The Effect of Different Re-mating Time after Parturition on the Haematology of Doe Rabbits

The field experiments for this research were carried out at the rabbitary of the Teaching and Research Farm, College of Agricultural Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Yewa Campus, Ayetoro. Laboratory investigations were carried out at the Animal Nutrition and Physiology Laboratory, of the University. One hundred and eight New Zealand White × Chinchilla does were subjected to three postpartum re-mating time-periods in two seasons. Blood samples were collected at 2, 10 and 20 days post coitum for haematological assay. All haematological indices examined were not significantly (P>0.05) affected by postpartum re-mating time-period. Seasonal variation in haematological values were equally not significantly (P>0.05) different. The results of this research has demonstrated that concurrent pregnancy and lactation occasioned by early rebreeding in the doe rabbit does not place a stress on the does’ internal physiology at least in the short term.