The effect of crossing New Zealand White with Californian rabbits on growth and slaughter traits.

The study was aimed to determine the effect of reciprocal-crossing rabbits on growth and slaughter traits. The experiment was conducted on 120 New Zealand White (NZW) and Californian (CAL) medium-sized rabbits and their F1 reciprocal crosses (CAL × NZW and NZW × CAL). The rabbits were fed pellets ad libitum, and slaughtered at body weight around 2.5 kg. The following traits were recorded: body weight and average daily gain at birth to slaughter, average feed consumption from weaning to slaughter, slaughter age, carcass weight, meat, bone and fat content of carcass, prime cuts weight (fore part, loin and hind part), and dressing percentage. The results indicated that reciprocal crossbred CAL × NZW and NZW × CAL rabbits were heavier than purebred animals. NZW × CAL crosses attained the slaughter body weight earlier, and had lower feed consumption. The dressing percentage in NZW × CAL crosses was highest, while the lowest in NZW rabbits. For other slaughter traits, except the fat content of carcass, effects of crossing rabbits were small. The magnitude of the crossbreeding effects depended on the direction of crossbreeding. Maximum effects in crosses for slaughter age, body weight, feed consumption and dressing percentage were obtained when the Californian breed was used as a maternal component.