Fattening and slaughter traits of four rabbit genotypes

Abstract

Growth rate of 4 genotypes, two lines of Slovene SIKA meat rabbit (maternal line A and sire line C, both 50 rabbits), hybrid AxC (50 rabbits) and crossbred AxCal (A and Californian, 38 rabbits) was recorded from weaning (35 days of age) to slaughter (93 days). Growth performance and slaughter traits of AxC were different from line A (live weight at 91st day: A 2720, C 3158, AxC 3043 g (P£0.05), heterosis effect (H) +3.38%; carcass weight: A 1490, C 1787, AxC 1716 g (P£0.05), H +5.65%; dressing percentage: A 54.1, C 55.6, AxC 55.5% (P£0.05); H +1.26%. Weaning weight of AxCal was significantly lower than of AxC (AxCal 843, AxC 1050 g, P£0.05), but at the end of the experiment the weight of AxCal rabbits was very close to AxC (AxCal 2958, AxC 3043 g, P>0.05). Other growth and slaughter traits did not differ between AxC and AxCal group.

Keywords

• Rabbits, Genotypes, Growth, Slaughter traits