CAN OSTEOMETRIC MEASUREMENTS PREDICT LIVE WEIGHT AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS IN GROWING NEW ZEALAND WHITE RABBITS?

Abstract

Background: The identification of the relationship between the particular traits of the body development of the rabbit could help the understanding of the biological growth and the application in different areas of livestock and veterinary study. Objective. To evaluate the relationship between osteometry of the limbs, live weight (LW), hot carcass weight (HCW) and anatomical cuts; and generate equations to predict PV, PCC and anatomical cuts in New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits at different ages. Methodology. A total of 113 rabbits of seven different ages (9, 11, 14, 17, 20, 24 and 28 weeks) were used. The data obtained were LW, carcass characteristics: PCC and anatomical cuts (front, middle and back); and osteometry: length and diameter of the humerus (LH and DH), radio-ulna (LR-C and DR-C), femur (LF and DF) and tibia-fibula (LT-P and DT-P). The information was analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficients (r) and linear and multiple regression models. The accuracy of the models was evaluated using the coefficients of determination (r2) and the square root of the mean square error (RCCME). Results. The correlations expressed between LW, carcass characteristics and bone lengths were higher (r= 0.90 – 0.95; p= < 0.0001) compared to diameters (r= 0.38 – 0.72; p= < 0.0001). The regression equations for PV had a RCCME that varied from 186.86 to 197.70 g using LR-C and LF. While for the PCC it presented RCCME from 130.4 to 138.58 g with LH, LR-C and DH. Regarding the anatomical cuts, the progressive order of rear, middle and front using LF and LH was RCCME= 21.66 to 25.67. The LF and LH explained 92 and 91% of the variation of the PV and PCC, although it decreased slightly in the anatomical cuts from 85 to 92%. Implications. The osteometry of the extremities reflects security in the application of equations to calculate general and particular data of body mass in the rabbit, this contribution of knowledge can be extrapolated for animal production and forensic veterinary studies. Conclusion. The close associations obtained between limb lengths (exception LT-P) with PV, PCC and anatomical cuts gave equations with high capacity to estimate these body changes of growing NZB rabbits.

Keywords

• peso corporal, cortes anatómicos, extremidades anteriores-posteriores, ecuaciones de predicción, estimar.