Features about breeding rabbits
1, Strong reproductive ability
Rabbits have early sexual maturity, short gestation period, large litter size, and can reproduce all year round. This fecundity is unmatched by other livestock. . For medium-sized rabbits, 5-6 months old rabbits can be bred, the gestation period is 1 month, and two generations can be reproduced in a year. Under intensive production conditions, each female rabbit can produce 8 to 9 litters a year, and each litter can survive 6 to 7 young rabbits, and can breed 50 to 60 young rabbits a year. If it is to breed breeding rabbits, it can generally breed 4 to 5 litters a year, and raise 25 to 30 breeding rabbits.
2. Large eggs
Among the known mammals, the eggs of rabbits are the largest and develop the fastest. Therefore, rabbits are widely used in the research of biology, genetics and livestock reproduction.
3. Stimulated ovulation
The ovaries of female rabbits usually have follicles in different stages, which can be released at any time. However, ovulation in rabbits is not spontaneous and requires some kind of stimulation, such as male rabbit mating or drug stimulation, before the mature follicles are released. Rabbits ovulate mostly 10 to 12 hours after mating. If they do not mate within the estrus period, the rabbit will not ovulate, and the mature follicles in the body will age and decline, and finally be absorbed by the body.
4. Two wombs
Female rabbits have two wombs, which are not connected to each other, and both are located in the vaginal opening, so the female rabbit may sometimes Double pregnancy occurs, that is, after one batch of fetuses is delivered, the second batch of fetuses is delivered every few days or hours. This is because the female rabbit is conceived twice and the fetuses develop in two different wombs.
5. Irregular estrus cycle
Irregular estrus cycle in rabbits It is related to its ovulation-stimulating properties. If there is no inductive stimulation, the eggs in the ovary of the female rabbit will not be released even if they are mature, but the corpus luteum will not be formed, so the development of new follicles will not be inhibited. Therefore, the estrus cycle of rabbits is irregular. Under normal circumstances, there are always follicles at different stages in the ovaries of rabbits. Because the follicles developed in the previous batch have not completely degenerated, the next batch of follicles will continue to develop, and the two batches of follicles will develop alternately. Influence, the level of estrogen in the female rabbit is high or low, so the symptoms of estrus are obvious and not obvious. In addition, even if the female rabbit is not in estrus, if there are follicles developing in her ovary, she may still become pregnant if she is forced to mate at this time.
6. Induces estrus through sebaceous glands
Rabbits have 4 pairs of sebaceous glands, and the secretions of these sebaceous glands have a special odor, which is associated with home Rabbits are closely related to breeding. The presence of these odors on male rabbits can lure and promote female rabbits into estrus and allow female rabbits to accept mating.
7. Vigorous sexual activity in the morning and evening
Rabbits have the strongest sexual activity in the periods 1 hour before and after sunrise, 2 hours before sunset and 1 hour after sunset. When the breeding success rate is the highest. If you want to arrange breeding rabbits, it is very important to master this rule.
8, High percentage of false pregnancy
If the female rabbit is stimulated to ovulate However, without fertilization, the body will form the corpus luteum and secrete progesterone, and stimulate other parts of the reproductive system, promote the development of the mammary gland, the uterus will increase, and there will be pregnancy symptoms but no fetus, that is, a false pregnancy. After 16 days of gestation, pseudopregnant female rabbits will have labor behaviors such as biting grass, pulling hair to make nests, and the mammary glands can express a little milk. However, because they are not pregnant, there will be no baby rabbits. Sexual stimulation of sterile male rabbits, group rearing of female rabbits and late weaning of young rabbits are the main reasons for false pregnancy in rabbits.
9. Summer infertility
The reproductive characteristic of summer infertility is mainly aimed at male rabbits. In hot summer, affected by factors such as continuous high temperature and too long light time, male rabbits will experience loss of appetite, libido, testicular volume, and semen quality, which will further affect the conception rate. As far as the reproductive ability of male rabbits is concerned, the light time should not exceed 12 hours, and the ambient temperature should not exceed 30 ℃. Compared with male rabbits, the impact of summer climate on female rabbits is relatively small, which is manifested as less obvious estrus characteristics, decreased appetite, and low conception rate after breeding.
