The main factors affecting the reproductive performance of rabbit does: a review

This paper reviews the main factors affecting the reproductive performance of rabbit does. In the last 15 years the profitability of rabbit farms has increased mainly due to improvements in management and genetic selection but several problems related to animal welfare have also occurred. The replacement and the mortality rates of female per year are very high and the replaced does often show poor body condition and poor health status. The effect of kindling order, litter size, genetic strain, weaning age and reproductive rhythm on the reproductive performance and welfare of females and mechanisms implicated in these effects are discussed. The rabbit doe of modern strains produces a lot of milk with high energetic value, which leads to a mobilization of body fat resulting in a negative energy balance. In the current reproductive rhythms, there is an extensive overlap between lactation and gestation. The resulting energetic and hormonal antagonism reduces the fertility rate and lifespan of the doe. Strategies to optimize these parameters are discussed. An approach that combines various strategies seems to be required to meet these objectives. Since the factors involved in this system are predetermined (genetic strain, environment) the most powerful way to improve doe welfare is to choose a reproductive rhythm more adapted to the physiology of the does.