Relationship between body weight, body condition score and body fat distribution in rabbits of different physiological state

Objective: Understanding the body characteristics of rabbits raised under tropical conditions is crucial for informed decision-making in rabbit husbandry. This study examined the relationships among body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), total body fat (TBF), and fat distribution across abdominal regions (peri-renal and gastrointestinal) and subcutaneous areas (dorsal-scapular and inguinal-hypodermal) in both juvenile and adult New Zealand White rabbits. Design/Methodology/Approach: A total of 33 rabbits (16 juveniles and 17 adults, both female and male) were randomly selected, bred, and humanely sacrificed for data collection. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation coefficients. Results: From the juvenile to the adult stage, BW and BCS increased by 31% and 36%, respectively. TBF was also higher in adults (5.1%) compared to juveniles (3.6%). Fat distribution varied notably across regions and physiological stages. Significant correlations (p < 0.05) were observed between BW, BCS, and TBF with the distribution of fat in both age groups. The strongest correlations for BW and TBF were found with abdominal fat (r = 0.66–0.78 and 0.93–0.96, respectively), whereas BCS was more closely associated with subcutaneous fat (r = 0.73–0.77). Study Limitations/Implications: The insights gained from this study may contribute to the development of predictive mathematical models for rabbit body composition. Findings/Conclusions: Abdominal and subcutaneous fat showed low to moderate correlations with BW and BCS. Notably, only TBF demonstrated strong correlations across both juvenile and adult New Zealand White rabbits.