Effect of early weaning on the growth performance of Soviet chinchilla rabbits under two feeding regimes*

Thirty young Soviet Chinchilla (SC) male rabbits (kits) were divided into 3 groups and each group of 10 was randomly assigned to three weaning treatments viz., 4, 5 and 6 weeks. Each weaned groups of 10 rabbits were further subdivided into two groups, one received concentrate and the other concentrate plus green up to 12 weeks while the rabbits were slaughtered. The growth, body weight gains and body weight gains per day were registered and analyzed as per standard statistical procedure. The difference in body weight may be attributed to the weaning age where early weaned rabbits showed poor growth due to weaning shock. Higher body weights were observed for rabbit fed concentrate ration than those fed concentrate plus greens, but the difference was not significant. We can say the variation in body weights to be due to diverse weaning treatments but not due to the feeding schedules. From the study it could be affirmed that exceedingly early-weaned rabbits showed poorer body weight gain. The body weight gain per day was higher in young rabbits if the rabbits were free from weaning shock.