EFFICACY OF SELECTED POLYHERBAL PRODUCTS TO IMPROVE REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE IN RABBIT DOES

Abstract

The efficacy of selected of Janova® and Exapar® on the reproductive performance of rabbit does was investigated. Forty rabbit does mixed breeds (1.8-2.4 kg body weight) with 0-2 parities were randomized into four treatments (T1-T4) of ten does each, in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). T1 animals received no herbal supplementation (control); T2 animals were drenched with 0.67 g Janova®/kg body weight (kg/BW); T3 animals were drenched with 0.2 g/kg/BW Exapar®, while the T4 animals were drenched 0.67 g/kg/BW of Janova® + 0.2 g/kg/BW of Exapar®. Data on kindling
rate (KR), gestation length (GL), litter size (LSK) and litter weight at kindling (LWK), average kit weight at kindling (AKWK), and sex ratio (SR) were collected. The data collected were statistically analysed using One-way ANOVA of SAS® software, the significant level for the group comparisons was set at p<0.05. Results from the experiment revealed that T1 does had the highest KR of 44%, followed by T2 and T3 does with 33.3% each, while the does in T4 had the least KR of 25%. The GL
obtained in the T1 (33.25 ± 0.63d) was significantly higher (p<0.05) than the values obtained in treatments T2, T3 and T4 does with mean GL of 31.33 ± 0.33d, 31.33 ± 0.33d and 30.50 ± 0.50d, respectively. Polyherbal products (Janova® and Exapar®) brought about shortened gestation length in the does supplemented as compared to the control group.