Receptivity of the Rabbit Doe: Which Methods That Could Be Predictive for Receptivity

The aim of this study was to exam sexual receptivity in rabbit does at the day of artificial insemination using the colour of vulva, rectal temperature and vagina cytology by the percentage of keratinized cells. A total of 36 multiparous INAT does were used for this purpose and they were injected with PMSG before artificial insemination (AI). 48 hours after injection, does detected receptive, were inseminated (1 AI). The remained does were inseminated 72 hours after PMSG injection, when they were considered receptive (2 AI). For each group of does, the artificial success rate was determined at the 1 AI and the 2 AI. The result showed that the higher success rates at the 1 AI and 2 AI was found for red and pink vulva (respectively 100 and 40% for the 1 AI and 100 and 33 for the 2 AI), and when rectal temperature >38°C (100 and 33 % respectively for the 1 AI and the 2 AI), and when the percentage of keratinized cells vagina >50% (83 and 50 % respectively for the 1 AI and the 2 AI). The results study showed also that treatment with PMSG has not been efficient for all the rabbit does to induce receptivity 48 hours after the injection. We conclude that the colour of vulva is the best method to use to predict receptivity of INAT rabbit does treated with PMSG. Nevertheless, this treatment to induce receptivity was not effective for all multiparous INAT does at the first artificial insemination.