REPRODUCTIVE CAPACITY OF MIXTURES OF THREE BREEDS OF RABBITS UNDER RECIPROCAL CROSSING

Abstract

The research was conducted on the basis of an experimental rabbit farm of the Cherkasy Research Station of Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of

Ukraine. The farm uses the technology of intensive rabbit production. The weight of the nest summarizes all the indicators of female rabbits at the time of farrowing. It

was the highest in female rabbits of the first control group - 544±19.9 g, in the second (♀RШ x ♂1/2РШ1/2НБ) - 541±20.0 g and in the fifth (♀1/2РШ1/2СВ x

♂РШ) - 547±20.5 g, which is significantly higher than in the third group of female rabbits (♀1/2РШ1/2НБ x ♂РШ), the fourth group (♀РШ x ♂ 1/2РШ1/2СВ) and

the seventh (♀1/2НБ1/2СВ x ♂РШ). The highest milk yield was in the sixth group of female rabbits - 2.44±0.079 kg for the combination ♀РШ x ♂ 1/2НБ1/2СВ. In all

experimental groups, the milk yield was higher by 50–140 g (P<0.95) compared to the first control group of female rabbits (2.3±0. The mass of the nest of rabbits

weaned at 28 days of age from the queens was higher in the queens of the fifth-seventh experimental groups (P>0.99; P>0.95) by 5.05±0.18 kg; 5.45±0.135 kg;

5.22±0.172 kg, respectively, which is 400–800 g more than the control. Considering the different levels of productivity indicators of female rabbits, the IVYAK index was

used for their objective assessment. The highest IVYAK index was in female rabbits of the sixth (♀RШ x ♂1/2НБ1/2СВ) group – 124.9 and the fifth (♀1/2РШ1/2СВ x ♂РШ) group – 124.0. For the selection assessment of the reproductive properties of queen rabbits, the index of general heterosis was determined according to the formula of V. Gorin. The index of general heterosis by the mass of the nest at weaning in the experimental groups was: 4.09%; 6.45%; 2.36%; 8.6%; 17.2%; 12.26%. The index of general heterosis by the indicator of IVYAK was 1.16%; 0.41%; 1.24%; 2.9%; 3.65%; 1.16%.