Effect of Dietary Energy on Productive and Reproductive Performance of Algerian Local Rabbit Does and Their Litters

Local rabbit reared in Algeria is well adapted to the climate of the country while being characterized by a variable phenotype and prolificacy. The present work was carried out to study the effects of dietary energy content on productive and reproductive performance of local does and their litters during their first two lactations. A total of 75 nulliparous rabbit does were separated in three equal groups and received isoproteinous diets (15% CP) differing in their digestible energy (DE) contents viz. 2300, 2450 and 2600 kcal DE/kg for dietary groups LE, ME and HE, respectively. Diets were supplied ad libitum between parturition and weaning which was performed at age 28 d. Dietary energy didn't show any effects on does live weight, weight gain and milk yield, but decreased significantly (P<0.001) feed intake during all weeks post partum. Total feed intake during 28 d post partum were than significantly higher (7635 g for LE vs. 6860 g for ME vs. 5872 g for HE) (P<0.001). We observed no significant difference between diets and parities for litter size and litter weight from birth to weaning. Milk production was on average 7.37% higher at the second parity (P<0.019). Litter weight was higher the two first weeks of live at the second parity (P<0.05). Does and their litters were more responsive to diet energy at the second parity. In the limit of this experiment, dietary energy has an influence on feed intake of local does but not on female weight and litter performance during the first two cycles of reproduction.