Influence of the diet used before and after the first mating on reproductive performance of rabbit does

The aim of this study was to verify the influence of different diets used before and after the first mating on reproductive performance of does. 100 New Zealand White females growing rabbits (50 days old) were fed two different diets with concentrate pellets: in the 1st diet were 22.8% DM CF; in the second diet CF were 18.0% DM. From day 10 of the 1st pregnancy, 50 does received a traditional lactating concentrate (L) with CP 18.3% DM and DE 11.37 MJ/kg DM. The other 50 does received, in the same time two different feeds: the E diet with CP 23.4% DM and DE 14.59% MJ/kg DM and the F diet. Using F diet in the growing period the rabbits increase the feed ontake during the successive lactations and more young rabbit were weaned and litters were heavier at 21 and 35 days.