Estimates of (co)variance components and genetic parameters for body weights and growth efficiency traits in the New Zealand white rabbit

M. Sakthivel, D. Balasubramanyam, P. Kumarasamy, H. Gopi, A. Raja, R. Anilkumar, A. Devaki
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2017.7057

Abstract

The genetic parameters of growth traits in the New Zealand White rabbits kept at Sheep Breeding and Research Station, Sandynallah, The Nilgiris, India were estimated by partitioning the variance and covariance components. The (co)variance components of body weights at weaning (W42), post-weaning (W70) and marketing (W135) age and growth efficiency traits viz., average daily gain (ADG), relative growth rate (RGR) and Kleiber ratio (KR) estimated on a daily basis at different age intervals (42 to 70 d; 70 to 135 d and 42 to 135 d) from weaning to marketing were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood, fitting 6 animal models with various combinations of direct and maternal effects. Data were collected over a period of 15 yr (1998 to 2012). A log-likelihood ratio test was used to select the most appropriate univariate model for each trait, which was subsequently used in bivariate analysis. Heritability estimates for W42, W70 and W135 were 0.42±0.07, 0.40±0.08 and 0.27±0.07, respectively. Heritability estimates of growth efficiency traits were moderate to high (0.18 to 0.42). Of the total phenotypic variation, maternal genetic effect contributed 14 to 32% for early body weight traits (W42 and W70) and ADG1. The contribution of maternal permanent environmental effect varied from 6 to 18% for W42 and for all the growth efficiency traits except for KR2. Maternal permanent environmental effect on most of the growth efficiency traits was a carryover effect of maternal care during weaning. Direct maternal genetic correlations, for the traits in which maternal genetic effect was significant, were moderate to high in magnitude and negative in direction. Maternal effect declined as the age of the animal increased. The estimates of total heritability and maternal across year repeatability for growth traits were moderate and an optimum rate of genetic progress seems possible in the herd by mass selection. The genetic and phenotypic correlations among body weights and between growth efficiency traits were also estimated. Moderate to high heritability and higher genetic correlation in body weight traits promise good scope for genetic improvement provided measures are taken to keep the inbreeding at the lowest level.

Keywords

genetic parameters; maternal effects; genetic correlations; growth traits; rabbit genetics

Full Text:

PDF

References

Abdel-Kafy E.M., Hassan N.S., Morsy W.A., Alli Kh.A.A., El-Sawy M.A., Hassanein M.N.F., Sabra Z.A.M. 2012. Genetic parameters of litter traits in a local Baladi Black raabit in Egypt. In Proc.: 10th World Rabbit Congress, 3-6 September 2012, Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, 37-41.

Arthur P.F., Renand G., Krauss D. 2001. Genetic and phenotypic relationships among different measures of growth and feed efficiency in young Charolais bulls. Livest. Prod. Sci., 68: 131-139. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-6226(00)00243-8

Ayyat M.S., Marai I.F.M., El-Sayiad Gh.A. 1995. Genetic and nongenetic factors affecting milk production and pre-weaning litter traits of New Zealand White does under Egyptian conditions. World Rabbit Sci., 3: 119-124. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.1995.250

Bhushan B., Ahlawat S.P.S. 1999. Estimation of genetic parameters for post-weaning body weights in New Zealand White rabbits reared under agro-climatic conditions of Sikkim. Indian J. Anim. Sci., 69: 511-513.

Bhushan B., Gaur G.K., Ahlawat S.P.S. 1998. Genetic parameters of growth in New Zealand White rabbits adjusting different planes of feeds. Indian J. Anim. Sci., 68: 187-188.

Bolet G., Zerrouki N., Gacem M., Brun J.M. Lebas F. 2012. Genetic parameters and trends for litter and growth traits in a synthetic line of rabbits created in Algeria. In Proc.: 10th World Rabbit Congress, 3-6 September 2012, Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, 195-199.

Choudhury S.A., Goswami R.N. 2012. Selection indices for improving body weight in New Zealand White breed of rabbit maintained at the hilly Indian State of Meghalaya. In Proc.: 10 th World Rabbit Congress, 3-6 September 2012, Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, 25-29.

Dige M.S., Kumar A., Kumar P., Dubey P.P., Bhushan B. 2012. Estimation of variance components and genetic parameters for growth traits in New Zealand White rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). J. Appl. Anim. Res. 40: 167-172. https://doi.org/10.1080/09712119.2011.645037

Falconer D.S., Mackay T.F.C. 1996. Introduction to Quantitative Genetics. Longmans Green, Harlow, Essex, UK.

Farghaly H.M., El-Mahdy M.R.M. 1999. Genetic and non-genetic factors affecting live, carcass and non-carcass traits of New Zealand White rabbits in Egypt. Indian J. Anim. Sci., 69: 595-603.

Ferraz J.B.S., Johnson R.K., Van Vleck L.D. 1992. Estimation of genetic trends and genetic parameters for reproductive and growth traits of rabbits raised in subtropics with animal models. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 15: 131-142.

