Economic and productive comparison among three rabbit breeds and their crosses under Egyptian conditions

Abstract EN

This study was conducted on the data from the rabbit farm belonging to the Department of Animal Wealth Development, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, using three breeds (New Zealand White, Californian and Gabali).

Two bucks and ten does from each breed were used in the experiment to compare between purebred, crossbred and their reciprocal crossbred.

Studied traits include some productive traits (body weight and daily body gain), as well as economic traits (total cost, return, net profit and economic efficiency measures) till 12th week of age.

The result of this study showed a significant difference between purebred, crossbred and their reciprocal crossbred in body weight and average daily gain.

At 10th and 12th week of age.

Purebred Gabali showed the highest body weight value (2008.58 and 2230.17 g), while Californian x New Zealand White showed the lowest value (1759.66 and 2012.66 g).

New Zealand x Gabali showed the highest average daily gain value during 4-12 weeks (27.60 g) while, Californian x New Zealand showed the lowest value (22.72 g).

New Zealand White showed the highest total cost and the lowest net profit (33.31 and 0.45 LE, respectively) at 12th week of age, while New Zealand White x Gabali showed the lowest total cost and the highest net profit (23.32 and 9.49 LE, respectively).

Although, Gabali showed the highest return value (33.45 LE) but New Zealand White x Gabali showed the highest net profit (11.57 LE) at 10th week of age among all crosses and allover periods.

In addition, New Zealand White x Gabali genotype showed the highest return/cost ratio, net profit/total cost ratio and the shorter capital return rate (1.68, 0.68 and 1.46, respectively).