EFFECT OF FEED RESTRICTION REGIMEN ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMICAL EFFICIENCY OF WEANING NZW RABBITS

: This experiment aimed to study the effects of feed restriction (FR) on weaning New Zealand White Rabbit's growth performance. Seventy-five unsexed rabbits (5 weeks of age) were divided to five experimental treatments with five equal replications. Feed restriction program was used in the first two weeks (5-7 weeks old) after weaning as follows; the first treatment (control) was free fed the experimental diet. While other treatments (2 to 5) were fed restricted diets at levels of 10, 20, 30 and 40%, respectively from the free feeding of the control. All rabbits were free fed grower diet from 8 to 12 weeks of age. During this trial rabbit growth performance were evaluated, carcass traits, mortality rate and economic efficiency. Some blood parameters in rabbit serum were also determined. The obtained results illustrated that final weight of rabbit was recovered and feed conversion ratio was improved by FR. FR program did not affect carcass traits. Serum blood parameters were not affected by feed restriction. It could be concluded that feed restriction at levels of 30 or 40% during the first two weeks after weaning had beneficial effects on rabbit growth performance, improved feed conversion and economic efficiency and decreasing mortality rate.