Some abnormal maternal behaviours and their relation with chromosomal aberration in rabbits

ABSTRACT

Forty doe rabbits of both breeds [New Zeal and Native] were used through consecutive three parities to investigate the possibility of the effect of chromosomal aberrations on some abnormal maternal behavior [failure of the doe to build a maternal nest on the day of or prior to delivery, scattering and cannibalism]. The results revealed that there was a significant increase in the mean number of cells with structural aberrations in all does having abnormal maternal behavior with the exception of end to end association and centrometric attenuation in the native does. The numerical aberrations showed a significant effect only at two types of aberrations [monosomic and trisomic] in the New Zeal and does and also in polyploidy only in the native ones. Also, the results revealed that there was a significant increase in values of mitotic activity in does showing abnormal maternal behavior than those having normal maternal behavior. The results indicated that, the New Zeal and does which show abnormal maternal behavior have more genetic disorders than those of the native ones