Crossbreeding Effects of Native Baladi-Red and Acclimatized Californian Rabbits on Post-Weaning Body Weights

Abstract

This study employed a crossbreeding plan experiment between Baladi-Red (BR) and Acclimatized Californian (Cal) rabbits to assess the crossbreeding effects on post-weaning body weights at 4 through 15 Wk. of age. The estimated crossbreeding genetic factors of four phenotypes were direct additive, maternal effects, and direct heterotic effects. The general findings indicated that all fixed effects variables, except parity and birth season (i.e., mating/breeding groups, sex, year of birth and litter size at birth as a covariate), were insignificant. Body weight heterotic percentages varied from 2.5% to 5.0%, and they were significant for the majority of body weight traits. Californian rabbits had considerable direct additive effects for body weight. All study traits showed the positive sign of direct additive, with the exception of 14 Wk. body weight. The maternal additive (GM) impact was negligible for all traits and showed a negative sign for body weight at 4, 5, 6, 10, and 11 Wk. of age. The latest findings suggest that crossbreeding these two rabbit breeds could be advantageous for developing plans to produce Egyptian crossbred broiler rabbits. This approach could help address the shortage of meat proteins and the economic challenges currently Egypt faces.