Effects of Ultraviolet-B Radiation on Behaviour, Reproductive Performance, Serum Vitamin D Status and Gene Expression in Female Rabbits
Effects of Ultraviolet-B Radiation on Behaviour, Reproductive Performance, Serum Vitamin D Status and Gene Expression in Female Rabbits
Asmaa S. Mohammed*, Ahmed F. Abou-Elnaga, Ahmed I. Ateya, Mohammed M. Fouda, Ragab A. Darwish, Usama A. Abou-Ismail
ABSTRACT
This experiment aimed to investigate the effect of exposure to different durations of UV-B radiation on behaviour, reproductive performance, serum vitamin D levels, cortisol levels and expression pattern of follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) and estrogen receptor alpha (ER-α) genes in female rabbits. A total of 84 Nulliparous Blanc de Bouscat does were randomly allocated into one of four experimental groups (non-UVB, 12-h UVB, 8-h UVB and 4-h UVB) according to the duration of exposure to UVB radiation (n = 21 for each group). Behavioural patterns of rabbits were monitored for six consecutive weeks whereas, reproductive performance, expression profile of FSHR and ER-α genes and levels of serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D and cortisol were evaluated at the end of the exposure period. The results showed that the exposure of female rabbits to prolonged durations of UVB radiation (8 and 12 hours) reduced the level of inactive behaviours and bar chewing, and improved maintenance and exploratory behaviours. Similarly, the exposure to long durations of UVB radiation elevated serum 25-hydroxy vitamin-D to safe levels and decreased mortality rate of kits. Furthermore, the exposure to 8 hours of UVB radiations in particular improved reproductive indices including litter weight at weaning and Kits’ weight gain from birth to weaning, and up-regulated the relative expression levels of FSHR and ER-α genes. Therefore, based on the multiple measures approach used to evaluate the effect of UVB light on behaviour, reproductive and health status of rabbits, it could be suggested that eight hours of UVB radiation appears the most optimal duration for indoor housed female rabbits.
Keywords | Behaviour, Gene expression, Rabbits, UVB radiation
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