The aim of this study was to assess and validate, using independent data, the prediction equations obtained to estimate in vivo carcass composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to determine the nutrient retention and overall energy and nitrogen retention efficiencies of growing rabbits. Seventy-five rabbits grouped into five different ages (25, 35, 49, 63 and 77 days) were used in the study. A four-terminal body-composition analyzer was applied to obtain resistance (Rs, Ω) and reactance (Xc, Ω) values. All the animals were stunned and bled at each selected age, and the chilled carcasses were analyzed to determine water, fat, crude protein (CP), ash and gross energy (GE). Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine the equations, using body weight, length and impedance data as independent variables. The coefficients of determination (R2) to estimate the content of water, protein, fat and ash in grams, and energy in Mega Jules(MJ), were: 0.99, 0.99, 0.95, 0.96 and 0.98, respectively, and the relative mean prediction errors (RMPE) were: 4.20, 5.48, 21.9, 9.10 and 6.77%, respectively. Carcass yield (%) estimation had values of 0.50 and 10.0 for R2 and RMPE, respectively. When water content was expressed as a percentage, the R2 and RMPE were 0.79 and 1.62%, respectively. When the protein, fat and ash were expressed as a percentage of dry matter (%DM) and the energy content as kJ/100 g DM, the R2 values were 0.68, 0.76, 0.66 and 0.82, respectively, and the RMPEs were 3.22, 10.5, 5.82 and 2.54%, respectively. Energy Retention Efficiency was 20.4 ± 7.29%, 21.0 ± 4.18% and 20.8 ± 2.79% from 35 to 49, from 49 to 63 and from 35 to 63 d, respectively. Nitrogen Retention Efficiency was 46.9 ± 11.7%, 34.5 ± 7.32% and 39.1 ± 3.23% for the same periods. Energy was retained in body tissues for growth with an efficiency of approximately 52.5%, and the energy efficiency for protein and fat retention was 33.3 and 69.9%, respectively. This work shows that BIA is a non-invasive and good method to estimate in vivo carcass composition and to determine the nutrient retention of growing rabbits from 25 to 77 days of age.
Keywords: bioelectrical impedance; chemical composition; growing rabbits; in vivo method; nutrient retention; prediction equations.