<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of four genotypes and four different quantitative feeding regimes on the post-weaning average feed intake (AFI), body weight (BW), weight gain (WG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 48 unsexed weaner rabbits. At weaning, a total of 3 rabbits from each genotype considered, namely the purebred Chinchilla and New Zealand White (CH x CH, NZW x NZW) and their reciprocal crossbreds (CH x NZW, NZW x CH), were randomly assigned to four feeding regimes: ad libitum concentrate + ad libitum forage (A), ad libitum concentrate + 30% restricted forage (B), 30% restricted concentrate + ad libitum forage (C), and 30% restricted concentrate + 30% restricted forage (D). The data were subjected to a two-way analysis of variance in a completely randomized design appropriate for a 4x4 factorial experiment. The experiment was conducted over a period of 5 weeks: from 7 to 11 weeks post-weaning. The AFI values obtained from the interactions between CH x CH and the C feeding regime at 7 weeks post-weaning (366.50 ± 1.50 g), and between NZW x NZW and the B feeding regime at 8 weeks (324.00 ± 1. 00 g) and 10 weeks post-weaning (336.50 ± 0.00 g) were similar, but differed significantly (P &lt; 0.05) from the rest. The lowest significant AFI values (P &lt; 0.05) at all ages and FCR values (3.46 ± 0.33) at 9 weeks post-weaning were obtained from NZW x NZW, whereas the highest BW values at 9-11 weeks post-weaning was obtained from CH x CH. The lowest significant AFI values (P &lt; 0.05) were recorded in the B feeding regime at 7-11 weeks post-weaning, as well as the highest BW and WG values in the A feeding regime at 8–11 and 11 weeks post-weaning, respectively. Moreover, the highest significant BW values (781.25 ± 7.83) were recorded in the C feeding regime at 7 weeks post-weaning. It was concluded that the interactions between CH x CH and the C feeding regime and between NZW x NZW and the B feeding regime can significantly reduce the overall feed intake, thus invariably increasing profit in rabbit production.</p>
</abstract>

The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of four genotypes and four different quantitative feeding regimes on the post-weaning average feed intake (AFI), body weight (BW), weight gain (WG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 48 unsexed weaner rabbits. At weaning, a total of 3 rabbits from each genotype considered, namely the purebred Chinchilla and New Zealand White (CH x CH, NZW x NZW) and their reciprocal crossbreds (CH x NZW, NZW x CH), were randomly assigned to four feeding regimes: ad libitum concentrate + ad libitum forage (A), ad libitum concentrate + 30% restricted forage (B), 30% restricted concentrate + ad libitum forage (C), and 30% restricted concentrate + 30% restricted forage (D). The data were subjected to a two-way analysis of variance in a completely randomized design appropriate for a 4x4 factorial experiment. The experiment was conducted over a period of 5 weeks: from 7 to 11 weeks post-weaning. The AFI values obtained from the interactions between CH x CH and the C feeding regime at 7 weeks post-weaning (366.50 ± 1.50 g), and between NZW x NZW and the B feeding regime at 8 weeks (324.00 ± 1. 00 g) and 10 weeks post-weaning (336.50 ± 0.00 g) were similar, but differed significantly (P < 0.05) from the rest. The lowest significant AFI values (P < 0.05) at all ages and FCR values (3.46 ± 0.33) at 9 weeks post-weaning were obtained from NZW x NZW, whereas the highest BW values at 9-11 weeks post-weaning was obtained from CH x CH. The lowest significant AFI values (P < 0.05) were recorded in the B feeding regime at 7-11 weeks post-weaning, as well as the highest BW and WG values in the A feeding regime at 8–11 and 11 weeks post-weaning, respectively. Moreover, the highest significant BW values (781.25 ± 7.83) were recorded in the C feeding regime at 7 weeks post-weaning. It was concluded that the interactions between CH x CH and the C feeding regime and between NZW x NZW and the B feeding regime can significantly reduce the overall feed intake, thus invariably increasing profit in rabbit production.

Effects of Genotype and Quantitative Feed Restriction on the Post-weaning Growth Traits of Rabbits

Department of Animal Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture

Department of Animal Science and Fisheries

Department of Animal Breeding and Physiology

Contemporary Agriculture

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of four genotypes and four different quantitative feeding regimes on the post-weaning average feed intake...

Effects of Genotype and Quantitative Feed Restriction on the Post-weaning Growth Traits of Rabbits

Pubblicato online: 31 mag 2022

Pagine: 1 - 8

Ricevuto: 21 set 2021

Accettato: 14 ott 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/contagri-2022-0001

Parole chiave
feeding regime, genotype, growth, interaction, rabbit

© 2022 Ugwumba Chijioke Isaac et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Effects of Genotype and Quantitative Feed Restriction on the Post-weaning Growth Traits of Rabbits

Pubblicato online: 31 mag 2022

Pagine: 1 - 8

Ricevuto: 21 set 2021

Accettato: 14 ott 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/contagri-2022-0001

Parole chiavefeeding regime, genotype, growth, interaction, rabbit

© 2022 Ugwumba Chijioke Isaac et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Parole chiave
feeding regime, genotype, growth, interaction, rabbit