Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T04:17:58.316Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The use of ultrasound measurement of perirenal fat thickness to estimate changes in body condition of young female rabbits

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

J. J. Pascual ,
F. Castella ,
C. Cervera ,
E. Blas  and
J. Fernández-Carmona
J. J. Pascual
Affiliation:
Unidad de Producción Animal Universidad Miguel Hernández, Escuela Politecnica Superior de Orihuela, Carretera de Beniel, km 3·5/03312 Orihuela (Alicante), Spain
F. Castella
Affiliation:
Unidad de Producción Animal Universidad Miguel Hernández, Escuela Politecnica Superior de Orihuela, Carretera de Beniel, km 3·5/03312 Orihuela (Alicante), Spain
C. Cervera
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, PO Box 22012, Valencia 46071, Spain
E. Blas
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, PO Box 22012, Valencia 46071, Spain
J. Fernández-Carmona
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, PO Box 22012, Valencia 46071, Spain
Get access

Abstract

Forty-two New-Zealand x Californian young female rabbits of 4·5 months of age were used to evaluate the use o f a computerized ultrasound system in estimating changes in body condition. In order to get a wide range of fatness, animals were randomly subjected to four food restriction regimes for 2 weeks. Female rabbits were scanned at six different back sites to estimate perirenal fat thickness, using a real-time ultrasound unit equipped with a 5·0-MHz sector probe. After scanning, all animals were weighed and slaughtered. The weights of hot carcass, cold carcass, perirenal fat, scapular fat, liver and kidneys were recorded. There was a large variation in the weight of the main fat deposits, especially for the perirenal fat (CV = 0·632), indicating its suitability for estimating changes in body condition. Ultrasound measurements of perirenal fat thickness correlated strongly with all carcass fat weight values (r = 0·692 to 0·959; P < 0·001) and the estimated carcass energy content (r = 0·777 to 0·866; P < 0·001) and seem to be more precise predictors than live weight measurements. Multiple regression equations for estimating the main fat deposit weight and estimated carcass energy content using only the live weight as an independent variable had R2 values ranging from 0·47 to 0·59. The accuracy of estimates was improved when ultrasound measurements were used in the regression model (R2 values ranging from 0·81 to 0·95). Ultrasound measurement of mean perirenal fat deposit thickness at 3 cm ahead of the 2nd to 3rd lumbar vertebrae was the best predictor for perirenal fat weight (R2 = 0·95; P < 0·001), total fat weight (R2 = 0·93; P < 0·001) and estimated carcass energy content (R2 = 0·90; P < 0·001). A validation group of 11 rabbit does was used to validate the ultrasound regression equations, showing that their mean accuracy was approximately 0·895 and 0·967 for total fat weight and estimated carcass energy content, respectively. Results suggest that ultrasound measurements of perirenal fat thickness may be an accurate method for studying changes in body condition of young female rabbits at different times.

Keywords

body conditionperirenal fatrabbitsultrasound
Type
Non-ruminant nutrition, behaviour and production
Information
Animal Science , Volume 70 , Issue 3 , June 2000 , pp. 435 - 442
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2000

