1Professor, Department of Veterinary Physiology
Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara-781022, Guwahati, Assam, India
2Retired Professor & Head, Department of Animal Nutrition
3Professor & Head, Department of Veterinary Physiology
Twenty four does (Soviet Chinchilla × New Zealand white) of average 1.65±0.25 kg body weight were randomly distributed into four groups of six animals each. The animals in group T1 were fed commercial pellet whereas in groups T2, T3 and T4 they were fed commercial pellet and fresh para grass in the ratio of 75: 25, 55: 50 and 25: 75 on DM basis, respectively. Each doe was weighed at weekly interval from birth to 16 days post partum. The conception rates in T2, T3 and T4 were 100, 75 and 66.66%, respectively. The gestation length was similar in all the groups. Both litter weight at birth (228g) and at weaning (1173g) were highest in group T2. The litter size at weaning was 5.00 in T2 followed by T4 (3.40) and T1 (2.89). Average daily gain (g/d) of kids was 6.99, 8.06, 8.64 and 8.13g in T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. The survival rate in this study ranged from 62.9 to 97.6%.
Para grass, Pellet ration, Rabbit, Reproductive performance
