Estimation of doe breeding values for litter traits of three standard breeds of rabbits raised under commercial intensive system of production in Egypt
Abstract: Data on 355 does gave 1430 purebred litters of Bouscat (B), Californian (CAL) and New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits were used to quantify doe variance components and repeatability values for litter size at birth (LSB), litter weight at birth (LWB) and mean bunny weight per litter at birth (NBWB), 21-day litter size (LS 21), 21-day litter weight (LW21), meal bunny weight per litter at 21days (MBW21), weaning litter size (LSW), weaning litter weight (LWW), mean bunny weight per litter at weaning (MBWW) and gain in litter weight up to 21days (LG21) and up to weaning (LGW). The common litter effects on these litter traits were investigated for each breed separately. Doe breeding values (DBV) were predicted for these traits using a single –trait Animal Model (AM).
Estimates of doe variance component for litter traits, in general, were low or moderate and they were higher in B rabbits than in CAL and NZW ones. Common litter effect showed significance on litter traits in B and NZW rabbits except LW21 and LG21 in NZW rabbits, while did not prove significance on most litter traits of CAL rabbits. Percentages of variance component of common litter effect for most litter traits were low or moderate. Repeatability estimates for these traits were also low or moderate. Estimates in B rabbits were relatively higher than those in NZW and CAL rabbits. Percentages of does having positive estimates of DBV for litter traits were mostly less than 50%. In general, DBV ranged from- 1.31 to 1.08 young for litter size traits, from- 385.7 to 494.3 grams for litter weight traits, from- 61.9 to 84.6 grams for mean bunny weight per litter traits and from – 356.1 to 448.5 grams for gain in litter weight traits. The ranges in DBV for most litter traits in B rabbits were relatively higher than those of NZW and CAL rabbits, i.e. does of B rabbits ranked first in DBV followed by NZW and CAL
Keywords: litter traits, common litter effect, variance component, doe breeding value, repeatability, Animal Model.
Publication year 2000
Pages 307-325
Availability location معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى - شارع نادى الصيد- الدقى- الجيزة
Availability number
Organization Name
serial title Egyptian Journal of Rabbit Science
ISSN 1110-2594
Author(s) from ARC
External authors (outside ARC)
    عزت عطا عفيفى جامعة بنها
    ماهر حسب النبى خليل جامعة بنها
Agris Categories Animal husbandry
AGROVOC
TERMS		 Animal models. Breeding value. Litter for animals. Rabbits.
Proposed Agrovoc repeatability;doe breeding value;variance component;common litter effect;
Publication Type Journal
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