Artificial insemination of rabbits: pros and cons and how to conduct

The method of artificial insemination is a great opportunity for large farms to fine-tune the technology for the production of dietary and tasty rabbit meat. Thanks to artificial regular insemination of rabbits, it is possible to increase the volume of quality products obtained at low labor costs. In addition, in small farms, the need to keep many males or constantly look for rabbits for blood renewal disappears.

Features of artificial insemination of rabbits

Rabbits ovulate at the time of intercourse. This is the main difference between the fertilization of rabbits and other agricultural animals. It is this feature that determines the need to pre-breed rabbits with infertile males.

Also popular is the method of administering special drugs to females that stimulate ovulation. To facilitate the procedure, a syringe of a special design is used. For the collection of seminal fluid, young he althy rabbits with a strong physique (males aged 1-4 years) are selected. Breeders note that the use of the sperm of just such animals leads to a high birth rate of rabbits (on average, up to 12 babies per female).

Advantages and disadvantages

Often, the procedure of artificial insemination is carried out in order to obtain purebred offspring. The method has other advantages:

• to significantly increase the number of individuals, a few males are enough. It is advisable to use the technique of artificial insemination for breeding valuable breeds of animals. Since it is already possible to fertilize 40-50 rabbits with the sperm of one rabbit. And with natural mating, you need to keep one or two males for 10 females;
• up to 90% increased fertility of rabbits;
• you can control the quality of offspring, increase the number of individuals with valuable useful characteristics;
• it is easier to create quality conditions for keeping a small number of males.

When breeding rabbits, you need to take into account that it is during the period from December to May that the peak of active reproduction of animals occurs. In autumn, rabbits have practically no sexual activity, and the offspring are practically not born. Thanks to the method of artificial insemination, the problem of natural periodic decline in fertility is solved.

This method manages to plan the appearance of rabbits throughout the year.

Before you introduce the method of artificial insemination, you need to familiarize yourself with its negative side. Equipment for the procedure and collection of sperm has a low cost.But to ensure the safety of frozen seminal fluid is an expensive process due to the high cost of specialized equipment and liquid nitrogen. Therefore, such expenses are justified only on large farms.

Required tools

As a rule, companies producing specialized equipment for artificial insemination sell the necessary tools as a kit. Standard Tool Kit:

• microscope with coverslips and slides;
• tubes with rack;
• heating table and mats;
• artificial vagina;
• seed receptacles with catheter;
• sperm dispenser for fluid quality determination;
• preparation for diluting seminal fluid;
• syringes (insulin and sperm injection).

The cost of the kit is affected by the price of the semen extender. Use of materials of different firms is allowed. The MR-A bit tool from Spanish manufacturers is popular.

Semen collection

First of all, prepare the workplace. For sterilization of containers, instruments, a solution of formalin 1% or alcohol 70% is used. Main steps of the procedure:

1. The female is placed in the cage of the male.
2. The operator holds an artificial vagina with a seed receptacle between the paws of a rabbit.
3. Usually, as soon as a female in heat is placed in a rabbit's cage, he ejaculates.

Before the procedure, the artificial vagina must be heated to a temperature of 40-42 °C. Because 39°C is the normal temperature for a female vagina.

Important! Semen with physical contamination, blood or urine should not be used. Pearly white material is suitable.

Female fertilization methods

Before fertilizing the female, seed material is prepared. To do this, the sperm is diluted with a special liquid in a ratio of 1:10. Be sure to control the concentration of the solution under a microscope (if the concentration is high, then the proportion is increased). The rabbit insemination procedure consists of the following steps.

1. The female is turned on her back and fixed in a special machine.
2. Seed solution is drawn into a warm syringe.
3. Into the rabbit's vagina, gently, without sudden movements, insert a syringe.
4. After inserting the syringe (full length), the sperm solution is injected. The syringe is carefully withdrawn.

The rabbit is released from the pen after 2-3 minutes. When artificially inseminating rabbits, it must be borne in mind that the result is influenced by the breed of females, their conditions of detention and the feeding ration. Specialists spend 3-4 minutes to inseminate one individual.

How to detect pregnancy

Sometimes it is difficult to notice the pregnancy of a rabbit in appearance. A more reliable method is palpation in the abdomen. Checking is recommended to be done 14 days after the insemination procedure. Before palpation, the ears and nape of the animal are gently grasped with the right hand in order to immobilize. With the left hand, gently feel the abdomen in the pelvic area. At this time, the embryos feel like grapes to the touch.

You can also make sure that you are pregnant with the help of weight control. The most reliable method is an ultrasound scan by a veterinarian.

Increased demand for artificial insemination is used in industrial rabbit breeding. A rational solution for small farms is the purchase of sperm at points of sale of frozen material.

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