the part of the year which was reported as a period with lowest
conception rate (Szendro el al., 1992) and it is possible reason for very low results
of animals of Californian breed.
Conclusion
The obtained results showed that the scheme of hormonal stimulation using
only GnRH application – 0.2 ml intramuscularly at the moment of insemination
was more effective for insemination of both nulliparous and multiparous rabbit
does.
Veštačko osemenjavanje zečeva
I. Dimitrova, G. Angelov, A. Teneva, P. Uzev
Rezime
Uspeh tehnike veštačkog osemenjavanja zečeva zavisi od različitih faktora,
ali neki od njih, kao npr. shema hormonalne stimulacije, rasa i paritet zečica, su
veoma važni. Ogled je izveden na farmi zečeva Univerziteta za šumarstvo
(Bugarska) u avgustu i septembru 2008. godine, na dve rase zečeva, bela
novozelandska i kalifornijska rasa. Upoređene su dve sheme hormonalne
stimulacije. Prva shema je uključivala aplikaciju PMSG i GnRH. U drugoj je
primenjen samo GnRH. Kao rezultat, u prvom slučaju, ostvaren je procenat
plodnosti od 28.57% a u drugom – 62.50%. Bele novozelandske zečice su pokazale
veći nivo plodnosti nego zečice kalifornijske rase.
References
BONNANO A., BUDETTA G., ALABISO M., ALICATA M. (1990): Effect of
PGSG and GnRH treatement on the ovulatory effiefficiency of rabbits. Acta
Medica Veterinaria, 36, 4, 441-451.
Artificial insemination of rabbits 1253
BRECCHIA G., CARDINALI R., DAL BOSCO A., BOITI C., CASTELLINI C.
(2008): Effect of reproductive rhythm based on rabbit doe body condition on
fertility and hormones. 9th World Rabbit Congress, 309-313.
CASTELLINI C. (1996): Recent advances in rabbit artificial insemination. 6th
World Rabbit Congress, Toulouse, 2, 13-26
CASTELLINI C., CARDINALI R., BRECCHIA G., DEL BOSCO A. (2005):
Effect of LPS-induced inflammatory state on some aspects of reproductive function
of rabbit does. Ital J Anim Sci, 4, suppl. 2, 532-534.
CASTELLINI C., DEL BOSCO A., CARDINALI R. (2006): Long term effect of
post-weaning hythm on the body fat and performance of rabbit doe. Reprod. Nutr.
Dev., 46, 195–204.
EL-GAAFARY M., MARAI I. (1994): Artificial Insemination in rabbits. In
Baselga M. (ed.), Marai I.F.M. (ed.). Rabbit production in hot climates. Zaragoza:
Ciheam-Iamz, p. 95-107, International Conference of rabbit production in hot
climates, 1994/09/06-08, Cairo (Egypt).
GOMES R., BECERRIL P., TORRES H., PRO M., RODRIGUEZ DE LARA R.
(2004): Relationship among feeding level, change of cage and fasting with vulva
colour and sexual receptivity in New Zealand White and Californian nulliparous
does. Proc. 8th WRCongress, 270-275.
MAERTENS L., BOUSSELMI H. (1999): The fertility rate of artificial
inseminated rabbit does: the impact of some doe related factors. In Testik A. (ed.),
Baselga M. (ed.). 2nd International Conference on rabbit production in hot
climates. Zaragoza: CIHEAM-IAMZ, p. 127-132, International Conference on
Rabbit Production in Hot Climates, 1998/09/07-09, Adana (Turkey).
MAERTENS L., LUZI F. (1995): Effect of dilutent and storage time of rabbit
semen on the fertility of does reared under two different lightingschedules. World
Rabbit Science, 3, 57-61.
QUINTELA L.A., PENA A.I., VEGA M.D., GULLÓN J., PRIETO M.C.,
BARRIO M., BECERRA J.J., MASEDA F., HERRADÓN P.G. (2004): Ovulation
induction in rabbit does submitted to artificial insemination by adding buserelin to
the seminal dose. Reprod. Nutr. Dev., 44 , 79-88.
RODRIGUEZ DE LARA R., FALLAS L., RANGEL S. (2000): Influence of body
live weight and relocation on kindling rate and prolificacy in Aied multiparous
rabbit does. Proc. 7th WRCongress, 251-257.
SZENDRO Z.S., BIRO-NEMETH E., RADNAI I. (1999): Investigations on the
results of artificial insemination. Journal of Applied Rabbit Research, 15, 545-552.
THEAU-CLEMENT M. (2007): Preparation of rabbit doe to insemination: a
review. World Rabbit Science, 15, 61-80
Received 31 May 2009; accepted for publication 15 August 2009
