Artificial insemination for rabbits

This is under a project of the Animal Production and Health Division (AP&H), which will introduce the technology through the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources (MALMR).

There is the need to introduce new blood lines because almost all rabbits in this country are virtually related since “in-breeding” has been prevalent, a detrimental factor to commercial production for meat.

During a series of seminars held two weeks ago at the University of the West Indies Field Station and Centeno Livestock Station, the issue of Germ Plasm enhancement through artificial insemination was identified as one of the solutions to address this challenge.

One of the persons who addressed participants was Madam Agnes Camus from Instrument Medicine Veterinaire (IMV) Technologies, France, who is considered an expert in this field.

It was stated that the AP&H can overcome “in-breeding” with the importation of artificial insemination technology from France as a strategy toward importing frozen semen to introduce new genetics to deal with the problem.

At present, UWI’s Department of Food Production is where the expertise in rabbit production resides and UWI Rabbitry is the main supplier of breeding stock to farmers.

Rabbit production has been identified by the government through the Agricultural Sector Reform Programme (ASRP) as one of the seven selected commodities targeted for agricultural business development.

The potential exists for rabbit meat production to contribute positively towards food and nutritional security in developing countries like Trinidad and Tobago.

This can be attributed to the fact that rabbits are prolific, grow rapidly, mature early, efficiently utilise feed and space, do not compete with humans and other livestock for similar food, and produce a high quality nutritious meat.

In addition, rabbits have a high genetic selection potential, pose minimum zoonotic health hazard and do not require a high capital investment.

The Trinidad and Tobago Agricultural Business Development Company (TABA) has received funding for this programme and is actively seeking to promote rabbit production and marketing.

The AP&H has the responsibility of providing good quality genetic material, including breeding stock, semen and embryos to the livestock farming community, members of which were present at the seminars.

The division does this through the provision of an artificial insemination service, utilising either frozen or liquid extended semen to farmers for cattle, water buffalo, goat and pigs.

In this way, the division plays a vital role in introducing new improved genetics for cross breeding, upgrading and preventing inbreeding in the national herd.

In order to carry out its responsibility to supply non-related high-genetic quality breeding rabbits to the industry, the division plans to initiate artificial insemination in rabbits through the Artificial Breeding Centre.

A workshop has already been set up to provide specialist training to staff at Centeno Livestock Station, the University of the West Indies Rabbitry Department, Artificial Insemination Technicians, THA and some farmers.

At present, UWI’s Department of Food Production is where the expertise in rabbit production resides and UWI rabbitry is the main supplier of breeding stock to farmers.