Phenotypic and Morphometric Characterization of Hycole, Hyla and New Zealand White Rabbits for KUAT Hybrid (Tropical Adaptive and Superior Rabbit)

Abstract

Hycole and Hyla rabbits were imported in 2012 and 2013. Hycole and Hyla rabbits were known as best broiler rabbit and had potentiality as genetic resources to develop Indonesian broiler rabbit. The aim of this study was to characterize phenotype of Hycole and Hyla rabbits to evaluate their adaptability in tropical environments. Research were held at Indonesian Research Institute for Animal Production, Ciawi, Bogor, Indonesia using 79 adult rabbits (20 does and 20 bucks of Hycole, 14 does and 12 bucks of Hyla, and five does and eight bucks of New Zealand white). The age of the rabbits evaluated in this experiment was rabbits with age 20 wk old. The mean birth weight for Hyla was 53.6 g + 7.5 g, Hycole was 51.6 g + 9.9 g, and NZW was 54.4 g + 10.7 g. This experiment was carried out for 3 mo. The feed used during the experiment was commercial feed. A complete randomized design with unbalanced data analysis was used for quantitative traits and descriptive analysis for qualitative traits. Qualitative characteristics of hair color variation of Hyla rabbit was different than other with 7.7 % pointed on their white hair color, and hip type compact of Hycole, Hyla and New Zealand White were 90 %, 84.6 % and 76.9 %, respectively. Quantitative characteristics of chest depth of Hycole and Hyla rabbits were higher than New Zealand White. Hycole and Hyla rabbits showed high body size at Head height, Ear length, Ear width, Chest depth, Radius Ulna, Femoris, Length of the spine. Crossing of these rabbits with New Zealand White rabbit have potential to develop broiler rabbits that adapted in tropic.