THE EFFECT OF PARITY, LITTER SIZE AND SEASON OF KINDLING ON SOME PRODUCTIVE TRAITS OF NEWZEALAND WHITE RABBITS

Document Type : Research article

Authors

Abstract

Records from 118 kindling's by 47 does of New Zealand white rabbits were analyzed to study the effect of parity, litter size and season of kindling on some productive traits. Parity of the doe had significant effect on gestation length, mean litter weight of kits born alive, mean litter weight at weaning, while there were no significant effects on dam weight at kindling, litter size and weight at 21 day and litter size at weaning. Moreover, all traits studied, except dam weight at kindling, are highly significant affected by the litter size at brith. The season of kindling had a significant effect on gestation length, mean litter weights at 21 day and weaning. The phenotypic correlations between doe weight at kindling and most of litter weights studied were positive and significant.