Seasonal Production Performance of Angora Rabbits under Sub-temperate Himalayan Conditions

Abstract

An experiment of one-year duration was conducted on sixteen adult male German Angora rabbits under sub-temperate Himalayan conditions, to assess the effect of seasons on their body weight, wool production and quality, plane of nutrition and the digestibilities of nutrients. The daily meteorological attribute viz. minimum and maximum temperature; relative humidity and rainfall were recorded during winter (October to March), summer (April to June) and rainy (July to September) seasons. Biological parameters viz. body weight at the time of shearing, wool yield of individual rabbit, quality attributes of wool, fortnightly dry matter intake, chemical composition of feed and fodder and digestibilities of nutrients were recorded. Average minimum and maximum ambient temperature during winter, summer and rainy seasons were 4.6±1.9 and 21.4±2.8; 13.6±2 and 30.3±2; and 20.0±1.4 and 31.0±1.8°C, respectively. The average relative humidity and total rainfall during winter, summer and rainy season were 69.5±2.9% and 74.7±21.8 mm; 58.6±2.2% and 38.1±18.1 mm; and 69±4.2% and 104.0±43.7 mm, respectively. The body weight of rabbits increased during all seasons, however, the maximum average daily weight gain of 3.47±0.1 g was observed during the rainy season. The wool yield differed significantly (p≤0.05) among different seasons with highest (140.4±10 g) and lowest (108.5±6.9 g) during winter and summer, respectively. The wool yield during the rainy season was 123.3±5.2 g. The wool quality attributes revealed non-significant differences for staple length, fiber diameter, medulation percent, percent pure fibers and percent guard hairs. Plane of nutrition revealed significant (p≤0.05) differences for concentrate intake. The concentrate intake was highest during winter (124.4±2.6 g) followed by summer (86.8±8.9 g) and rainy (80.7±11.8 g) seasons. The reverse trend was observed in roughage intake with significantly (p≤0.05) lower intake during winter and highest during summer months. As a result total dry matter intake during different seasons was similar. Significant differences (p≤0.05) were observed for digestibilities of crude protein, crude fiber, ether extract, acid detergent fiber and cellulose. Digestibility of crude protein was highest during winter whereas the digestibilities of crude fiber, ether extract, acid detergent fiber and cellulose remained higher during the rainy season. During the winter season, the dry matter used for producing 100 g of wool was substantially lower than during other seasons and was concluded to be the best season for production of Angora wool under subtemperate Himalayan conditions.

Estimation of Genetic Parameters and Influence of Non Genetic Factors on Wool Yields in German Angora Rabbits

“…This finding is in accordance with the findings of Sood et al, (2007), Rafat et al, (2007 and, Bhatt and Sharma (2009) in Angora rabbits. However, Sambher et al, (1999) reported non-significant effect of season of birth on the trait in German Angora rabbits.…”

“…The differences in wool production due to season of birth may be attributed to changes in feed quality, its intake and other changes in managemental practices. Similar significant seasonal effects on wool yield at different clips have also been reported by Sood et al, (2007) and, Bhatt and Sharma (2009) in German Angora rabbits. The wool yield differed significantly among different seasons with the highest and the lowest during winter and summer, respectively.…”

Genetic studies on growth and production traits in German Angora Rabbits under sub-temperate climatic conditions

“…The wool yield at I, II and III clip differed significantly among different seasons with the highest yield during winter season followed by autumn season. Similar significant seasonal effects on wool yield at different clips were reported by Sood et al (2007), Bhatt and Sharma (2009) and Sarma et al (2020) in German Angora rabbits. The growth before weaning would be more dependent on maternal effects and thus effect of season could be more important after weaning.…”

Estimation of Genetic Parameters for Wool Traits in Angora Rabbit

“…Animals after weaning at 42 d of age were kept individually in all wire cages of standard dimensions under similar housing and management conditions. Rabbits were fed concentrate, containing 15 to 20% crude protein, in graded quantity from 30 to 140 g at different ages and seasonal grasses ad libitum (Bhatt and Sharma, 2009). Records of weaning weights were obtained at 42 d of age; whereas of clip I was obtained at 52 d of age and subsequent clips (II and III) after regular intervals of 75 days.…”