Analysis of production and reproduction performances of Soviet Chinchilla and White Giant rabbits in tropical climatic conditions of India

The aim of the present study was to analyse the influence of year, season and parity on productive and reproductive performances in 110 Soviet Chinchilla and 64 White Giant rabbits under tropical climatic conditions of Tamil Nadu in the period between 2005 and 2009. A total of 731 records for the overall leastsquares means for litter size at birth and weaning, litter weight at birth and weaning, average weight of kit at birth and weaning and pre-weaning growth rate in Soviet Chinchilla rabbits were 5.1±0.1, 3.7±0.1, 256.4±6.9 g, 2465.4±73.6 g, 50.4±0.7 g, 694.1±13.1 g and 15.3±0.3 g/d, respectively, and the values for White Giant rabbits were 5.1±0.1, 4.1±0.1, 259.6±6.1 g, 2432.6±68.7 g, 50.8±0.4 g, 614.6±13.5 g and 13.4±0.3 g/d, respectively. Breed had significant effect on litter size at weaning (P<0.01), average weight of kit at weaning (P<0.05) and pre-weaning growth rate (P<0.01). Year of birth had significant effect on litter size and litter weight at birth (P<0.05), litter size and litter weight at weaning (P<0.01), average weight of kits at weaning and pre-weaning growth rate (P<0.01) in Soviet Chinchilla and White Giant rabbits. Season of birth had significant effect on litter weight at birth and weaning (P<0.05), average weight of kits at birth (P<0.05) and weaning (P<0.01) and pre-weaning growth rate (P<0.01) in both the breeds. Parity had significant effect on litter weight and average weight of kits at weaning (P<0.01) and pre-weaning growth rate (P<0.01). The study revealed that the Soviet Chinchilla and White Giant breeds performed well in the tropical climatic conditions of Tamil Nadu and could be used for profitable meat production. The significant influence of factors such as year of birth and season of birth observed on different production traits emphasises the role played by the management in optimising the realisation of genetic potential under local agro-climatic conditions.