Abstract
The study conducted in Animal resources department – College of Agriculture and Forestry – University of Mosul to identify the present rabbit strains in Iraq and to determine the effect of strain, sex and diet protein levels on productive and carcass traits those strains. Studied rabbit strains were: Local, Albino and Angora fed at two levels of protein (13% and 16%). Obtained results could be summarized as follow:
1- Albino and local rabbits were significantly superior on angora in body weight at 15 week of age as well as the females were superior on males , increasing diet protein from 13% to 16% increased body weights in all ages up to 15 weeks.
2- Albino strain had significantly higher body weight gain up to marketing age (15 weeks) while sex and protein levels effects were no significant effect.
3- Feed consumption was higher in Albino rabbits in comparison with Local and Angora, the same pattern observed for females in comparison with males.
4- Local and Angora rabbits showed significantly improvement in feed conversion efficiency when compared with Albino rabbits.
5- Relative growth rate were better in early ages and decreased with age, the decrease coincided with decreasing body weight gain from 13 weeks of age till 15 weeks in all three rabbit strains.
6- Local rabbit strain showed better carcass taints than Albino and Angora, also females and second ration feed rabbits were better in carcass traits.
Main Subjects