A total of 382 litters produced from 38 New Zealand White does (NN) and 46
Californian (CC) ones were used in the present study during the period 1998 to 2000,
to evaluate genetically doe litter traits. The litter traits studied were litter size at birth
(LSB), litter size at weaning (LSW) , litter weight at birth (LWB), litter weight at weaning
(LWW), mean bunny weight at birth (MBWB), mean bunny weight at weaning
(MBWW) and litter gain at weaning (LGW). Estimates of doe variance components for
litter traits were moderate. These estimates were higher in NN rabbits than in CC ones
for most traits. Repeatability estimates were moderate and ranged in NN rabbits from
0.26 to OAO. While, they ranged from 0.23 to OA2 in CC ones. The range in estimates
of doe breeding values (DBY) were higher in (NN) than those of (CC) rabbits. The
range of DBV's in (NN) rabbits vs. (CC) were 3.22 vs. 2.58 bunnies, 2.1 vs. 1.12
bunnies, 128.7 vs 169.5 g. 581.1 vs 454.9 g, 7.65 vs 16.9 g, 11.7 vs 126.0 g and
424.9 vs 293.2 g for LSB, LSW, LWB, LVVW, MBW8, MBWW and LGW, respectively.
The percentages of does having positive estimates of DBV ranged from 43.5 to 57.9
for all does in the two breeds used in this study.