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Some Postpartum Reproductive Phenomena in the Domestic Rabbit¹

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Abstract

The effects of suckling and interval since parturition on reproduction were studied in 39 primiparous and 23 multiparous rabbits which were mated on day 1 or day 4 postpartum and killed on day 11 post-coitus. In primiparous rabbits, suckling had no significant effect on mating incidence; however, a higher percentage of females accepted the male on day 1 than on day 4 postpartum (P<.01). In multiparous rabbits, no significant differences in mating performance due to either day or suckling were found. A higher proportion of nonsuckled than suckled primiparous rabbits ovulated (P<.01). Ovulation performance was not affected significantly by day or suckling in multiparous rabbits. A comparison of the day effect in primiparous and multiparous rabbits on mating incidence showed a greater effect in the primiparous (P<.05). A comparison of the suckling effect on ovulation incidence in the two parity groups showed an insignificant difference. The number of corpora lutea was not affected significantly by day or suckling in either primiparous or multiparous rabbits. Heavier CL were found in nonsuckled than in suckled primiparous rabbits (P<.01), whereas in multiparous rabbits heavier CL were found in females mated on day 4 (P<.01). Fewer large follicles were present in suckled than in nonsuckled primiparous and multiparous rabbits (P<.05). No significant differences in early embryo survival (pre-implantation) were detected between suckled and nonsuckled in either primiparous or multiparous rabbits. However, late embryo survival (post-implantation) was depressed in suckled compared to nonsuckled rabbits in each parous group (P<.05).

¹ This work was supported in part by Public Health Service Training Grant No. 5 T01 HD00104-03 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Published with the approval of the Director of the Research Division of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Paper No. 1290 from the Laboratory of Genetics.