Breeding performance of newly acquired New Zealand white rabbits in Laboratory Animal Resource Unit (LARU), Institute for Medical Research (IMR) Malaysia

Abstract

The rabbit breeding program conducted in 2021 at the Rabbit Breeding Unit of the Laboratory Animal Resource Unit (LARU), Institute for Medical Research (IMR), was designed to evaluate the reproductive performance of newly arrived New Zealand White rabbits within a structured breeding and management system. The key aspects of the study included random pairing and mating of rabbits every three weeks. All six rabbits in the program were housed under natural conditions, with ambient temperature and a uniform feeding regimen. The findings revealed that does with larger litters exhibited higher pre-weaning mortality rates, indicating a potential challenge associated with litter size. Interestingly, factors such as ambient temperature did not significantly impact gestation length, conception rate, kindling rate, or parental mortality rates. This suggests that the breeding success may be more closely linked to husbandry practices and overall management rather than external environmental conditions. Despite this being the first breeding cycle for all rabbits, the program's success underscores the importance of effective husbandry, management, and dedicated care in achieving positive reproductive outcomes. This study emphasised the importance of proper husbandry and management practices in ensuring breeding success while minimising stress on the animals.