Abstract
A study was conducted at the teaching and research farms of the Department of Animal Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, to evaluate the effects of age, sex and their interaction on the haematological parameters of the parent and offspring rabbits were housed in the hutches and basal diets. At the age of 6 to 7 months, the rabbits were mated. Offspring were sexed and weaned at 6 weeks. Blood samples were collected through the marginal ear veins in EDTA treated bottles and analyzed for packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), neutrophils, eosinophils and lymphocytes. Results showed that parent males rabbits were significantly higher (P<0.05) in all parameters except neutrophils and eosinophils. Their females counterparts had higher neutrophils (33.68%) and eosinophils (1.66%) as against 26.92 and 1.53%, respectively for the males (P<0.05). Least square means effect of interaction of age and sex showed that male and female offsprings had similar Hb (10.67 and 10.32 g/dl) (P<0.05). PCV and RBC were significantly higher in the blood of male offsprings. The female offsprings however proved superior in MCH (28.14x10-12), MCV (84.50 fl) and eosinophils (2.04%) significantly (P<0.05). Both sexes did not differ significantly in their neutrophils and their lymphocytes. Except for RBC and lymphocytes, interaction of age and sex had significant effect on other parameters among male and female parents. Neutrophils were however significantly higher in for males (50.08% than for females (44.96%). The offsprings were generally superior in all parameters except neutrophils. Age rather than sex seemed to exert more effects on haematological parameters of rabbits.

Key words: Adult rabbits, Age, Haematology, Sex, Offspring, Weaners