Genetic parameters and inbreeding depression were estimated for litter weight at day 21 of a synthetic Pannon White rabbit population selected as a closed population since 1992. The data file consisted of 15652 kindling records of 3711 rabbit does (mated to 933 bucks) collected between 1992 and 2009. The total number of animals in the pedigree file was 4804. REML and BLUP procedures were applied using repeatability animal model (VCE and PEST soft ware). The estimated narrow sense heritability for litter weight was low (0.08±0.01). The estimated permanent environmental effects showed higher relative importance compared to the additive genetic effects (0.13±0.01). Analyzing the inbreeding depression simultaneously for all parities, increasing the inbreeding coefficient by 10% had small positive effect on litter weight (0.028 kg) but the estimate was not significant (p=0.30). When the inbreeding depression was estimated by parities small depressions (-0.023, -0.045 and -0.021 kg) were found for the 2-4th parity groups but the estimates were not significant (p=0.59, 0.23 and 0.61, respectively). On the contrary a significant positive effect was observed for the 1st parity (0.198 kg; p=0.01). The small positive estimate estimated at the 5th parity (0.033 kg) was not significant (p=0.39).

rabbit; genetic parameter; inbreeding depression; litter weight

Published by University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, CROATIA
Sponsored by Ministry Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia