This study evaluated the slaughter traits (live weight, commercial skin weight, full gastrointestinal weight, hot carcass weight and carcass yield) of 1360 rabbits, sired by males of the paternal line R. The dams were sorted in seven genetic groups: six simple crosses (AXV, AxH, AxLP, VXH, VxLP and HxLP) between the maternal lines (A, V, H and LP) and females of the line V, used as a control population. The rabbits were raised in two commercial farms. The management in these two farms was the same. Weaning was at 28 days. Subsequently, the animals were housed in collective cages of 8 rabbits, until day 63 when they were slaughtered. At the time of slaughter, the traits recorded were: live weight, skin weight, gastrointestinal weight and, after a period of 30 min., the hot carcass weight. The results showed significant farm differences. For sex, also, showed significant differences but the values were not important. Finally the genetic group effect was not significant for the characters studied. The fact that there were no significant differences in live weight is considered a positive result because any of the crossbred females can be used in commercial farms with similar productive results. |
