Efecto del índice temperatura-humedad (THI) sobre el rendimiento de conejos (Oryctolagus cuniculus) en los trópicos húmedos

摘要

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of temperature-humidity index (THI) on rabbit husbandry performance in Benin City, Nigeria. The experiment was conducted using a total of 60 rabbits (50 does and 10 bucks) selected from a composite rabbit breed population. Data on ambient temperature and relative humidity were used to estimate temperature-humidity index (THI) for months and seasons. Data on rectal temperature (RT), respiratory rate (RR), pulse rate (PR), litter size at birth (LTSB), litter size at weaning (LTSW), gestation length (GLT); total number of kits born (TKB), pre-weaning mortality (PWM), percentage conception rate (PCR), post-weaning mortality (PPW), total number of kits that reached maturity (TNAM) were obtained. Inferential statistics was done by subjecting the data to analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine the influence of temperature-humidity index (THI) on performance of rabbits. Results obtained showed that season THI had significant influence (p<0.05) on physiological indices with early rain having the highest values of 38.83 ± 0.04 °C rectal temperature and 115.23 ± 0.70 nmpm for respiratory rate, while late rain had the highest value of 124.50 ± 0.42bpm pulse rate. Even though, THI values showed significant difference (p<0.05) between the seasons, such effects were noticed only on total number of rabbits per season, conception rate and post weaning mortality. Mortality was higher in the dry season. THI have no significant effect on the Kits live body weight at 2 weeks of age, but had significant effects on body weight of rabbits at 4 to 22 weeks of age. The seasonal THI values obtained showed that the humid tropical environment is heat stressed hence efforts should be made to reduce such effect for a better performance of rabbits.