Search

Data on litter size traits of 224 bunnies obtained from a mating involving five sires and fifteen dams at three dams/sire were collected and analyzed to estimate genetic parameters in commercial domestic rabbits raised in Anwai, Delta State, Nigeria. Traits studied were: total litter size born (TB), number born Alive (BA), number born dead or still born (BD), and number weaned (NW). The analysis of variance was done in a nested or hierarchical design with equal number of sub-class. Heritability and correlations were calculated using standard expressions. Heritability estimates from sire component for TB, BA, BD and NW were 0.08, 0.02, 0.007 and 0.94 and 0.89, 0.55, 0.76 and 0.97 respectively using dam component of variance. Genetic correlations were generally positive and highly significant (P<0.01) for TB X NW. Environmental correlations ranged from negative to positive values and were highly significant (P<0.01) for TB X BD and BA X NW from dam component while estimates of phenotypic correlation were generally positive but mostly low. In conclusion heritability of litter size traits were mostly low from sire component and high from dam component while genetic and phenotypic correlations among the traits were generally positive. The low heritability for litter size (TB, BA and BD) suggest possible improvement of these traits by progeny selection or sib-testing while the trait with high heritability can be improved by record based on own performance while the positive correlations indicates that genes responsible for those traits are related. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]