VETINDEX

Periódicos Brasileiros em Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia

p. 6-8

Does the blindness affect the behavioural activities of rabbit?

El-Sabrout, Karim

Blindness is a condition characterized by the limited or complete loss of a rabbit's eyesight. Rare is known about its effect on behavioural activities of rabbit. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of genetically blindness on some behavioural activities of V-line rabbits and its reflexion on productive performance. Behavioural comparison between the normal and the blind rabbits was carried out to study this effect. The results demonstrate that it was no significant effect of blindness on feeding, drinking, waking, nervousness, sexual desire and maternal care of rabbits. Accordingly, there are no significant differences on body weight (weaning -marketing), litter size and milk yield between the normal and the blind rabbits. Blindness is a recessive character. Rabbits depend primarily on smell and hearing senses. The blind rabbits can adapt its live well and have a wonderful life.(AU)

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