Effect of feeding (only pellet or pellet plus hay) on productive and carcass traits of growing rabbits

The aim of the experiment was to examine the effect of feeding on productive performance and carcass traits, to get information about the difference between growing rabbits fed by only pellet and pellet plus hay. Pannon Ka does were inseminated with semen of Pannon Large and Hungarian Giant bucks. The crossbred rabbits (n=336) were weaned at 5 weeks of age. Half of them were housed in cages, the other half in pens (Cage: 3 rabbits/cage, Pen: 14 rabbits/pen, the stocking density was the same: 16 rabbits/m2 in each group). Two subgroups were formed based on the feeding method. Data (between 5 and 12 wk) were evaluated by multi-factor analysis of variance, but only the effect of feeding was calculated. The differences in body weight between Pellet and P+hay rabbits were significant from 9 weeks of age, in favour of Pellet group. It increased from 68 g at 9 weeks to 76 g at 12 weeks. The differences in weight gain and feed intake were significant between 5-12 weeks (11 and 1.3 g/day, respectively), in favour of Pellet rabbits. However, there were no significant differences in feed conversion ratio and mortality. The dressing out percentage was 0.4-0.7 % higher in Pellet group than in P+Hay rabbits. The ratio of hind part to reference carcass was higher in P+Hay group, and that of perirenal and scapular fat were higher in Pellet group. Feeding method did not influence the ratio of fore and mid parts to reference carcass. However, ratio of ear lesions was affected by feeding method (8.3 and 20.6 %; P=0.003, in pellet and P+hay, respectively). It can be concluded that feeding growing rabbits with pellet plus hay resulted significantly, but slightly lower body weight and longer fattening period to reach the same weight. On the other hand, animals fed by pellet plus hay realized less ear lesions.