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205664

GENERAL AND SPECIFIC COMBINING ABILITY OF GROWTH PERFORMANCE ATTRIBUTES IN RABBITS

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Last updated: 04 Jan 2025

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Abstract

This work aimed to estimate general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining ability and reciprocal crosses (RC) effects on rabbit growth performance attributes from weaning to marketing to recognize the best suitable crossbred for rabbit breeder to use in rabbit meat production under Egyptian circumstances. A total of 123 male (59) and female (64) rabbits represents three breeds and their diallel crosses were used in this study. The pure breeds were New Zealand White (N), Papillon (P) and Flemish Giant (F). The six crossbreeds were NF, NP, FP, FN, PN, PF. The growth performance attributes were body weights at 4 (BW4), 8 (BW8) and 12 (BW12) weeks of age, daily weight gain between 4 and 8 weeks (DG4-8), 8 and 12 weeks (DG8-12) and between 4 and 12 weeks (DG4-12) and relative growth rate (RG) at the same interval ages (RG4-8, RG8-12 and RG4-12). The present results showed positive interrelationship among all body weight traits. However, BW8 was highly correlated with DG at all studied ages (r=0.61 to 0.91). There is highly negative correlation between BW4 and RG at 4-8wks and 4-12 wks of age. The genotype had significant effect on body weight at 8 and 12 weeks of age. N rabbits were recorded to be the heaviest breed at weaning (4 weeks), while PN and FN crosses were recorded to be the heaviest rabbits at market (12 weeks). Genetic groups were found to had highly significant effect on DG and RG, during all intervals age. On the other hand, effect of sex on BW, DG and RG of growing rabbits were not significant at studied intervals. Insignificant effect for GCA, SCA and RC on BW were recorded at different ages, except for the reciprocal cross effect at 12 weeks of age. The NP crossbred seemed to be the best cross combination in improving of BW. GCA, SCA and RC had significant effect (P < 0.05 or 0.001) on DG and RG. FN crossbred was found to be the best genetic group among all crosses for DG and RG. Conclusively, the results obtained in present study suggested that Papillon is a promising breed in crossbreeding program regarding growth performance traits. Crossing of New Zealand White as a sire breed with Papillon as a dam breed, NP, would be recommended over other crosses to improve marketing weight in rabbits. However, Crossing of Flemish Giant as a sire breed with New Zealand White as a dam breed, FN, would be recommended over other crosses to improve growth rates in rabbits especially in case of marketing rabbits at constant weight to save time and cost.  

DOI

10.21608/ejrs.2021.205664

Keywords

Rabbits, growth traits, General & specific combining ability

Authors

First Name

Kariman

Last Name

Farg

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Department of Animal and Poultry Production, Faculty of Technology & Development, Zagazig University, Zagazig Egypt.

Email

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City

Faculty of Technology & Development, Zagazig University, Zagazig Egypt.

Orcid

-

First Name

Gouda

Last Name

Gouda

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Shoubra El-Kheima, 11241 Cairo Egypt

Email

gouda_fathi@yahoo.com

City

Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Shoubra El-Kheima, 11241 Cairo Egypt

Orcid

-

First Name

Hasan

Last Name

Elkelawy

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Faculty of Technology and Development, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.

Email

drhassan_2105@yahoo.com

City

Zagazig

Orcid

-

First Name

Mostafa

Last Name

Tawfeek

MiddleName

Ibrahim

Affiliation

1Department of Animal and Poultry Production, Faculty of Technology & Development, Zagazig University, Zagazig Egypt.

Email

mostawms@hotmail.com

City

Faculty of Technology & Development, Zagazig University, Zagazig Egypt.

Orcid

-

Volume

31

Article Issue

2

Related Issue

19036

Issue Date

2021-07-01

Receive Date

2021-06-07

Publish Date

2021-07-01

Page Start

199

Page End

215

Print ISSN

1110-2594

Online ISSN

2682-3330

Article File

EJRS_Volume 31_Issue 2_Pages 199-215.pdf

PDF . 748.1kB

Link

https://ejrs.journals.ekb.eg/article_205664.html

Detail API

https://ejrs.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=205664

Order

5

Type

Original Article

Type Code

868

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Egyptian Journal of Rabbit Science

Publication Link

https://ejrs.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

GENERAL AND SPECIFIC COMBINING ABILITY OF GROWTH PERFORMANCE ATTRIBUTES IN RABBITS

Details

Type

Article

Created At

22 Jan 2023