REPRODUCTIVE CAPACITY OF FEMALES AND GROWTH OF YOUNG RABBITS USING DIOECIOUSLY NETTLE FLOUR IN FEEDING
Authors: Korkh О. V. , Petrash V. S. , Pomitun I. A. , Pomitun L. I. , Smetana O. I. 
Published: July 2023

Introduction. Breeding of rabbits is the one of the promising branches that occupies a special position in modern animal husbandry. Rabbits are characterized by high fertility and early maturity. A short pregnancy period and the ability of rabbits to combine the physiological periods of lactation and gestation make it possible to obtain more than 30 rabbits and 70 kg of meat per year from a female rabbit.

At the same time, one of the key factors that prevents the comprehensive realization of the genetic potential of female productivity is the deterioration of their reproductive capacity. In this sense, the use of phytobiotics in feeding is considered a promising way to solve the problem in order to prevent unproductive losses of the brood stock during pregnancy and birth. Taking this into account, the purpose of the conducted research was to determine the expediency and effectiveness of using dioecious nettle flour in the alimentation of rabbits in the direction of improving parameters of female reproductive capacity, preservation and growth of young before weaning.

The realization of the set goal involved the use of a complex of generally accepted zootechnical and statistical research methods. Three groups of female rabbits in the gestation, each with three heads were formed during the process of justifying the set goal. The difference in feeding was in the method of nutritional intervention of the phytosupplement made from nettle: I group – restriction of phytosupplement consumption, II and III groups – consumption of phytosupplement. In the course of exploratory studies, the optimal dosage of nettle flour for their compound feed was substantiated in the amount of 10% versus 3.5 and 15%. From the offspring obtained from the offspring itself, three groups of young animals with 4 heads in the skin were formed: I – consumption of phytosupplements from the 21st day after birth, II group – consumption of phytosupplements through the placental route via the mother's body. , III – consumption of phytonutrients placental in the mother’s womb and orally from the 21st day after birth.

Research results. It was established that the fertility itself ranged from 5 to 8 rabbits in the nest, while a total of 56 viable rabbits were obtained in the offspring. However, a higher average yield of rabbits, including live ones, per female that gave birth of a doe rabbit was noted in group III. According to this indicator, they exceeded their peers in the II and I groups by 16.7% and 23.5%, respectively, whose productivity was almost the same, ranging from 5.67 to 6.00 offspring. Despite this, no probable difference between them was found during the biometric processing of the obtained results. The number of stillborn rabbits of the II group was 2 heads or 11.1%, I – 3 heads or 17.6% of the natural offspring, while the III group of animals was characterized by increased survival of the obtained offspring, in which such individuals were not registered. The weight of the nest at birth in female rabbits of the III group was also greater by 59.0 g or 15.1% compared to the female rabbits of the II group and by 68.4 g or 18.0% compared to the individuals of the I group, while the average live weight of one individual from the offspring within the experimental groups varied from 63.9 g to 66.9 g. On the other hand, the difference between the groups in favor of the females of the III group in terms of the nest weight at the age of 30 days decreased slightly and amounted to 754.7 g or 30.7% in relation to the II group and I group – 806.2 g or 33.5%. The investigated indicators in the females of the II group were close to those of the females of the I group.

Conclusions. The live weight of the young of the III group during the first month of postnatal development was significantly higher than the peers of the other groups by 34.5 and 49.2 g, or 8.1% (p < 0.01) and 12.0% (p < 0.001) at one hundred percent level of preservation in all groups. In accordance with the changes in the youngsters live weight from all groups, the intensity of their growth also changed. In general, during the period from birth to 30 days of age, the average daily weight gain of rabbits from the III group increased by 9.2% (p < 0.01) compared to peers of the I group and by 14.5% (p < 0.001), compared to the youngster of the II group. The specified advantages in terms of growth energy were also observed between II and I groups, in favor of the latter, but they were less pronounced and amounted to 4.9%, respectively, without a statistically significant difference between them.