PAPER TITLE :OBSERVATIONS ON BIRTH AND WEANING LITTER TRAITS OF PURE AND CROSSBRED NEW ZEALAND WHITE AND CHINCHIL

JOURNAL Of SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY | VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 2012

Paper Details

  • Author(s) : EGENA, S. S. A. , AKPA, G. N. , ALEMEDE, I. C. and AREMU, A
  • Abstract:

Litter and weaning traits of rabbits which consisted of straightbred and crossbred from two pure strains of New Zealand White (NZW) and Chinchilla (CH) as well as their reciprocal crosses were compared and evaluated. Results revealed that significant (p<0.05) general combining ability (GCA) was observed for all the birth traits except for gestation length (GL). NZW does had better gestation gain (GG, 0.36) and coefficient of milking capacity (CMC, 0.21) while CH does had better litter size at birth (LSB, 5.14) and litter body weight (LBW, 203.57). Significant (p<0.05) specific combining ability (SCA) was also observed for all the birth traits except for GG. CH x NZW cross had better CMC (0.22) but with a longer GL (36.63). Significant GCA was also observed at weaning for litter weight gain (LWG) with CH x CH progeny having better LWG (1.39). No significant (p>0.05) effect was observed for breed difference except for GG (0.15). Heterotic effect showed significance (p<0.05) for LBW and GL while the other parameters were not significant (p>0.05). Direct additive effect was significant (p<0.05) only for GG while no significant (p<0.05) effect was observed with regard to maternal additive effect. No significant (p>0.05) difference was observed for breed difference, heterotic, direct additive and maternal additive effects at weaning for all the traits evaluated.  It was concluded that breed difference existed between NZW and CH strains of rabbit for GG and that no evidence existed of positive heterosis and maternal additive effects due to crossing NZW and CH strains. However, positive direct additive effect was observed for GG.