Breeding Responses of New Zealand White Does to Artificial Insemination under Humid Tropical Environment

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the effect of artificial insemination on the reproductive performance of rabbits in the humid tropical conditions of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Eighteen post pubertal New Zealand White does aged 7-8 months and four matured bucks (8 months old) of the same New Zealand White breed were randomly assigned to 3 treatment groups designated A, B and C respectively in a completely randomized design (CRD). Treatment A serves as the control and was subjected to natural mating, while treatments B and C were subjected to artificial mating ones and twice a day respectively. The experiment lasted for six 6 months, during which two parities were obtained. Reproductive performance (conception rate, litter size, litter weight and kindling rate) was significantly lower (p>0.05) among the groups subjected to artificial insemination compared to the control. Gestation length, pseudo pregnancy and abortion or still birth were not significantly affected by the insemination. It was therefore concluded that artificial mating had no significant effect on the reproductive parameters measured in these breeding rabbits.