The effect of crossing New Zealand White with Californian rabbits on growth and slaughter traits

Abstract

The study was aimed to determine the effect of reciprocal-crossing rabbits on growth and slaughter traits. The experiment was conducted on 120 New Zealand White (NZW) and Californian (CAL) medium-sized rabbits and their F1 reciprocal crosses (CAL × NZW and NZW × CAL). The rabbits were fed pellets ad libitum, and slaughtered at body weight around 2.5 kg. The following traits were recorded: body weight and average daily gain at birth to slaughter, average feed consumption from weaning to slaughter, slaughter age, carcass weight, meat, bone and fat content of carcass, prime cuts weight (fore part, loin and hind part), and dressing percentage. The results indicated that reciprocal crossbred CAL × NZW and NZW × CAL rabbits were heavier than purebred animals. NZW × CAL crosses attained the slaughter body weight earlier, and had lower feed consumption. The dressing percentage in NZW × CAL crosses was highest, while the lowest in NZW rabbits. For other slaughter traits, except the fat content of carcass, effects of crossing rabbits were small. The magnitude of the crossbreeding effects depended on the direction of crossbreeding. Maximum effects in crosses for slaughter age, body weight, feed consumption and dressing percentage were obtained when the Californian breed was used as a maternal component. Keywords

A comparison of selected performance indicators, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance parameters in Californian and Flemish Giant rabbits

“…Carcass dressing percentages in CAL rabbits were also investigated by Maj et al (2009) whose results on day 105 were highly similar to our findings on day 120 at 54.6%. In the cited study, the percentages of primal cuts in the carcasses of CAL rabbits were as follows: fore part, 38.8%; loin, 23.2%; hind part, 37.9%, and the above results differed insignificantly from our findings.…”

“…The increase in the body weights of CAL rabbits was nearly identical to that reported in animals of the same breed by Maj et al (2009). In the cited experiment, the average daily gains of CAL rabbits were determined at 23.1 g until day 105.…”

Usability of rapeseed cake and wheat-dried distillers’ grains with solubles in the feeding of growing Californian rabbits

“…Production results obtained in our study correspond with findings of other Polish research (Maj et al 2009). In the study of these authors, Californian rabbits were slaughtered at the age of 105 d on average, when they reached a BW of around 2500 g. However, significantly better production results of Californian rabbits were achieved by Jaouzi et al (2004).…”

The effect of age on the carcass composition, portion yield and proximate composition of two rabbit genetic types in South Africa

“…While the comparison of the growth curves obtained in this study with previous publications is difficult due to variation in the genetic types and rearing methods used, a general appraisal seems to indicate that growth rates were somewhat slower than previously reported (Pla et al, 1996;Gómez et al, 1998;Ozimba and Lukefahr, 1991;Maj et al, 2009). This could have been due to genetic differences, the poor nutritional balance of the feed used or the relatively high ambient temperatures experienced during the growth phase.…”