Crossbreeding in rabbits. An alternative to contribute to food security and sustainable production VIII Taller Internacional “Universidad, Seguridad y Soberanía Alimentaria”

Abstract

In order to identify the F₁ crosses and hybrid breeders with the greatest advantages in the pre-weaning stage, to be used in Cuban rabbit breeding as more productive maternal lines, four breeds of rabbits were genetically evaluated in 16 crosses and 12 types of F₁ breeders, from three experiments carried out throughout 30 years under different objective production conditions, which allows reducing the effects of genotype environment interaction. The most prominent F₁ crosses to be used in the commercial cross structure are CS, CCH, SN, CHS, and NS. The correspondence between the order of merit of the F₁ crosses and those used later as maternal crosses, reflect that the way to obtain these hybrid females to be later used in triple or four-breed crosses is efficient. Obtaining the genetic parameters of the cross for these breeds ratified the use of the New Zealand and Semigiant maternal breeds and California and Chinchilla as paternal, as well as the NS, CS crosses. Maximum values of heterosis (21-22%) in the productivity traits indicate the feasibility of crossing in our tropical conditions. These results ratify and complement what is indicated in the National Rabbit Genetic Improvement Program, so they can increase the production of rabbit meat and the sale of quality breeding feet, thus guaranteeing the sustainability of these productions and the conservation of genetics rabbit resources as essential elements for food security and sovereignty in the country.