Reproductive performance of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in captivity under different management systems in Argentina

The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris Linnaeus, 1766) is a wild rodent of great economic interest and is easily domesticated. Variations in reproductive parameters for the capybaras depend on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, which modulate the different stages of its reproduction either in ca...

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Autores principales: Alvarez, M.R., Kravetz, F.O.
Formato: JOUR
Materias:
Breeding management
Captivity
Capybara
Production
Reproduction
Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris
Rodentia
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_16273583_v55_n2_p153_Alvarez
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Biblioteca Digital - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA) de Universidad de Buenos Aires
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spelling todo:paper_16273583_v55_n2_p153_Alvarez2023-10-03T16:28:32Z Reproductive performance of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in captivity under different management systems in Argentina Alvarez, M.R. Kravetz, F.O. Breeding management Captivity Capybara Production Reproduction Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris Rodentia The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris Linnaeus, 1766) is a wild rodent of great economic interest and is easily domesticated. Variations in reproductive parameters for the capybaras depend on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, which modulate the different stages of its reproduction either in captivity or wildlife. In captivity, an intensive production system is feasible, offering an economical profit under certain reproductive conditions. This work evaluates the reproductive performance of capybaras under different management systems in captivity, interpreting the results biologically and giving management guidelines to optimize their intensive production. The study was carried out at the Capybara Breeding Station, located in the Agricultural Experimental Station "Delta del Paraná", belonging to the National Institute for Agricultural Technology (INTA; Campana, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina; 34°08'S; 58°12'W), from August 1997 to December 1998. Three different management systems were tested: System I "Isolated pens" (IP), composed of three different types of outdoor enclosures for " reproduction", "maternity" and "growth". System II "Isolated females" (IM), formed by a central enclosure ("reproduction pen"), communicating with 12 paddocks ("maternity pen") and "growth pens". System III "Mixed pens" (MP), an enclosure of 35 x 10-m divided in "reproduction area" and "maternity pens"; the offspring were moved to "growth pens" elsewhere. A temporary weaning technique was tested for the "mixed pens" system. The variables analyzed for all systems were litter size at birth and at weaning, nursing and interbirth periods, and survival rates (at birth, weaning and total). The reproductive efficiency of each adult female was calculated as the total number of individuals weaned alive in a one-year period. During the study, 348 young were born in 104 births, from a total of 59 adult females.We conclude that the system that performs the best for capybara reproduction is the "mixed pens" system, including temporary weaning. Under this management strategy the following parameters were registered: mean litter size of 3.8 newborn per birth; 85% of live offspring at weaning; two births per year per female; all resulting in a reproductive efficiency of 6.5 young weaned alive per year x female. These reproductive parameters provide the necessary conditions to obtain economical profit of captive-bred capybaras. © INRA, EDP Sciences, 2006. JOUR info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_16273583_v55_n2_p153_Alvarez
institution Universidad de Buenos Aires
institution_str I-28
repository_str R-134
collection Biblioteca Digital - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA)
topic Breeding management
Captivity
Capybara
Production
Reproduction
Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris
Rodentia
spellingShingle Breeding management
Captivity
Capybara
Production
Reproduction
Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris
Rodentia
Alvarez, M.R.
Kravetz, F.O.
Reproductive performance of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in captivity under different management systems in Argentina
topic_facet Breeding management
Captivity
Capybara
Production
Reproduction
Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris
Rodentia
description The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris Linnaeus, 1766) is a wild rodent of great economic interest and is easily domesticated. Variations in reproductive parameters for the capybaras depend on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, which modulate the different stages of its reproduction either in captivity or wildlife. In captivity, an intensive production system is feasible, offering an economical profit under certain reproductive conditions. This work evaluates the reproductive performance of capybaras under different management systems in captivity, interpreting the results biologically and giving management guidelines to optimize their intensive production. The study was carried out at the Capybara Breeding Station, located in the Agricultural Experimental Station "Delta del Paraná", belonging to the National Institute for Agricultural Technology (INTA; Campana, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina; 34°08'S; 58°12'W), from August 1997 to December 1998. Three different management systems were tested: System I "Isolated pens" (IP), composed of three different types of outdoor enclosures for " reproduction", "maternity" and "growth". System II "Isolated females" (IM), formed by a central enclosure ("reproduction pen"), communicating with 12 paddocks ("maternity pen") and "growth pens". System III "Mixed pens" (MP), an enclosure of 35 x 10-m divided in "reproduction area" and "maternity pens"; the offspring were moved to "growth pens" elsewhere. A temporary weaning technique was tested for the "mixed pens" system. The variables analyzed for all systems were litter size at birth and at weaning, nursing and interbirth periods, and survival rates (at birth, weaning and total). The reproductive efficiency of each adult female was calculated as the total number of individuals weaned alive in a one-year period. During the study, 348 young were born in 104 births, from a total of 59 adult females.We conclude that the system that performs the best for capybara reproduction is the "mixed pens" system, including temporary weaning. Under this management strategy the following parameters were registered: mean litter size of 3.8 newborn per birth; 85% of live offspring at weaning; two births per year per female; all resulting in a reproductive efficiency of 6.5 young weaned alive per year x female. These reproductive parameters provide the necessary conditions to obtain economical profit of captive-bred capybaras. © INRA, EDP Sciences, 2006.
format JOUR
author Alvarez, M.R.
Kravetz, F.O.
author_facet Alvarez, M.R.
Kravetz, F.O.
author_sort Alvarez, M.R.
title Reproductive performance of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in captivity under different management systems in Argentina
title_short Reproductive performance of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in captivity under different management systems in Argentina
title_full Reproductive performance of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in captivity under different management systems in Argentina
title_fullStr Reproductive performance of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in captivity under different management systems in Argentina
title_full_unstemmed Reproductive performance of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in captivity under different management systems in Argentina
title_sort reproductive performance of capybaras (hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in captivity under different management systems in argentina
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_16273583_v55_n2_p153_Alvarez
work_keys_str_mv AT alvarezmr reproductiveperformanceofcapybarashydrochoerushydrochaerisincaptivityunderdifferentmanagementsystemsinargentina
AT kravetzfo reproductiveperformanceofcapybarashydrochoerushydrochaerisincaptivityunderdifferentmanagementsystemsinargentina
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