A description of the chemical and physical growth of New Zealand White rabbits

Abstract

A study was conducted on New Zealand White male and female rabbits over a period of 133 days to ascertain their potential growth rates, body composition for major body parts, and chemical makeup. A total of 220 New Zealand White rabbits, evenly distributed between males and females were used for this investigation. One hundred (100) rabbits for potential growth were weighed from day 14 to day 140 while twelve (12) rabbits, 6 males and 6 females were randomly selected at days, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 56, 70, 84, 112 and 140 days for carcass analysis. Although the rate of maturity was faster in females than in males, the Gompertz equation fitted separately to the growth data for males and females indicated that the body weights were similar throughout the trial (0.0243 vs 0.0239) but males had a higher mature weight of 315 g than the females, 309 g. Mature body protein weights averaged 1497 g in males and 843 g in females and mature body lipid contents averaged 252 and 227 g respectively. Rate of maturing per day of pelt-free body protein of males and females was 0.0103 and 0.0172 while that of body lipid was 0.0410 and 0.0471, respectively. Separate equations were required for males and females to describe the allometric relationship between protein and lipid in the pelt-free body. The rate of maturing of pelts in females was higher than in males (0.0249 vs 0.0214/ d) and the mature weight was lower (456 vs 523 g), respectively.