Les performances de reproduction dans un élevage cunicole et leurs facteurs de variations

Abstract

Rabbit breeding is growing more and more in the world and also in Algeria. Indeed, the rabbit is the second raised animal in the world after the chicken. The cuniculture presents various advantages such as the ease of handling and the non-requirement of the animals, the rabbit is a very prolific species, however the knowledge and mastery of reproduction is very important for the success of the breeding. The rabbit has a reproductive physiology similar to that of most mammals, but it has some peculiarities like the almost permanent oestrus and the ovulation only after the coهt. The short gestation time which is 31 J and the size of the litter (usually 5-9 young) makes it a very prolific species, which express very good reproductive performances, only that there are exogenous and endogenous factors that influence or alter these performances. Exogenous environmental factors such as season, temperature, photoperiod, feeding and reproductive rate required by the breeder can optimize as impairing several performances, High temperatures, for example, strongly affect receptivity and fertility. Animal-specific endogenous factors such as breed, age, parity, physiological status or animal health status may also affect the ability of animals to reproduce. The knowledge of these factors of variation and their control allows well managing and controlling the reproduction for a better production.