Evaluation Of The Productivity Of Local Rabbit Populations (Oryctolagus Cuniculus) From The Middle Cheliff Basin Compared To A White Breed: Assessment Of Reproductive Performance And Hormonal Regulation (Progesterone And Estradiol)

Abstract

An experimental study was carried out in the Wilaya of Chlef, Algeria, to compare the reproductive performance and hormonal profiles of 80 female rabbits divided into three local population groups (20 does per group) and one purebred white group (20 does). All animals were raised under identical management and environmental conditions to eliminate external variation. The evaluated parameters included body weight at mating and at kindling, gestation length, as well as receptivity, fertility, kindling, weaning, neonatal mortality, and prolificacy rates. Simultaneously, serum concentrations of progesterone (P4) and estradiol (E2) were measured at four key stages of the reproductive cycle.

Statistical analyses revealed no significant differences between the local groups and the white breed in terms of weight at mating (p = 0.076–0.28), weight at kindling (p = 0.38–0.74), weight gain (p = 0.25–0.76), or gestation length (p = 0.52–0.76), indicating comparable reproductive performance. However, a significant weight increase between mating and kindling was observed across all groups (p = 0.0011–0.0051), consistent with normal gestational physiology.

Regarding progesterone, the sampling effect was highly significant (p < 0.001), showing a peak at the third sampling, although mean levels among groups did not differ significantly (p = 0.37). A specific difference was observed at the second sampling between group C and the white breed (p = 0.049). For estradiol, concentrations fluctuated significantly over time (p < 0.001) without an overall difference among groups (p = 0.19), except at the fourth sampling, where group C differed significantly from the white breed (p = 0.008).

Fertility rates ranged from 60% (group A) to 70% (groups C and D), kindling rates from 66.67% to 77.78%, and neonatal mortality from 13.68% (group D) to 23.81% (group A). Weaning and prolificacy rates were similar among all groups (89–90% and approximately seven kits per litter). No significant differences were found among groups for these parameters (Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.30).

Correlation analyses showed a strong negative relationship between weight at mating and weight gain (r = –0.76; p = 5.42×10⁻¹¹), and a positive correlation between weights at mating and kindling (r = 0.46; p = 0.000537). The progesterone level at the second sampling was positively correlated with gestation length (r = 0.30; p = 0.0173). Prolificacy was significantly associated with progesterone concentration at the first sampling (p = 0.02), whereas estradiol levels showed no significant relationship with fertility or receptivity (p > 0.05).

In conclusion, despite overall comparable performance between groups, the reference white breed exhibited slightly superior productivity in some traits. These findings provide a solid foundation for the enhancement and valorization of local genetic resources through targeted improvement programs, including selective breeding, crossbreeding, and optimization of reproductive management protocols.