Livestock Studies 1998, Vol 38, Num, 2     (Pages: 084-102)

The Effects of Genotype, Sex and Age on Some Slaughter Traits and Carcass Characteristics of New Zealand White and California Rabbits

Zehra AKINCI 1 ,Öznur POYRAZ 2 ,Halil AKÇAPINAR 3 ,Nahid EVOGLİYAN 4

1 Yrd. Doç. Dr., A.K.Ü. Veteriner Fakültesi, AFYON
2 Prof. Dr. A. Ü. Veteriner Fakültesi, ANKARA
3 Prof. Dr. A. Ü. Veteriner Fakültesi, ANKARA
4 A. Ü. Sağlık Bilimleri, ANKARA
- This study has been conducted to investigate the effects of genotype, sex and age on body weight before slaughter, head, fore and hind feet, skin, liver, kidneys, heart, lungs, stomach, spleen, carcass, fore and hind Iegs and trunk weights.

The data were obtained from 52 New Zealand White and 17 Californian rabbits. Rabbits were fed with commercial rabbit feed. Factors effecting the slaughter traits and carcass characteristics were examined by using the least squares method.

The effect of the genotype on slaughter traits and carcass characteristics was significant (P<0.01); except liver, kidneys, heart and stomach weights. The age affect was significant (P<0.01) for all traits but sex affect was not. Keywords : Rabbit, slaughter and carcass characteristics, genotype, sex, age