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Benent, G. L., Meyer, H. H. and Kirton, A. H. 1988. Effect of selection for divergent ultrasonic fat depth in rams on progeny fatness. Animal Production 47: 379–386.Google Scholar
Blasco, A., Ouhayoun, J. and Masoero, G. 1993. Harmonisation of criteria and terminology in meat rabbit research. World Rabbit Science 1: 3–10.Google Scholar
Brun, J. M. and Ouhayoun, J. 1988. Growth performance and carcass traits in three strains of rabbits and their two-way crosses. Proceedings of the fourth world rabbit congress, Budapest, vol. 2, pp. 168–176.Google Scholar
Cervera, C., Fernández-Carmona, J., Viudes, P. and Blas, E. 1993. Effect of remating interval and diet on the performance of female rabbits and their litters. Animal Production 56: 399–405.Google Scholar
Delfa, R., Teixeira, A., Blasco, I. and Colomer-Rocher, F. 1991. Ultrasonic estimates of fat thickness, C. measurement and longissimus dorsi depth in Rasa Aragonesa ewes with same body condition score. Options Méditerranéennes, Série A 13: 25–30.Google Scholar
Edwards, J. W., Cannell, R. C., Garrett, R. R., Savell, J. W., Cross, H. R. and Longnecker, M. T. 1989. Using ultrasound, linear measurements and live fat thickness estimates to determine the carcass composition of market lambs. Journal of Animal Science 67: 3322–3330.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fekete, S. and Brown, D. L. 1992. Prediction of body composition in rabbits by deuterium oxide dilution and total body electrical conductivity with validation by direct chemical analysis. Journal of Applied Rabbit Research 15: 787–798.Google Scholar
Fernández, C., Gallego, L. and Quintanilla, A. 1997. Lamb fat thickness and longissimus muscle area measured by a computerized ultrasonic system. Small Ruminant Research 26: 277–282.Google Scholar
Fernández, C., García, A., Vergara, H. and Gallego, L. 1998. Using ultrasound to determine fat thickness and longissimus dorsi area on Manchego lambs of different live weight. Small Ruminant Research 27: 159–165.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Forrest, J. C., Kuei, C. H., Orcutt, M. W., Schinckel, A. R., Stouffer, J. R. and Judge, M. D. 1989. A review of potential new methods of on line pork carcass evaluation. Journal of Animal Science 67: 2164–2170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fortun-Lamothe, L. and Lebas, F. 1996. Effects of dietary energy level and source on foetal development and energy balance in concurrently pregnant and lactating primiparous rabbit does. Animal Science 62: 615–620.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fraga, M. J., Lorente, M., Carabaño, R. M. and Blas, J. C. de. 1989. Effect of diet and remating interval on milk production and milk composition of the doe rabbit. Animal Production 48: 459–466.Google Scholar
García, C. 1998. [Effect of diet on the corporal condition of lactating rabbit does.] Licentiate thesis. EUITA. UPV. Valencia.Google Scholar
Gresham, J. D., McPeake, S. R., Bernard, J. K. and Henderson, H. H. 1992. Commercial adaptation of ultrasonography to predict pork carcass composition from live animal and carcass measurements. Journal of Animal Science 70: 631–639.Google Scholar
Hamlin, K. E., Green, R. D., Perkins, T. L., Cundiff, L. V. and Miller, M. F. 1995. Real-time ultrasonic measurement of fat thickness and longissimus muscle area. I. Description of age and weight effects. Journal of Animal Science 73: 1713–1724.Google Scholar
Kempster, A. J., Arnall, D., Alliston, J. C. and Barker, J. D. 1982. An evaluation of two ultrasonic machines (Scanogram Danscanner) for predicting the body composition of live sheep. Animal Production 34: 249–255.Google Scholar
Kovér, G. Y., Sørensen, P., Szendrõ, Z. S. and Milisits, G. 1996. In vivo measurement of perirenal fat by magnetic resonance tomography. Proceedings of the sixth world rabbit congress, Toulouse vol. 3, pp. 191–194.Google Scholar
Kovér, G. Y., Szendrõ, Z. S., Romvári, R., Jensen, J. F., Sørensen, P. and Milisits, G. 1998. In vivo measurement of body parts and fat deposition in rabbits by MRI. World Rabbit Science 6: 191–194.Google Scholar
