BREED EVALUATION OF ANTI-STRESS ON THE BODY WEIGHT AND MORTALITY RATE IN RABBITS

Abstract

Stress associated with cold and heat on rabbits was investigated. Weaned rabbit of New Zealand White, Chinchilla and Dutch breed were used for the assessments. The body weight, percent mortality rate, meteorological data; temperature and relative humidity were measured. The anti-stress genes considered were glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase. Data generated were subjected to analysis of variance ANOVA using SAS. The mean average experimental pen temperature ranged from 23.7oC to 32.49oC and relative humidity 12.58 to 73.8%. The glutathione peroxidase 1.89±0.03 and superoxide dismutase 47.82±0.41 were high in New Zealand White. Dutch observed 0.23 percent mortality followed by 0.21 in Chinchilla and 0.16 New Zealand White. Body weight and mortality rate were influenced by glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in New Zealand White rabbit.