Effects of male-female exposure period on some reproductive parameters of grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus) and the pre-weaning growth performance of their young ones

摘要

Theeffectofmale-femaleexposureperiodonsomereproductiveparametersofgrasscutterwasundertakenattheGrasscutterUnitofCSIR-AnimalResearchInstitute,PokuasebetweenJune2008andDecember2009.Twenty-eightfemalegrasscuttersand10maleswerepairedinthefirstroundofmatingwhilst29femalesand15maleswereusedinthesecondroundofmating.Matingcoloniesofgrasscutterweresubdividedintothreegroupsbasedonmale-femaleexposureperiods(M-FEP)of4,6and8weeks.Themeanlittersize,timeofexposuretoparturition(TEP)andlittersexratiowere3.96±0.32,164.7±1.45daysand0.43±0.05respectively.Thetimetoconception(TC)was12.7±1.45days.Male-femaleexposureperioddidnotaffect(P0.05)TC,littersize,TEP,andlittersexratio.nbsp;Conceptionrateandpercentagelitteringwerehigherforfemalesthatwereexposedfor6weeks.Sixty-fourpercent(64%)ofallfemalesthatconceiveddidsowithintwoweeksexponbsp;suretothemales.Thepre-weaningaveragedailygainoftheyounggrasscutterswas5g/day.Thisstudysuggeststhatmale-femaleexposureperiodsdidnothaveanysignificanteffectonreproductivetraitsofgrasscutters.Grasscutterfarmerscouldthereforeseparatetheirfemalesafter2weeksofexposureandtheextramalescanbefattenedandsoldforincomegeneration.