Maertens, L. 1992. Rabbit nutrition and feeding: a review of some recent developments. Journal of Applied Rabbit Research 15: 889–913.Google Scholar
Masoero, G., Bergoglio, G., Riccioni, L., Destefanis, G. and Barge, M. T. 1992a. Near infrared spectroscopy applied to living rabbits to estimate body composition and carcass and meat traits. A calibration study. Journal of Applied Rabbit Research 15: 810–818.Google Scholar
Masoero, G., Riccioni, L., Bergoglio, G. and Napolitano, F. 1992b. Implications of fasting and transport for a high quality rabbit meat product. Journal of Applied Rabbit Research 15: 841–874.Google Scholar
Moody, W. G., Zobrisky, S. E., Ross, C. V. and Naumann, H.D. 1965. Ultrasonic estimates of fat thickness and longissimus dorsi area in lambs. Journal of Animal Science 24: 364–367.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ouhayoun, J., 1978. [Comparative analysis of rabbit strains differing in adult weight.] Doctoral thesis, Academie de Montpellier.Google Scholar
Park, B., Whittaker, A. D., Miller, R. K. and Bray, D. E. 1994. Measuring intramuscular fat in beef with ultrasonic frequency analysis. Journal of Animal Science 72: 117–125.Google Scholar
Partridge, G. C., Fuller, M. F. and Pullar, J. D. 1983. Energy and nitrogen metabolism of lactating rabbits. British journal ofNutrition 49: 507–516.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pascual, J. J., Castella, K., Cervera, C., Blas, E. and Fernández-Carmona, J. 1999a. The use of ultrasound in the prediction of corporal condition of rabbit does. Proceedings of the XXIV Symposium de Cunicultura, Villamalea-Albacete.Google Scholar
Pascual, J. J., Cervera, C., Bias, E. and Fernández-Carmona, J. 1998a. Effect of high fat diets on the performance and food intake of primiparous and multiparous rabbit does. Animal Science 66: 491–499.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pascual, J. J., Cervera, C., Blas, E. and Fernández-Carmona, J. 1999b. Effect of high fat diets on the performance, milk yield and milk composition of multiparous rabbit does. Animal Science 68: 151–162.Google Scholar
Pascual, J. J., Sebastian, A., Cervera, C., Blas, E. and Fernández-Carmona, J. 1998b. [Effect of barley substitution by soya oil on the lactating rabbit does performance: first results.] Proceedings of the seventh Journées de la Recherche Cunicole, Lyon, pp. 167–174.Google Scholar
Pascual, J. J., Cervera, C. and Fernández-Carmona, J. 2000. Effect of fat addition to diet on the performance and body composition in the second lactation of rabbit does. Animal Feed Science and Technology. In press.Google Scholar
Perkins, T. L., Green, R. D. and Hamlim, K. E. 1992. Evaluation of ultrasonic estimates of carcass fat thickness and longissimus muscle area in beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science 70: 1002–1010.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, B. S., Jones, W. R., Hough, J. D., Huffman, D. L., Mikel, W. B. and Mulvaney, D. R. 1992. Prediction of carcass characteristics by real time ultrasound in barrows and gilts slaughtered at three weights. Journal of Animal Science 70: 2304–2308.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. 1990. User’s guide: statistics. Statistical Analysis Systems Institute Inc., Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Szendrõ, Z. S., Horn, P., Kovér, G. Y., Berényi, E., Radnai, I. and Bíró-Németh, E. 1992. In vivo measurement of the carcass traits of meat type rabbits by X-ray computerised tomography. Journal of Applied Rabbit Research 15: 799–809.Google Scholar
Thompson, J. M., Pattié, W. A. and Butterfíeld, R. M. 1977. An evaluation of “Scanogram” as an ultrasonic aid in assessing carcass composition of live sheep. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 17: 251–255.Google Scholar
Xiccato, G. 1996. Nutrition of lactating does. Proceedings of the sixth world rabbit congress, Toulouse, vol. I, pp. 29–47.Google Scholar
Xiccato, G., Parigi-Bini, R., Dalle Zotte, A., Carazzolo, A. and Cossu, M. E. 1995. Effect of dietary energy level, addition of fat and physiological state on performance and energy balance of lactating and pregnant rabbit does. Animal Science 61: 387–398.Google Scholar