PERFORMANCE OF A HYPERPROLIFIC RABBIT LINE - II - MATERNAL AND GROWTHPERFORMANCES

Maternal and growth traits of a maternal rabbit line (line H), founded selecting on hyperprolificacy, were studied. Line H was compared to l ine V, a maternal rabbit line with high prolificacy. There were not di fferences between the two lines for live litter weight at birth when t he number of born alive was used as a covariate. Thus, the high prolif icacy of line H has not implied any reduction in the viability of the kids at birth or during lactation. Litter weight at 21 days after part urition is superior in line H, which implies a better milk production for its does. The results in that character show how the difference wi th line V increases with parity order. Additionally individual growth traits were compared between the two lines. Line H showed a higher ind ividual meaning weight than line V, in agreement of its higher materna l abilities also showed with litter weight ai 21 days. There were nor differences between the two lines for individual weight at the end of the fastening period or individual average daily gain during this peri od.