Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Egypt.
2
Animal Production Research Institute(APRI), Agriculture Research Center (ARC),Egypt
3
Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University
4
Animal Production Department, Agriculture and Biology Research Institute, National Research Centre, El Buhouth St., 12622 Dokki, Cairo, Egypt.
Abstract
The article aims to improve post-weaning body weight traits of New Zealand white rabbits (NZW). A total of 1,904 progenies dataset of rabbits belonging to a research rabbit farm of the Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, for three generations from 2019 to 2022 was used to estimate genetic parameters of body weights and to establish different selection indices with desired gains. Body weights (BW) in grams were measured at 4 (BW4), 6 (BW6), 8 (BW8), 10 (BW10) and 12 (BW12) weeks of age (referred to in the selection indices with X1, X2, X3, X4 and X5, respectively). To analyze the data, a multi-trait animal model was applied. Heritability estimates ranged from 0.12 for BW4 to 0.23 for BW12. The expected genetic gain per generation (ΔG) ranged from 5 to 50.4 g for BW4, 8.1 to 70.4 g for BW6, 13.8 to 98 g for BW8, 22.1 to 78.1 g for BW10 and from -9.47 to 130 g for BW12. To maximize the genetic response to selection, four indices were suggested based on their relative efficiency (RIH): I13: -8.31 X1 +5.14 X2+1.22 X5 (RIH = 0.64), I6: -1.47X2 +1.30 X4 (RIH = 0.59), I17: -1.894 X2 +3.976 X3-1.343 X5 (RIH = 0.58) and I10: 0.62X2 +0.078 X5 (RIH = 0.57). Regarding characteristics related to body weight in NZW rabbits it is possible to utilize selected programs aimed at genetic enhancement. However, it is important to gather additional data sources and expand to enhance indices accuracy.
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