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Asian Journal of Animal Sciences

Year: 2011 | Volume: 5 | Issue: 4 | Page No.: 289-295
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A.J. Henry

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Short Communication

Reproductive Performance of Grasscutter Does at First Parity and Growth Performance of their F1 Generation

A.J. Henry
This study was conducted to assess the reproductive performance of does and growth performance of their F1 generation weaned at different ages of 2, 4 and 6 weeks for each of the three mating groups, respectively. Twenty-four mature grasscutters were used comprising of six bucks and eighteen does. A total of sixty-nine pups were obtained from seventeen litters within the experimental period of one year and assessed for growth performance within first six weeks of life. Data collected revealed that 50% of the does showed an open vaginal status at first pairing while the remaining 50% were either closed or plugged. Results obtained showed that a higher percentage (50%) of does conceived at second exposure while a lower percentage (16.66%) conceived at first exposure. It was further observed that age at weaning did not significantly (p>0.05) affect growth performance of pups at the end of six weeks. Therefore, pups can be weaned as early as two weeks of age without any adverse effect at early stage of life.
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