Relation between circulating sex steroid concentrations and sexual behaviour during pregnancy and post partum in the domestic rabbit

Stoufflet, Isabelle; Caillol, Monique

doi:10.1530/jrf.0.0820209

Cited by 22 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Considering the higher number of young rabbits captured between June and September in both enclosures (Table 1), significant variation in monthly activity could be explained by the higher number of interactions during March and April (Von Holst et al, 2001;White et al, 2003). According to Stoufflet and Caillol (1988), in early pregnancy females are hardly receptive to males and this would increase male activity for mating. Similar values have been reported in other lagomorphs such as the cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus) (Trent and Rongstad, 1974).…”

Section: Monthly Activity Ratementioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioural activity of wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) under semi-natural rearing systems: establishing a seasonal pattern

Valle¹,

García-Abad

Garrido

et al. 2013

World Rabbit Sci.

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The activity of 2 populations of wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus, L. 1758), consisting of 14 adults (>9 mo of age) each (4 males and 10 females), was analysed over 2 consecutive years. Rabbits were captured in the wild and kept in 2 separate enclosures of 0.5 ha, with each enclosure divided into 2 zones: a smaller area where warrens were located (breeding area) and a larger area where food and water were provided (feeding area). Seven rabbits in each enclosure were individually tagged with a microchip (2 males and 5 females) and, after installing 2 detection devices, it was possible to identify which of the 2 areas they were located in and record the length of time spent in each. To regulate the size of the breeding population, young rabbits produced in the enclosures were captured and removed regularly. Considering the number of movements between areas and the time spent in the feeding area, a circadian activity pattern was found, reporting 2 maximum activity peaks coinciding with twilight (18.35% of the total movements, 6-8 a.m.) and daybreak (22.95%, 7-10 p.m.) while activity was dramatically decreased during the midday hours (1.86%, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.). Rabbits displayed a seasonal pattern throughout the year, with maximum activity levels during winter (45.76% of the total movements, January-March) and spring (42.91%, April-June), which could be related to higher reproductive activity at this time of the year as a higher breeding output was reported in June and September. The levels of activity exhibited by males (13.44% daily activity rate) were significantly higher than those displayed by females (9.80%). No significant differences were found regarding time spent on the feeding area in relation to season or gender. The average duration of each foray to the feeding area was higher during the summer, higher for females than males and higher during the middle of the night than the rest of the day.

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Section: Monthly Activity Ratementioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioural activity of wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) under semi-natural rearing systems: establishing a seasonal pattern

Valle¹,

García-Abad

Garrido

et al. 2013

World Rabbit Sci.

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“…The pattern of female sexual behaviour varies, during pregnancy. Female receptivity decreases during early pregnancy, but it is augmented during few days before parturition (MORET, 1980;STOUFFLET and CAILLOL, 1988). In other words, progesterone seems to inhibit sexual receptivity (BEYER and McDONALD, 1973) and blocks sexual behaviour (ELSAESSER, 1980;HUDSON et al, 1990), while estrogen is necessary for receptivity in the female rabbit, since KLEIN, 1956) found that administration of estrogen induced oestrous behaviour in pregnant rabbits.…”

Section: Reproductive Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The males display 2 important behaviours: nuzzling and mounting, and remain inactive for a short time during female pregnancy. A quantitative difference in male behaviour is also noted in the presence of receptive and non-receptive females only in the first part of pregnancy (STOUFFLET and CAILLOL, 1988). HEATH (1972) noted that domestic bucks marked a variety of inanimate objects when the female was nonreceptive, while MYKYTOWYCZ (1968) described a territorial function for chinmarking, in the wild male rabbit.…”

Section: Reproductive Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rabbits behaviour under modern commercial production conditions – a review

Marai

Rashwan

2003

Arch. Anim. Breed.

