Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Agriculture - Department of Animal Production

This study was carried out during three successive years at Sakha Animal and Poultry Farm, Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt. One exotic breed New Zealand White (NZW) and a local breed in Egypt, the Baladi Black (BB) were used. Baladi Black males were crossed with New Zealand White rabbits. Four hundred eighty eight progeny from 27 sires and 80 dams of NZW, BB and there cross BZ were used to assess the genetic parameters of some growth traits. The traits were body weights (BW), body length (BL), chest circumference, (CC), and thigh circumference, (TC) at 6, 8, 10 and 12 wks of age. Multi Trait Derivative Free Restricted Maximum Likelihood Animal Model (MTDFREML) was used to estimate the variance components and breeding values. Additive genetic variance of the growth trait were low or moderate in NZW, BB and BZ rabbits and increased as the rabbits advanced in age. In general, the common letter effect consistently increased as age advanced. Heritability of the BB rabbits was, in general, substantially higher than those of the NZW and BZ rabbits. High positive genetic correlation estimates were obtained between most traits

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