Litter Survival Differences between Divergently Selected Lines for Environmental Sensitivity in Rabbits
Abstract
Simple Summary
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Material and Methods
2.1. Animals
2.2. Traits
2.3. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Correlated Response to Selection in Litter Survival and Pre-Weaning Weight
3.2. Survival at 4 d of Age and Individual Weight at Birth
4. Discussion
4.1. Correlated Response to Selection in Litter Survival and Pre-Weaning Weight
4.2. Survival at 4 d of Age and Individual Weight at Birth
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
References
- García, M.; Baselga, M. Estimation of genetic response to selection in litter size of rabbits using a cryopreserved control population. Livest. Prod. Sci. 2002, 74, 45–53. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Sánchez, J.P.; Theilgaard, P.; Mínguez, C.; Baselga, M. Constitution and evaluation of a long-lived productive rabbit line. J. Anim. Sci. 2008, 86, 515–525. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Larzul, C.; Ducrocq, V.; Tudela, F.; Juin, H.; Garreau, H. The length of productive life can be modified through selection: An experimental demonstration in the rabbit. J. Anim. Sci. 2014, 92, 2395–2401. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Rauw, W.M.; Kanis, E.; Noordhuizen-Stassen, E.N.; Grommers, F.J. Undesirable side effects of selection for high production efficiency in farm animals: A review. Livest. Prod. Sci. 1998, 56, 15–33. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Rosell, J.; De La Fuente, L. Culling and mortality in breeding rabbits. Prev. Vet. Med. 2009, 88, 120–127. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Blasco, A.; Martínez-Álvaro, M.; García, M.L.; Ibáñez-Escriche, N.; Argente, M.J. Selection for genetic environmental sensitivity of litter size in rabbits. Genet. Sel. Evol. 2017, 49, 48–55. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Argente, M.J.; García, M.L.; Zbyňovská, K.; Petruška, P.; Capcarová, M.; Blasco, A. Correlated response to selection for litter size environmental variability in rabbits’ resilience. Animal 2019. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bolet, G.; Esparbié, J.; Falieres, J. Relations entre le nombre de foetus par corne utérine, la taille de portée à la naissance et la croissance pondérale des lapereaux. Ann. Zootech. 1996, 45, 185–200. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef][Green Version]
- Poignier, J.; Szendrö, Z.S.; Levai, A.; Radnai, I.; Biro-Nemeth, E. Effect of birth weight and litter size on growth and mortality in rabbit. World Rabbit Sci. 2000, 8, 103–109. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Blasco, A.; Blasco, P.D.A. Bayesian Data Analysis for Animal Scientists; Springer International Publishing: New York, NY, USA, 2017. [Google Scholar]
- Legarra, A.; Varona, L.; López de Maturana, E. TM Threshold Model. Available online: http://snp.toulouse.inra.fr/~alegarra/manualtm.pdf (accessed on 5 July 2019).
- Sorensen, D.; Gianola, D. Likelihood, Bayesian, and MCMC Methods. Quantitative Genetics, 1st ed.; Springer: New York, NY, USA, 2002. [Google Scholar]
- Geyer, C.M. Practical markow chain Monte Carlo (with discussion). Stat. Sci. 1992, 7, 467–511. [Google Scholar]
- SAS. SAS/STAT User’s Guide 9.4; SAS Institute: Cary, NC, USA, 2017. [Google Scholar]
- Peiró, R.; Badawy, A.Y.; Blasco, A.; Santacreu, M.A. Correlated responses on growth traits after two-stage selection for ovulation rate and litter size in rabbits. Animal 2019. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Pascual, J.J.; Savietto, D.; Cervera, C.; Baselga, M. Resources allocation in reproductive rabbit does: A review of feeding and genetic strategies for suitable performance. World Rabbit. Sci. 2013, 21, 123–144. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bolet, G.; Garreau, H.; Joly, T.; Theau-Clément, M.; Falières, J.; Hurtaud, J.; Bodin, L. Genetic homogenisation of birth weight in rabbits: Indirect selection response for uterine horn characteristics. Livest. Sci. 2007, 111, 28–32. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Garreau, H.; Bolet, G.; Larzul, C.; Robert-Granié, C.; Saleil, G.; SanCristobal, M.; Bodin, L. Results of four generations of a canalising selection for rabbit birth weight. Livest. Sci. 2008, 119, 55–62. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hamilton, H.H.; Lukefahr, S.D.; McNitt, J.I. Maternal nest quality and its influence on litter survival and weaning performance in commercial rabbits. J. Anim. Sci. 1997, 75, 926. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- García-Ximénez, F.; Vicente, J.; Viudes-De-Castro, M. Neonatal performances in 3 lines of rabbit (litter sizes, litter and individual weights). Anim. Res. 1995, 44, 255–261. [Google Scholar]
