Biochemical Altera Tions In Serum Of Rabbits During Pregnancy

The present study is a part of the scientific plan of the Animal Reproduction Research Institute (ARRI) Al-Ahram Giza, Egypt. Four breeds of rabbits (New Zealand pure breed, Balady pure breed, cross breed from female Balady by male New Zealand (Balady cro(New Zealand cross breed) were used during the course of the experiment. Six adult and apparently healthy female rabbits from each breed were chosen to study the effect of pregnancy on the serum levels of progesterone, estradiol -17B , cortisol and prolacpregnancy on the serum levels of sodium, chloride, phosphorus,potassium, magnesium and calcium using colorimetric methods duringII- different stages of pregnancy. All these animals were raised underbalanced ration at the experimental farm of the Animal ReproductionResearch Institute .The pure species of New Zealand and Baladyrabbits have been brought from 2 private farms in Saft El-Laban andHelwan , Giza, the pure species were obtained from the private farmin Helwan and Saft El-Laban , but the cross breed species wereobtained from breeding the pure species of the rabbits in theexperimental farm of ARRI. All the rabbits were sexually mature atage of 6-8 months, body weight ranged between 2.l-3.2±O.02kg. Serum samples were collected from all the rabbits before mating (day-O control), during pregnancy (days 7,14,21 and 28) and two days after parturition .