HETEROSIS, MATERNAL AND DIRECT EFFECTS FOR POSTWEANING GROWTH TRAITS AND CARCASS PERFORMANCE IN RABBIT CROSSES

A crossbreeding experiment was carried out in Egypt using a local breed (Baladi Red, BR) and New Zealand White (NZ) to estimate direct heterosis, maternal additive effects and direct sire effects on some growth and carcass traits in rabbits. Data of body weight (at 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 weeks) and daily gains (at intervals of 5-6, 6-8, 8-10, and 10-12 weeks) on 2153 weaned rabbits were collected. Carcass performance at 12 weeks of age (weight and percentages of carcass, giblets, head, fur, blood and viscera) on 213 male rabbits was evaluated. Estimates of coefficients of variation (CV) for most growth and carcass traits were high and ranged from 10.0 to 40.2 \%. Sire-breed was of considerable importance in the variation of growth traits and some carcass traits, while dam-breed contributed little. Sire-breed x dam-breed interaction affected (P<0.01 or P<0.001) most body weights and gains studied, while it contributed little to the variation of carcass traits. The purebred NZ resulted in rabbits with heavier weights and carcass and with lighter non-edible carcass (blood and viscera) compared to the BR. Heterosis percentages for most growth traits were significant and ranged from 2.5 \% to 5.0 \% for body weights and from 0.7 \% to 9.5 \% for daily gains. Insignificant positive direct heterosis was observed for most carcass traits. Crossbred rabbits from NZ sires with BR dams were superior to from the reciprocals. Maternal-breed effects on most weights and gains were insignificant, while sire-breed contrasts for some weights and gains proved significant. Postweaning growth and carcass performances of BR-mothered rabbits generally surpassed the NZ mothered, while NZ-sired rabbits were superior at later ages. High edible carcass was observed for BR-sired rabbits, while more non-edible carcass wastes (blood and viscera) for NZ-sired rabbits. Maternal-breed effects appeared to be less important than paternal-breed effects in influencing most weights, gains and carcass traits studied.