PHYSIOLOGICAL AND HISTOCHEMICAL STUDIES IN RABBITS

Abstract

This study was carried out on a private rabbit farm at Giza Governorate and the laboratory work was done in Animal production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Egypt The Field work was carried out during the period from February till June 2002 . The present study was planned to investigate the productive and reproductive performance traits of rabbits as affected by different lighting regimes, using 38 female and 8 male ofNew Zealand White rabbits. Their weight ranged between 1.5 - 2 kg and aging about 70 day. Feed and water were provided ad.libtum.

The minimum and maximum ambient air temperatures were ranged between 16 C0 and 31 CO , respectively. The minimum and maximum relative humidity were ranged between 27% and 88% , respectively.

Rabbits were assigned to four groups experimental according to the following lighting systems:

G1 =Natural photoperiod . G2 =Artificial long day photoperiod (16h.light/day : 8h.darknees) (16L: 8D). G3 =Artificial short day photoperiod (8h.light/ day: 16h.darknees) (8 L: 16D). G4 =Intermittent photoperiod (8h. light I day: 4h. darknees) (8 L: 4 D: 8 L: 4 D) and so on.