- Hull, D.; Segall, M.M. The contribution of brown adipose tissue to heat production in the new-born rabbit. J. Physiol. 1965, 181, 449–457. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Spencer, S.A.; Hull, D. The effect of over-feeding newborn rabbits on somatic and visceral growth, body composition and long-term growth potential. Br. J. Nutr. 1984, 51, 389–402. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Venge, O. The influence of nursing behaviour and milk production n early growth in rabbits. Anim. Behav. 1963, 11, 500–506. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Schaal, B.; Coudert, P.; Rideaud, P.; Fortun-Lamothe, L.; Hudson, R.; Orgeur, P. Immediate postnatal sucking in the rabbit: Its influence on pup survival and growth. Reprod. Nutr. Dev. 2000, 40, 19–32. [Google Scholar]
- Argente, M.; Santacreu, M.; Climent, A.; Blasco, A. Phenotypic and genetic parameters of birth weight and weaning weight of rabbits born from unilaterally ovariectomized and intact does. Livest. Prod. Sci. 1999, 57, 159–167. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Xiccato, G.; Trocino, A.; Sartori, A.; Queaque, P.I. Effect of parity order and litter weaning age on the performance and body energy balance of rabbit dos. Livest. Prod. Sci. 2004, 16, 239–251. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Rebollar, P.; Pérez-Cabal, M.; Pereda, N.; Lorenzo, P.L.; Arias-Álvarez, M.; García-Rebollar, P. Effects of parity order and reproductive management on the efficiency of rabbit productive systems. Livest. Sci. 2009, 121, 227–233. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
Season | Temperature (°C) | Relative Humidity (%) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Average | Minimum | Maximum | Average | Minimum | Maximum | |
Winter | 14.4 | 7.5 | 22.2 | 63.2 | 26.6 | 100 |
Spring | 20.3 | 15.2 | 28.6 | 78.7 | 43.3 | 100 |
Summer | 26.9 | 19.2 | 33.8 | 76.9 | 32.1 | 100 |
20–34 | 35–44 | 45–54 | 55–64 | 65–80 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Line H | 73 (29) | 316 (214) | 644 (578) | 494 (468) | 234 (222) |
Line L | 128 (54) | 339 (226) | 756 (652) | 661 (609) | 338 (321) |
Line H | Line L | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean | SD | CV | Mean | SD | CV | |
Litter size | 7.69 | 2.98 | 0.38 | 8.35 | 2.43 | 0.29 |
Survival | ||||||
At birth | 0.89 | 0.25 | 0.28 | 0.86 | 0.25 | 0.29 |
At 4 days of age | 0.88 | 0.25 | 0.28 | 0.87 | 0.25 | 0.29 |
At weaning | 0.61 | 0.34 | 0.56 | 0.67 | 0.34 | 0.51 |
Litter weight | ||||||
Total at birth (g) | 431 | 118 | 0.27 | 450 | 119 | 0.26 |
Live at birth (g) | 412 | 127 | 0.31 | 410 | 128 | 0.31 |
At weaning (g) | 2518 | 1183 | 0.47 | 2460 | 1185 | 0.48 |
Individual weight | ||||||
Live at birth (g) | 53.5 | 11.2 | 0.21 | 54.0 | 11.2 | 0.21 |
Dead at birth (g) | 46.3 | 11.2 | 0.24 | 46.0 | 11.1 | 0.24 |
At weaning (g) | 493 | 151 | 0.31 | 477 | 150 | 0.31 |
Weight distance | ||||||
Live at birth (g) | 4.9 | 4.6 | 0.94 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 0.85 |
Dead at birth (g) | 6.9 | 4.6 | 0.67 | 6.8 | 4.6 | 0.67 |
Weaned (g) | 53.3 | 45.7 | 0.86 | 47.8 | 46.4 | 0.97 |
H | L | H-L | HPD95% | P | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Litter size | ||||||
At birth | 7.7 | 8.3 | −0.6 | −1.1; | −0.2 | 1.00 |
Survival | ||||||
At birth | 0.89 | 0.87 | 0.02 | −0.03; | 0.06 | 0.79 |
At 4 days of age | 0.88 | 0.87 | 0.01 | −0.04; | 0.05 | 0.67 |
At weaning | 0.62 | 0.67 | −0.05 | −0.12; | 0.01 | 0.93 |
Litter weight | ||||||
Total at birth (g) | 440 | 443 | −3 | −15; | 8 | 0.73 |
Live at birth (g) | 409 | 411 | −2 | −14; | 9 | 0.65 |
At weaning (g) | 2461 | 2404 | 57 | −84; | 205 | 0.78 |
Individual weight | ||||||
Live at birth (g) | 53.5 | 54.1 | −0.4 | −1.7; | 0.8 | 0.75 |
Dead at birth (g) | 46.3 | 46.1 | −0.2 | −2.4; | 1.9 | 0.60 |
At weaning (g) | 495 | 480 | 15 | −17; | 47 | 0.82 |
Weight distance | ||||||
Live at birth (g) | 4.9 | 5.4 | −0.5 | −0.9; | 0.0 | 0.97 |
Dead at birth (g) | 7.0 | 6.8 | 0.2 | −0.9; | 1.3 | 0.68 |
Weaned (g) | 54.1 | 47.8 | 6.3 | 0.2; | 12.3 | 0.98 |
© 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Agea, I.; García, M.-L.; Blasco, A.; Argente, M.-J. Litter Survival Differences between Divergently Selected Lines for Environmental Sensitivity in Rabbits. Animals 2019, 9, 603. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9090603
Agea I, García M-L, Blasco A, Argente M-J. Litter Survival Differences between Divergently Selected Lines for Environmental Sensitivity in Rabbits. Animals. 2019; 9(9):603. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9090603
Chicago/Turabian StyleAgea, Ivan, María-Luz García, Agustín Blasco, and María-José Argente. 2019. "Litter Survival Differences between Divergently Selected Lines for Environmental Sensitivity in Rabbits" Animals 9, no. 9: 603. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9090603
APA StyleAgea, I., García, M.-L., Blasco, A., & Argente, M.-J. (2019). Litter Survival Differences between Divergently Selected Lines for Environmental Sensitivity in Rabbits. Animals, 9(9), 603. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9090603