EFFECT OF A SOLAR-POWERED HEATING SYSTEM ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE IN WEANED RABBITS DURING WINTER REARING

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of an autonomous solar-powered heating system on the growth performance of weaned rabbits using heat convection. The experiment was conducted in February at the Institute of Animal Science – Kostinbrod, using two groups of 15 rabbits each, matched by breed, sex, and age. All animals were housed in identical cages within the same type of modular room (volume 182.91 m³) and fed with a standard pelleted diet. The control group was reared under standard microclimatic conditions without heating, while the experimental group was maintained under improved thermal conditions provided by the heating system. Body weight was recorded on a specific days. On day 90, the experimental group showed a trend toward higher average body weight (2558 g) compared to the control group (2412), with p = 0.0556. Sustainable energy solutions had a positive impact on rabbit growth and welfare during the early fattening period.