Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Veterinary Science, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad - 500 030, India.
*Forms part of the MVSc thesis submitted by the first author to Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad.
A study was undertaken to assess the influence of month of birth, litter size at birth and genetic group of bunny on the body height, chest girth and paunch girth of twelve 3-breed cross broiler rabbits generated from New Zealand White, Grey Giant, Soviet Chinchilla and Flemish Giant at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age. The height, chest girth and paunch girth were significantly influenced by month of birth at all the ages studied. Litter size at birth had significant influence on height and chest girth at all the ages and on paunch girth at 8 weeks of age only. Genetic group had significant influence on height and paunch girth at 8 and 12 weeks of age and on chest girth at all the ages studied. The overall least square means for body height, chest girth and paunch girth at 8 weeks of age were 13.40±0.07, 15.52±0.09 and 14.10±O.09 cm, while those at 16 weeks of age were 17.00±0.06, 21.51±0.16 and 18.88±0.12 cm, respectively. The 3-breed cross bunnies termina1ly sired by Flemish Giant had the highest averages for body height, chest girth and paunch girth from 8 to 12 weeks of age. Body height showed positive heterosis at all ages, while a mixed trend of positivp. and negative heterosis was observed for chest girth and paunch girth, at various ages studied.
