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Agriculturae Conspectus Scientificus, Vol. 68 No. 3, 2003.

Original scientific paper

Effect of Alternative Housing on Carcass Traits of Rabbits

Szilvia Metzger
Károly Kustos
Zsolt Szendrő
András Szabó
Csilla Eiben
István Nagy

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Abstract

One hundred and sixty one New Zealand White weaned rabbits were housed in cages (0.4x0.4 m, 3 rabbits/cage, 18.7 rabbits/m2) or in a pen on deep litter (3x3.3 m, 0.2 m thick wheat straw litter, 80 rabbits/pen, 8.1 rabbits/m2). At 13 weeks of age pen-housed rabbits (n=52) had lower body weight (2318 vs. 2437 g; P<0,01) and dressing out percentage (59.8 vs. 61.0 %; P<0,01) than the cage-housed animals (n=68). Higher proportion of the fore (32.3 vs. 31.4 %; P<0,01) and the hind part of the carcass (40.3 vs. 37.9 %; P<0.001) were found in pen-housed group compared to cage-housed rabbits. While the proportion of the intermediate part (27.5 vs. 30.7 %; P<0,001) was lower in pen-housed animals. The ratio of perirenal fat to pre-slaughter body weight was lower in pen-housed rabbits (0.45 vs. 0.83 % P<0.001) than in cagehoused group.

Keywords

rabbit; housing; cage; pen; carcass traits

Hrčak ID:

12323

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/12323

Publication date:

15.9.2003.

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