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Growth performance and meat quality of rabbits under different feeding regimes

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Abstract

This study evaluated the growth, carcass characteristics and meat quality of indigenous rabbits in northern Pakistan. Weaned rabbits (age 35 days, weight 323 g) of four distinct phenotypes (white, black and white, brown and black) were fed four experimental diets: alfalfa hay (AH), berseem fodder (BF), BF supplemented with low-level concentrate (50 %; LLC) and high-level concentrate (75 %; HLC). Each experimental diet was fed to 48 rabbits, 12 of each phenotype, in a randomized complete block design. The duration of the experiment was 55 days, including 1 week of adaptation. Rabbits fed the BF and AH diets had poor body weight gain (P < 0.05) compared to rabbits fed the LLC and HLC diets. Feed conversion efficiency was best in the LLC (4.47) and HLC (4.58) groups. Average carcass yield (743 g) and carcass dressing percentage (56.2) were higher (P < 0.05) in LLC. Growth rate was not improved significantly by feeding HLC. Fat deposition in animals was higher (P < 0.05) in the groups supplemented with concentrate. Cost per kilogram of rabbit meat was lowest (P < 0.05) for BF, followed by AH, LLC and HLC. Brown phenotypes had the best (P < 0.05) feed conversion efficiency, body weight gain, carcass yield and carcass dressing. It was concluded that local rabbits do not necessarily need high levels of concentrates but can be well fattened with low-level concentrates along with forages.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the laboratory staff of Animal Nutrition, University of Agricultural Peshawar, Pakistan, for technical Assistance and helping during chemical analysis. We are highly thankful to PARC for financial support to make the research possible.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Sciences, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University Sheringal, Sheringal, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

    Kamran Khan

  2. Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Agriculture Peshawar, Peshawar, 25130, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

    Sarzamin Khan, Rajwali Khan, Asad Sultan, Nazir Ahmad Khan & Naseer Ahmad

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  1. Kamran Khan
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  2. Sarzamin Khan
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  3. Rajwali Khan
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  4. Asad Sultan
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  5. Nazir Ahmad Khan
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Correspondence to Rajwali Khan.

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Khan, K., Khan, S., Khan, R. et al. Growth performance and meat quality of rabbits under different feeding regimes. Trop Anim Health Prod 48, 1661–1666 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-016-1140-4

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