Heritability of 90-day Body Weight in Domestic Rabbits from Tropical Ghana, West Africa

Lukefahr, S. D.; Atakora, J. K. A.; Opoku, E. M.

doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a111167

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…Similarly, Castellini and Panella (1988) reported high estimate of heritability for post weaning weights in rabbits. On contrary, Lukefahr et al (1992) reported medium estimate of heritability for 90dBW domestic rabbit breeds using Animal Model in field data. But, estimate of permanent litter effect reduced and it ranged 12Á15.4% in Animal Model 2 and 1, respectively.…”

Section: Th Day Body Weight (90dw)mentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Litter size (Ferraz and Eler 2000), growth of individual rabbit (Lukefahr et al 1992;Iraqi 2003;Akanno and Ibe 2005) and survival rate (Ferraz and Eler 2000) are the important economic traits in rabbits. New Zealand White rabbits are well recognised as a dam breed based on its outstanding maternal genetic merits for litter size, milking and general mothering ability (Lebas et al 1997;McNitt 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Estimation of variance components and genetic parameters for growth traits in New Zealand White rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Dige

Kumar

et al. 2012

Journal of Applied Animal Research

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Birth weights and subsequent body weights of individual kits of New Zealand White rabbits were analysed to estimate the impact of direct additive genetic, maternal additive genetic and permanent environmental litter effect on growth traits i.e. birth weight (BW), 15th day body weight (15dW), 30th day body weight (30dW), 90th day body weight (90dW) and 180th day body weight (180dW). The variance components and genetic parameters were estimated using Sire Model and two different animal models. Effect of litter size was significant on all the growth traits except 90dW. Kits born in winter season had significantly higher BW, 30dW and 90dW than the kits born in summer season. The heritability estimate for BW ranged from 0.266 (Sire Model) to 0.540 (Animal Model 2). The permanent effect of litter (c 2 ) was highest (0.288Á0.310) just before weaning at 30dW and decreased after weaning. The effect of indirectly inherited maternal genetic effect (m 2 ) was present at early juvenile stage of growth (15dW, 30dW and 90dW) and was nil for 180dW. Selection for better growth would be more reliable at 180dW because at this age both c 2 and m 2 became lower than in previous stages of growth. Using Animal Model 1, repeatabilities of doe effects on BW, 15dW, 30dW, 90dW and 180dW were 0.35, 0.44, 0.40, 0.35 and 0.01, respectively. Animal Model 1 was better than Animal Model 2 in partitioning of variances when the maternal genetic variance (s 2 m ) was very low or zero.

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Section: Th Day Body Weight (90dw)mentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimation of variance components and genetic parameters for growth traits in New Zealand White rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Dige

Kumar

et al. 2012

Journal of Applied Animal Research

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“…However, Lukefahr et al (1992) reported moderate heritability for 90 d body weight in domestic rabbit breeds using an animal model by REML method. There was an overall decrease in heritability estimates as the age advanced, indicating declination in genetic variability as revealed by the low coefficient of variation in body weights as animals grew older.…”

Section: Body Weight Traitsmentioning

confidence: 93%

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

Sakthivel¹,

Balasubramanyam

Kumarasamy

et al. 2017

World Rabbit Sci.

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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.

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“…As a potential solution, local breeds of rabbits, as well as heterogeneous stocks described as "non-standard breeds", have received increasing attention (Lukefahr et al, 1992;Lakabi et al, 2004;Zerrouki et al, 2004Zerrouki et al, , 2007Oseni and Ajayi, 2010). Zerrouki et al (2004) noted that the utilisation of local genetic resources first requires characterisation of the population existing in the country.…”

Section: Geneticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A solution to this is a process of buck exchange by farmers across different locations (Lukefahr, 2011). Thus, heterogeneous stocks may present ample room for improvement of smallholder and low-input systems on account of the following: (a) availability in many backyard systems in SSA; (b) adaptable to sub-optimal management conditions in such units; (c) although output is low (some 20 fryers per doe per year or less; Lukefahr and Cheeke, 1991a), there is opportunity for improvement through sustainable efforts as demonstrated by the CECURI rabbit project in Benin Republic (Kpodekon et al, 1999) and the NRP of Ghana (Lukefahr et al, 1992;Lukefahr, 2000). In this regard, heterogeneous stocks may represent an under-exploited genetic resource for smallholder units that will require further attention with respect to sustainable breeding programmes as the basis for providing client service in the form of suitable breeding stocks to these units.…”

Section: Geneticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rabbit production in low-input systems in Africa: situation, knowledge and perspectives – A review

Oseni

Lukefahr

2014

World Rabbit Sci.

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High poverty levels continue to plague much of Africa despite several intervention strategies aimed to stem the tide. The role of small livestock like rabbits as a tool in poverty alleviation programmes has been acknowledged for decades and successful national rabbit projects have clearly been demonstrated in Africa. With rising poverty levels across Africa, the need to rejuvenate such national rabbit projects for long-term sustainability becomes apparent. This presentation focuses on the status of rabbit production in Africa, with special attention to smallholder rabbit project development and its connection with poverty alleviation issues in the continent and with an emphasis on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and barriers to the system. A special case is made for the sustainable development of smallholder, low-input rabbit production systems in Africa on account of their popularity, low investment requirements and low economic risks, as well as their contributions to family nutrition, income generation and gender empowerment. Successful rabbit projects in several countries across Africa were identified and the reasons for success, as well as lessons learned, are discussed. In all, several cases standout: the National Rabbit Project of Ghana, the Heifer Project International Rabbit Project in Cameroon, and CECURI Rabbit Project in Benin Republic. Other fast-paced and moderately developed rabbit industries (e.g. in Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria) are recognised. Critical constraints to rabbit project development (e.g. non-implementation of sustainable models for low-input rabbit units and absence of client-focused research and development programmes) are noted. Prospects for the development of sustainable smallholder rabbit production models are discussed, which include the following: a paradigm shift among researchers to focus on innovative research related to the development of sustainable backyard rabbit production systems; upscaling of sound practices in smallholder rabbit units across regions; use of local value chains in smallholder rabbit development and setting up regional networks of smallholder family rabbit projects. The actualisation of these goals requires a sustainability research agenda that focuses more on backyard rabbit farmers as the primary beneficiaries. Overall, the need for a poverty focus and a pro-poor research agenda involving owners of backyard rabbits are emphasised.

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Heritability of 90-day Body Weight in Domestic Rabbits from Tropical Ghana, West Africa

Cited by 11 publications

References 0 publications

Estimation of variance components and genetic parameters for growth traits in New Zealand White rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Estimation of variance components and genetic parameters for growth traits in New Zealand White rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

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

Rabbit production in low-input systems in Africa: situation, knowledge and perspectives – A review

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