The present study was designed to evaluate reproductive efficiency of rabbits as affected by Gibberellic and Boric acid injection. Two hundred and forty four New-Zealand White (NZW) rabbits (48 sexually puberty males of 3 months of age, and 196 females of 2.5 months of age) were used in the present study.
Rabbits were divided into four experimental comparable groups (12 males and 49 females in each). Animals in 1st group were subcutaneously injected with 1 ml saline solution (NaCL) 0.9% and served as a control group, while the rabbits in 2nd, 3rd and 4th groups were injected subcutaneously with 1 mg Gibberellic acid; 2.5 mg Boric acid and mixture of 1 mg Gibberellic and 2.5 mg Boric acids, respectively. The present study included two experiments. The first experiment was designed to study the effect of Gibberellic and Boric acid injection on some parameters indicated fertilizing ability of NZW rabbit bucks. The second experiment was planned to evaluate fertility traits of NZW rabbit does as affected by Gibberellic and Boric acid and both injection and mated naturally by bucks treated with the same treatments.
Results obtained indicated that, absolute and relative weights of each of testes; epididymis; sexual accessory glands; pituitary gland; scrotal circumference and testicular index of NZW rabbit males injected with Gibberellic and Boric acid, were significantly (P ≤ 0.01) higher than those of NaCl injected males. Age at first mating of NZW rabbit males decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05); while weight at first mating and mating activity significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased. Improved significantly (P ≤ 0.01) libido and physical semen characteristics, due to Gibberellic and Boric acid injection.
Fertility traits of NZW rabbit does were significantly (P≤0.05 or 0.01) better by injecting Gibberellic and Boric acid. Milk yield and total pre-weaning mortality rates of NZW rabbit does from birth up to 35 days, and milk composition were significantly better by injecting Gibberellic and Boric acid.
Generally, it could be concluded that, injecting rabbits with Gibberellic and Boric acids improved fertilizing ability of bucks, and fertility traits of does.