Fitzhugh H.A. Jr., Taylor St C.S. 1971. Genetic analysis of degree of maturity. J. Anim. Sci., 35, 507. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas1971.334717x

Gowane G.R., Chopra A., Prince L.L.L., Paswan C. Arora A.L. 2010. Estimates of (co)variance components and genetic parameters for body weights and first greasy fleece weight in Bharat Merino sheep. Animal, 4: 425-431. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731109991157

Gyovai P., Farkas J., Radnai I., Szendro Zs., Eles V., Nagy I. 2012. Genetic parameters for average daily gain and thigh muscle volume measured by computer tomography in Pannon White terminal line rabbits. In Proc.: 10th World Rabbit Congress, 3-6 September 2012, Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, 89-92.

Iraqi M.M. 2008. Estimation of genetic parameters for postweaning growth traits of Gabali rabbits in Egypt. Livest. Res. Dev., 20: Article 69.

Kristensen T.N., Sorensen A.C. 2005. Inbreeding – lessons from animal breeding, evolutionary biology and conservation genetics. Anim. Sci., 80: 121-133. https://doi.org/10.1079/ASC41960121

Lukefahr S.D., Atakora J.K.A., Opoku E.M. 1992. Heritability of 90 d body weight in domestic rabbits from tropical Ghana, West Africa. J. Hered., 83: 105-108. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a111167

Lukefahr S.D., Roberts J.D., Van Vleck J.D. 1993. Estimates of components of (co)variance by restricted maximum likelihood for carcass traits in rabbits using an animal model. Profess. Anim. Scientist, 9: 89-97. https://doi.org/10.15232/S1080-7446(15)32057-X

Meyer K. 1992. Variance components due to direct and maternal effects for growth traits of AustraIian beef cattle. Livest. Prod. Sci., 31: 179-204. https://doi.org/10.1016/0301-6226(92)90017-X

Meyer K. 2007. WOMBAT – A tool for mixed model analyses in quantitative genetics by restricted maximum likelihood (REML). J. Zhejiang Univ. Sci. B, 8: 815-821. https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2007.B0815

Nagy I., Gyovai P., Radnai I., Kiszlinger H.N., Farkas J. Szendrő Zs. 2013. Genetic parameters, genetic trends and inbreeding depression of growth and carcass traits in Pannon terminal line rabbits. Arch. Tierzucht, 56: 191-199. https://doi.org/10.7482/0003-9438-56-018

Nagy I., Radnai I., Nagyne-Kiszlinger H., Farkas J., Szendrő Zs. 2011. Genetic parameters and genetic trends of reproduction traits in synthetic Pannon rabbits using repeatability and multitrait animal models. Arch. Tierzucht, 54: 297-307.

Niranjan S.K., Sharma S.R., Gowane G.R. 2010. Estimates of direct and maternal effects on growth traits in Angora rabbits. Asian Austral. J. Anim., 23: 981-986. https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2010.90549

Okoro V.M.O., Ezeokeke C.T., Chukwudum U.E.O. 2010. Phenotypic correlation of body weight and linear body measurement in Chinchilla rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). J. Agr. Biotech. Sustain. Dev., 2: 27-29.

Piles M., Blasco A. 2003. Response to selection for growth rate in rabbits estimated by using a control cryopreserved population. World Rabbit Sci., 11: 53-62. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2003.497

Piles M., Gómez E.A., Rafell O., Ramón J., Blasco A. 2004. Elliptical selection experiment for the estimation of genetic parameters of the growth rate and feed conversion ratio in rabbits. J. Anim. Sci., 82: 654-660. https://doi.org/10.2527/2004.823654x

Prakash V., Prince L.L.L., Gowane G.R., Arora A.L. 2012. The estimation of (co)variance components and genetic parameters for growth traits and Kleiber ratios in Malpura sheep of India. Small Ruminant Res., 108: 54-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2012.07.018

Risam K.S., Das G.K., Bhasin V. 2005. Rabbit for meat and wool production in India: A review. Indian J. Anim. Sci., 75: 365-382.

Rojan P.M., Bindu K.A., Raghunandanan K.V., Raghavan K.C. 2009. Genetic analysis of body weights in rabbits. J. Vet. Anim. Sci., 40: 26-28.

Singh C.B., Singh C.V., Jilani M.H. 2008. Genetic studies on reproductive and productive traits in German Angora rabbits under temperate climatic conditions of Garhwal Himalayas. Indian J. Anim. Sci., 78: 285-288.

Snyman M.A., Erasmus G.J., Van Wyk J.B., Olivier J.J. 1995. Direct and maternal (co)variance components and heritability estimates for body weight at different ages and fleece traits in Afrino sheep. Livest. Prod. Sci., 44: 229-235. https://doi.org/10.1016/0301-6226(95)00071-2

Sorensen P., Kjaer J.B., Brenoe U.T., Su G. 2001. Estimates of genetic parameters in Danish White rabbits using an animal model: II Litter traits. World Rabbit Sci. 9: 33-38. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2001.444

Willham R.L. 1972. The role of maternal effects in animal breeding: III Biometrical aspects of maternal effects in animals. J. Anim. Sci., 35: 1288-1293. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas1972.3561288x

Wilson J.A., Reale D. 2006. Ontogeny of additive and maternal genetic effects: Lessons from domestic mammals. American Nat., 167: 24-38. https://doi.org/10.1086/498138

Abstract Views

2257
Metrics Loading ...

Metrics powered by PLOS ALM


Bookmark and Share


 Universitat Politècnica de València

Official journal of the World Rabbit Science Association (WRSA)

e-ISSN: 1989-8886     ISSN: 1257-5011  https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs