Indicators of productive efficiency of an experimental module of chinchillas and comparisons with commercial systems

Abstract

In a small-scale chinchilla intensive production system, managed on the basis of an experimental protocol with artificial control of the photoperiod, 24 productive-reproductive indicators were surveyed for three consecutive years. The values of all indicators were similar or higher than those reported in the literature in different production systems. This can be explained by: (1) the average fertility maintained during the period studied, generated in part by the annual systematic scrap of all females without registered birth, regardless of their skin phenotype; (2) the size of litter at birth and weaning, which although showed values within the range of bibliographic reference, were accompanied by an acceptable percentage of total mortality, and (3) births per reproductive female per year and per mother per year above most of the data referenced in the literature, attributable to the stimulation determined by photoperiodic management. The values reported in the Experimental Module surpassed in one kitten weaned per mother and per year, the enterprises dedicated to the production of chinchillas of the area of influence of the FCV-UNR.