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Abstract. Recently, much work has been done to record the diurnal peak of does receptivity. It was found that the highest was in the morning and before allowing suckling. Such studies suggested that mating should be achieved in the morning or before suckling to avoid the negative effect of the circadian peak of prolactin on receptivity that occur around 15.00 to 19.00 h and after each suckling. Some cases of pseudo-pregnancy might be prevented by double mating; the second mating should be within at most five hours after the first, since mating later than this would have no effect. Total parturition time would be 10–14 minutes for a large litter and 5–7 minutes for an average litter, although parturition could be induced to allow prompt attention to does with poor maternal instinct and to those kindle for the first time kindling and to avoid situations such as: kindling at night or in cold weather and/or to avoid the variability in gestation periods (29 to 34 days). Mother-litter separation during night can influence species specific nursing behaviour and may lead to lower weaning weights of pups. Applying good management programs, as well as, change of place, gentle handling of the stressed dams, correcting nutritional deficiencies and inadequate drinking water and provision of adequate amount of straw, may well eliminate stress, correct behavioural disorders and certain types of maternal anomalies which appear to be not under the control of hormonal or genetic factors. Welfare for caged rabbits can be improved by feeding the animals in the afternoon rather than in the morning. Aggressive behaviour was greater in rabbits on nipple drinkers than in those on troughs. In conclusion, better understanding of rabbits natural behaviour under the different conditions, maintains optimal production compatible with welfare demands. Below, description of rabbits behaviour and its relation with modern commercial production conditions, were discussed.

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“…sexual behaviour followed by mating and intromission remains possible during the whole preg¬ nancy, even when progesterone values are high, but never induces ovulation or superfoetation (Hammond & Marshall, 1925). Nevertheless, the frequency of receptive doe rabbits increases at the end of pregnancy, when progesterone concentrations have decreased (Stoufflet & Caillol, 1988). Such an inverse relationship between progesterone concentration and sexual behaviour does not exist in brown hares, in which concentrations of circulating oestradiol remained below 100 pg/ml throughout pregnancy, and were not related to the appearance of sexual receptivity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Progesterone and oestradiol-17ß were measured according to Caillol & Martinet (1976) and Stoufffet & Caillol (1988). Nonradioactive steroids were purchased from Steraloids (Wilton, NH 03086, USA); radioactive steroids were obtained from the Comissariat à l'Energie Atomique (Saclay, France).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gonadotrophins and sex steroids during pregnancy and natural superfoetation in captive brown hares (Lepus europaeus)

Caillol¹,

Mondain-Monval²,

Rossano³

1991

Reproduction

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In brown hares, which are induced ovulators, sexual behaviour occurs episodically at the beginning of pregnancy. From Day 34 (length of pregnancy is 41 days), the frequency of sexual chases followed by mating, ovulation and fertilization increased and 59% of pregnant females presented a natural superfoetation. The pattern of circulating luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), oestradiol and progesterone was studied in 13 pregnant females left permanently with a male, and in 10 females isolated from males around Day 20 of pregnancy. In the 2 groups FSH concentrations were high at the beginning and end of pregnancy. All females presented a peak value of FSH in the last 4 days of pregnancy, regardless of mating stimuli. This peak value was higher for females left permanently with a male than for isolated ones. Oestradiol concentrations fluctuated between 20 and 100 pg/ml, without any clear correlation with sexual behaviour, stage of pregnancy or profiles of other hormones. Prepartum matings occurred when progesterone values were still greater than 50 ng/ml; they were followed by a transient rise in LH and by a periovulatory progesterone secretion, with values above 100 ng/ml in the morning after mating. Such modifications of LH and progesterone were not detected before Day 34, suggesting that mating stimuli are not able to induce an LH surge at the beginning of pregnancy. After Day 34, mating can induce an LH surge, ovulation and superfoetation.

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Relation between circulating sex steroid concentrations and sexual behaviour during pregnancy and post partum in the domestic rabbit

Cited by 22 publications

References 15 publications

Behavioural activity of wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) under semi-natural rearing systems: establishing a seasonal pattern

Behavioural activity of wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) under semi-natural rearing systems: establishing a seasonal pattern

Rabbits behaviour under modern commercial production conditions – a review

Gonadotrophins and sex steroids during pregnancy and natural superfoetation in captive brown hares (Lepus europaeus)

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