Reproductive Performance of Hycole Rabbit Does, Growth of Kits and Milk Chemical Composition during Nine Consecutive Lactations under Extensive Rhythm.

The goal of this study was to analyze the reproductive performance of does, growth of their kits, and chemical composition of their milk over nine consecutive parities in order to indicate the boundary of female reproductive profitability. The novelty of this study results from the combinations of three factors: extensive reproductive rhythm, commercial farming conditions, and a period of nine consecutive parities, showing the actual lifespan of a rabbit doe on commercial farms. The data was collected on 60 Hycole females kept at a commercial rabbit farm. Throughout the study, 32 does were excluded due to different reasons (e.g., excluded by means of selection-43.8% and mortalities-25.0%). The does were first inseminated at 28 weeks of age. Following artificial inseminations were conducted 14-15 days after each parturition. All kits were weaned at the age of 35 days. The following characteristics were analysed: body weight of rabbit does at artificial insemination, milk production per lactation, litter size, litter weight, average kit weight, and milk chemical composition. Rabbit does had a significant decrease in kindling rate between the eighth and the ninth parity (by 10.0 percentage points;