The effect of female age and subsequent number of litter on the number of standard chinchilla kits (Chinchilla lanigera) born and reared

摘要

The objective of this study was to prove how the number of kits born and reared is affected by female’s age and the subsequent number of whelping during a given year. Our research was carried out on a farm in Poland, with the use of 532 chinchilla females of the standard variety. Significant influence of the year and the females’ age on the number of kits born and reared, as well as the subsequent number of litter in a given year on the number of chinchillas born was established. It was found that the largest litters occur with two-year old females; while there is a gradual decrease of prolificacy in older females. It was also observed that in females of any age the number of chinchilla kits born and reared was the highest in the first litter of a given year. The least numerous litters were found in mothers giving birth the third time in a given year.