Consumption of rabbit meat in Sudan is not uncommon. It is usual to consume mature rabbit meat either purchased or hunted. A study was conducted to evaluate carcass and non carcass traits of local rabbits in Sudan, Belladi, and to assess sex effects on these traits. 47 adult rabbits (14 males and 33 females) were slaughtered and used in this study. Traits studied were carcass traits live weight (BWT), carcass weight (Carcass), shoulder and neck cut (shoulder), ribs (ribs cut), rump (rump cut), loin (loin cut), dressing out percent (Dress %) and non carcass traits (Lung, heart, liver, kidney, stomach, intestine, head, skin, feet, tail). Results revealed that sex significantly (p≤0.05) affected Dress.% and loin weight. Females obtained higher values than males; they obtained 53.93 % and 124.70g versus 50.03% and 102.57g. Mature and carcass weights were 1788.07, 1757.82 and 896.86, 949.79 g in the males and females respectively. Whereas shoulder, rump and rib weights were found to be 101.43 Vs110.30, 175.07 Vs 178.52 and 73.71 Vs 70.64 g in males and females. Phenotypic correlations between traits studied were all positive and significant except for the correlation of Dress % with BWT and shoulder, and for the correlation of shoulder with rump. It is concluded that sex had limited effects on adult rabbit meat. The present study revealed that mature rabbit can be used safely as it contains low fat content and high protein percentages.
Key words: Carcass, Dressing percentage,Ribs, Rump
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