Physiology of rabbit reproduction

The domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is both a laboratory animal and a production animal (meat fur or hair). The rabbit is highly prolific with short gestation and lactation periods and a production rate of up to 61 kg per female rabbit per year. Rabbits grow quickly and their meat is highly nutritious (low in fat and cholesterol but high in protein). All these characteristics make the rabbit a very interesting zootechnical species. Moreover rabbit reproduction is a crucial stage in the creation of new breeds the transmission of genetic progress and above all the success of breeding. The way rabbits are bred has evolved considerably particularly since the early 1990s when artificial insemination began to be used by breeders especially in Europe. Artificial insemination has helped to change the way breeding is organized on farms insofar as it has enabled the development of single-band breeding.