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Abstract
Effect of stocking density on the performance of growing rabbits. This experiment evaluated the effect of an increase in stocking density on the performance of growing rabbits. Eighty New Zealand White rabbits were used in an entirely randomized experimental design with four treatments and four repeats. The evaluated densities were: 4.16, 8.33, 12.5 and 16.67 rabbits/m2. Weight gain, feed consumption, food conversion, meat production per m2 and economic viability were studied. No differences were observed (P>0.05) among the densities with regard to food conversion, final weight, and weight gain. The increase in stocking density reduced (P<0.05) the daily feed consumption, which was smaller in the animals grown in the highest evaluated density. There was an increase (P<0.01) in the meat production per square meter due to the higher density, and consequently an increase in gross income and operational profit. It was concluded that the greatest density evaluated (16.67 rabbits/m2) could be adopted, because it reduced the feed consumption and increased the total meat productionand operational profit.
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Copyright (c) 2007 Aderbal Cavalcante Neto, Jeffrey Frederico Lui, Leilane Rocha Barros Dourado, Joseli Alves Ferreira Zanato, Eduardo Pahor Filho, Natan Cotero Garrafoni, Ludmila da Paz Gomes da Silva
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