Comparative Study on Productive Performance of Domestic Rabbit Hybrids in Different Feeding Systems

Abstract

The aim of our study was to establish the existence of differences, but also the size of the differences in terms of bioproductive indices during the growing-fattening period and the meat quality of the F1 domestic rabbit hybrids obtained from ♀Californian x ♂ German Giant that were fed with two different diets after weaning: diet 1-commercial feed (20%) + a concentrates mixture (80%) and diet 2-commercial feed exclusively (100%).

Our findings were: a better growth rate recorded by F1 ♀Californian x ♂German Giant individuals belonging to group 2 during the period 1-60 days, which then decreases until 120 days of ages; significant differences regarding the average daily gain of the rabbits in the two groups during 1-60 days of life, in favor of those fed with pellets; insignificant differences between the individuals of the two groups regarding the chemical meat composition and the commercial characteristics of the carcass; similar productive performance (p≥0.05) between the experimental groups when replacing part of the pellets with a concentrated mixture compared to feeding exclusively with pellets; higher but insignificant proportion of abdominal fat deposits in individuals fed exclusively with pelleted feed.