SEXUAL RECEPTIVITY, REPRODUCTIVE HORMONES AND PERFORMANCE TRAITS OF AGING FEMALE RABBITS AS AFFECTED BY DIFFERENT SOURCES OF UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS

Sixty V-lines doe rabbits, 24 months of age weighing 3244±58.9 g, which had low conception rate and repeated refuse of mating were used. Rabbits were randomly divided into five equal treatment groups and orally administered with 3 ml of different sources of oil/doe/day, for eleven consecutive days prior to insemination as follows: group 1 sterilized water and served as control (C), group 2 sesame oil (Ses), group 3 linseed oil (Lin), group 4 sunflower oil (Sun), group 5 mixture oil (Mix) containing equal portions of Ses, Lin and Sun oils. Estradiol (E217-β), progesterone (P4) and prostaglandin (PGF2α), sexual receptivity of does, fertility rate, litter size and bunny weight at birth were measured. Results revealed that: 1- All treated groups represented significant (P≤0.01) increase of hormonal profile (E217-β, P4 and PGF2α), sexual receptivity, fertility rate, litter size and bunny weight at birth compared to the control group.  2- Aged doe rabbits supplemented with Ses and Sun oils recorded highest concentrations of E217β and PGF2α and decrease of P4 than Lin and Mix oils or the control groups. 3-Sexual receptivity and fertility rate were improved (P≤0.01) for groups supplemented with Ses and Sunoils compared with other groups. 4- Litter size and bunny weight at birth were significantly (P≤0.01) increased for groups supplemented with Linand Mix oils compared with other groups. Conclusively, supplementing the aged doe rabbits with Ses, lin and Sun oils or their mixture for 11 consecutive days perior insemination could be beneficial for improving estradiol and prostaglandin hormone with subsequent improvement of does receptivity, litter size and bunny weight combined with progesterone reduction