ABSTRACT

This study vas aimed at P id ML! out whether sliavi ne wi he] p rabbits lose heat thereby relic MIL! the hicLit k)ad Oil them. Ii was also nnied at kno\\n1Cthe ellects oh this shla\ no on the \th rate. cioI mon and carcass chtaiacteristics oh' the rabbits. [iohteen Oro\\ iiokabbits cotisistmo oh Ne\\/ealand lute. Dutch. Clunchihla and their crses were used br the experiment designated as 1. ii and 111 represent1n not shaven, partly shaven and comphctel shaven respective] . '1 he rectal temperature was taken on a daily basis bar a perod ol three months alter which the eeL lv means were used 'or the analysis. I he oto th rate was taken by ueasuriiio the lenoth o E the thihbone on a eeL lv basis. I he \veioht oai ii \\ asalso taken usi no a eiohi no balance and on a \\ eel\l\ bask too. On anak sisthe rectal temperature vas hound to be not swm bcanlb\ di hicrent (lch).U). Ibis \\ as attributed to the bact that the rabbit is a homoetherm and ii loses heat by radiation. convection, conduction and evaporation. I he oro\\thrate \as sioni bcantiv di hierent (]): P.O I lie rabbits complete] v shaven had the hihest mean 3 k. those partly shaven had (3 .3 7±1). 1) while the ones n shaven had the least mean (3 OxO. I 'I his showed that inc had a polti\ cci ccl oil the ro\\th) rate oh ullomeinc cro\vth and hrcakdovn ol maicnals (catabolism) exceeding synthesis ot niatenals (anubolKm). Slaughter cuts showed no Significant di brence (I-O.0) cxccpt br drcssed \ eieht and average weight ol' bareegs. Ii was concluded iliciebaic that iahhbs should be le as iiatiiic wide thiciii hut pii\ LIed ii all tllc\ icjuItie or normal maintenance.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGES

TITLE PAGE

CERTIFICATION ... ii

DEDICATION iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ... v-v

TABLE OF CONTENTS . vi vii

LIST OF TABLES viii

ABSTRACT ix-x

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION .. 1 -4

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 5 - 24

2.1 WATER REQUIREMENT AND INTAKE 5

2.2 FEED INTAKE 7

2.21 FACTORS AFFECTING FEED INTAKE ... 8

2.3 GROWTH RATE ... 12

2.31 FACTORS AFFECTING GROWTH RATE 14

2.31A HORMONAL CONTROL ... ... 14

2.31B GENETIC INFLUENCE 14

2.3 10 NUTRITIONAL FACTORS 15

2.310 ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS 15

2.4 CARCASS QUALITY 17

2.41 REQUIREMENTSFORAGOODCARCASS 20

2.42 PRCCESS!NG 20

2.43 FACTORS THAT AFFECT CARCASS QUALITY 23

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 MATERIAL AND METHODS 25

3.1 STUDY AREA 25

3.2 EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS AND MANAGEMENT 26

3.3 STATISTICAL ANALYSIS 26

CHAPTER 4

4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ............27

4.1 EVAPORATION .....................27

.42 CONVECTION ........................27

4.3 RADIATION ...........................27

4.4 CONDUCTION ...........................28

CHAPTER 5 32

5.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 32

APPENDICES 33-36

REFERENCES 37-4