ABSTRACT

 This study was carried out to investigate the effect of early weaning on growth performance of different rabbit genotypes. Growth traits were measured weekly for 7 weeks from 68 kits weaned at different ages (3, 4, and 6 weeks). The genotypes used were New Zealand White (NZW) x New Zealand White, Chinchilla (CHIN) x Chinchilla, NZW x CHIN and CHIN x NZW. The design of the experiment was completely randomized design. The growth traits measured were body weight (BW) and linear body measurements (heart girth, body length, head to shoulder, shoulder to tail, length of hind limb, tail drop), as well as body weight gain, feed intake, feed efficiency ratio, feed conversion ratio. There were significant differences (P<0,05) among the weaning ages for growth performance of the different genotypes. For the linear body traits earlyweaned kits (3 weeks) compared favorably with those weaned at 4 weeks although they were significantly lower (P>< 0.05) from those weaned at 6 wecks. For NZW x NZW, HG = 12.00, . 11.15 13.47; BL = 25.60, 24.83, 35.40 (W21, W28 and W42) while for NZW x CHIN, HG = 11.75, 11.28, 13.35; BL = 24.60, 25.93, 35.87 (W21, W28 and W42). For the other growth parameters, kits weaned early also compared favorably with those weaned at 4 weeks for most of the traits as well as those weaned at 6 weeks for few of the traits among the genotypes. For NZW x NZW, FER = 0.25, 0.85, 0.26; FCR = 4.02, 1.18, 3.88 (W21, W28 and W42) while for NZW x CHIN, FER = 0.50, 0.83, 0.24; FCR = 2.07, 1.21, 4.42 (W21, W28 and W42). Generally, earlyweaned kits did not perform poorly for majority of the traits measured when compared with kits weaned at the recommended ages.