Estimation of Heritability and Repeatability for Pre-Weaning and Post Weaning Litter Weights of Unselected Domestic Rabbits in South Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Data from one hundred and seventy eight (178) kittens generated from 21 does mated to 7 stud bucks resulting in 34 kindling were used to estimate the heritability due to sire and repeatability for birth, weaning and post weaning litter weight traits of unselected non-descript rabbits reared in FUTO teaching and research farm. Traits such as litter weight at birth (LWB), at weaning i.e. 21d (LWW), 42d (LW42), 56d (LW56) were studied. A repeatability single trait animal model was used to analyze the data Estimates of Sire heritability for LWB, LWW, LW42 and LW56 were 0.34±0.41, 0.79±0.632, 0.91±1.20 and 0.62±0.542 while repeatability estimate were 0.034±0.243, -0.130±0.197, 0.003±0.236 and 0.008±0.238 respectively. These estimates indicate a moderate to high heritability while the repeatability indicates generally low estimates. This implies that selection of this non-descript population of rabbits for LWW, LW42 and LW56 could be efficient in im- proving these traits in the population, while the repeatability of these traits being very low, suggests that the likelihood to repeat these records is low.