Determinação de alguns parâmetros da biologia reprodutiva e produtiva da paca fêmea (Agouti paca Linnaeus, 1744) criada em cativeiro

Abstract

This work had the objective of estimating basics reproductive characteristics of Agouti paca reared in captivity, the determination of the oestrous cycle period, gestational period, parturition interval, first postparturition oestrous, number of offsprings and sexual proportion. The observations were done using a colony of 13 caged animais in the Biotério of Universidade Federal do Pará, and the data were obtained with colpocitological techniques. These results indicate that this specie is polyestrous with continous reproduction. The oestrous cycle was categorized in four phases: proestrous, oestrous, metaestrous and diestrous, and its period was 32,5 ± 3,69 days (n = 20). As for the gestation period, two results were obtained: a) 147, 5 ± 2,83 days (n = 2) for females that had its last oestrous registered with sperm presence and, b) 146,7 ± 6,43 days (n = 3) for females that had just the last oestrous before the parturition. New borns were observed and weights and sexes were registered. Their weight was 605,9 ± 87,47 g (n = 12) for females and 736,7 ± 108,41 g (n = 14) for males. At birth the youngs are quite developed and soon show active movements, opened eyes, body completely covered by hair, and a capacity to eat solids within two days. From 38 births occurred at Biotério, all of them are single, although the A paca is been able to produce more than one offsprings per parturition. The parturition interval was 187,3 ± 8,48 days (n = 15) and within 35,6 ± 5,22 days (n = 5) occurred the first oestrous postparturition. These results can be used as basic orientation to future works with proposes to study reproductive parameters from selvage animals using biothecnology. In addition to, the application of an appropiate management in A. Paca creation, can become in the future, aliment qualified source and lucrative source too. Furthermore, it can give guaranty of species conservation yet.