@article{article_781072, title={Carcass characteristics of rabbits raised in the semi-arid region of Nigeria}, journal={Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi Tarım Bilimleri Dergisi}, volume={26}, pages={93–97}, year={2021}, DOI={10.37908/mkutbd.781072}, author={Rotımı, Emmanuel Abayomi and Usman, Hussaina Babba and Alıyu, Abduljalal Musa}, keywords={Carcass, rabbit, sex}, abstract={ Aims: This study was carried out to investigate the carcass characteristics of male and female rabbits raised in the semi-arid condition. Methods and Results: Twenty-four (24) rabbits, comprising of 12 bucks and 12 does, were used for this study. At 12 weeks of age, the rabbits were weighed and slaughtered. Parameters measured include; pre-slaughter weight (kg), hot carcass weight (g), four primal cut weights (shoulder, ribs, loin and rump), internal organs weight (liver, lungs, kidneys, hearts, stomach and intestines). Sex had non-significant effects on the pre-slaughter, hot carcass and the four primal cuts weights (shoulder, ribs, loin and rump). Conclusion: Conclusively, sexual dimorphism existed in the weights of the internal organs such as; liver, lungs, kidneys and intestines where female rabbits had higher weights. However, the pre-slaughter, hot carcass, shoulder, rib, loin and rump weights were not significantly affected by sex, implying that any of the sex could be safely utilize for meat production. Pre-slaughter weight was positively correlated with the weights of hot carcass, shoulder, rib, loin and rump while negatively correlated with liver, stomach and intestine. Significance and Impact of Study: Pre-slaughter weight could be use as selection criterion for improvement of carcass quality in rabbits. }, number={1}, publisher={Hatay Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi}