ABSTRACT

 The study investigated the effect of age at weaning on growth performance and postweaning survival rate of rabbit genotypes. It was carried out using the completely randomized design (CRD) experiment. Four genotypes namely — New Zealand White (NZW) x New Zealand White, Chinchilla (CHN) x Chinchilla, NZW x CHN and CHN x NZW were used for the study. The kits from each genotype were weaned at different ages: (28, 42 and56 days). Data on body weight (BW) and linear body traits —: body length (BL), heart girth (HG), head to shoulder (HTS), shoulder to tail (STT), length of hind limb (LHL) and tail to drop (TD) were collected for 7 weeks for each weaning age. Other growth parameters measured were feed conversion rate, feed efficiency and body weight gain. Post-weaning survival rate of the different genotypes were also determined. The analysis of variance showed that there were significant differences (P <0.05) among the different weaning ages on the linear body traits and growth performance of the different genotypes. Kits weaned at 56 days (W56) for the different genotypes at the final age of measurement had significantly (P >< 0.05) higher values than the others, in the body weight (NZW x NZW — 809.00, CHN x CHN — 935.50, CHN x NZW — 917.50, NZW x CHN — 834.00) and all other parameters that were measured except for shoulder to tail which was significantly better for rabbits weaned at 42 days. Post-weaning survival rate (%) of the different genotypes studied were all high for all the weaning ages except for NZW that recorded mortality of some kits at the final week of measurement for the 28 days weaned kits. Result of this study indicates that 56 days of age is the most suitable age for weaning followed by 42 days for any of the genotypes.