EFFECTS OF BREEDING INTERVALS ON GROWTH AND REPRODUCTIVE INDICES OF HYLA RABBIT IN SOUTH-WEST, NIGERIA

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of breeding intervals on growth and reproductive performance of Hyla rabbit in South-west of Nigeria. A total of twenty four adult rabbits (sixteen females and eight males) of average 2500 g were used in the study. Does were randomly allotted into the four experimental treatments: T1 (two weeks), T2 (four weeks), T3 (six weeks) and T4 (eight weeks) breeding intervals with four rabbits per treatment in a Completely Randomized Design with a doe serving as a replicate. Does in each treatment have four parities and the experiment lasted for 15 months. Number of mating per conception (NMC) was decreasing (P<0.05) as breeding interval and parity were increasing. Body weight at conception (BWC) week 1 and 2 were highest (P<0.05) in does on T4 and 3rd parity. Litter weight at birth (312g), 5th (2731.50g) and 12th week (5709.44g), average weight at birth (52.48g), 5th (552.94g) and 12th week (1317.06g) including litter size at birth (5.94) were at maximum (P<0.05) in T3. Average weight at birth (53.32g), 5th (536.63g) and 12th week (1336.00g), were highest (P<0.05) in Parity 1. However, litter weight at birth (335.50g), 5th week (2687.43g) and 12th week (5676.65g), litter size at birth (6.07), 5th (5.02) and 12th week (4.26) were peak (P<0.05) at the Parity 4. Stillbirth was not affected by parity. It was concluded that a doe requires a week rest after weaning at 5th week for optimum growth and reproduction of both kit and the doe. Therefore, six weeks breeding interval was recommended to rabbit breeders for most favorable production.