EFFECTS OF DIETARY VITAMIN A ON GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION IN RABBITS

Twenty-four, 4-week-old rabbits were fed diets to provide 0, 3, 6, and 12 μg vitamin A per kg bodyweight per day. After 17 weeks, rabbits on the 0 level exhibited significantly lower feed intake and growth rate and all six animals died before the completion of the 24-week feeding period. The six rabbits on the 3-μg level developed ocular lesions and five died before the completion of the trial. Avitaminosis A was less prevalent on the higher levels with no deaths on the 12-μg diet. Reproductive performance of a surviving male continued on the 3-μg level was characterized by absence of spermatogenesis. Mature males placed on the same ration did not exhibit decreased reproductive function. Reproductive performance of surviving females was directly related to vitamin A level. Offspring from females on the 3-, 6-, and 12-μig levels all exhibited avitaminosis A with per cent surviving 14 days at 0, 15, and 59, respectively. Minimal daily vitamin A requirement for young growing rabbits and breeding males would appear to be approximately 8 μg/Wkg whereas a vitamin A intake in slight excess of 14 μg/Wkg was inadequate for optimum reproductive performance in female rabbits.