Impacts of Ambient Heat Stress on Growing Rabbit Performance and Carcass Traits

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of ambient heat stress (30 ± 2°C) on three rabbit breeds of both sexes. Rabbit of four weeks age of both sexes were enrolled in 3*2 factorial experiment. The animals were grouped into three groups 49 New Zealand white (NZW), 34 Californian (CAL) and 46 Rex (RX). Each group were sub-grouped into two sex sub-groups. The fortnightly growth performance (live body weight (BW), body weight gain (WG), and average daily gain (ADG)) were estimated. Moreover, by the age of 10th week, body length (BL); thoracic circumference (TC); abdominal circumference (AC); thigh circumference (THC); ear length (EL) and ear width (EW)) and some carcass traits (skin weight, liver, heart with lung and trachea, kidneys, peri-scapular and peri-renal fat, hot carcass weight (HCW) and dressing-out percentage (DO%)) were recorded. The results of this study revealed that, the live body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) of NZW (1130±18.1 g and 26.91±0.43 g/d, respectively) and RX (1120±16.4 g and 26.67±0.39 g/d, respectively) were significantly higher (P<0.01) than that of CAL (997±21.2 g and 23.75±0.50 g/d, respectively). The RX rabbits were significantly higher (P<0.01) for abdominal circumference (AC) and ear width (EW) compared with NZW and CAL. Significantly improved (P<0.01) dressing-out % (DO%) was recorded for CAL (60.03±0.37%) if they compared with NZW (58.46±0.33%) and RX (58.43±0.35%). In conclusion, breed variations had been evidenced for almost of growth, body measurements, and some of carcass traits, as NZW and RX showed better weight gain and average daily gain compared with CAL. However, CAL and NZW rabbits have lower body weight at slaughter than RX; they have the highest DO%.

Keywords: Rabbit, New Zealand White, Californian, body measurements, carcass

Cite this Article
Abdel-Hamid TM, Dawod A. Impacts of Ambient Heat Stress on Growing Rabbit Performance and Carcass Traits, Research & Reviews: Journal of Veterinary Science and Technology (RRJoVST). 2015; 4(2):7–13p