JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE AND VETERINARY MEDICINE
Integrity Research Journals
ISSN: 2536-7099
Model: Open Access/Peer Reviewed
DOI: 10.31248/JASVM
Start Year: 2016
Email: jasvm@integrityresjournals.org
Assessment of phenotypic correlations and prediction of body weights of New Zealand White and Californian White Rabbits using linear and quadratic models
https://doi.org/10.31248/JASVM2025.607 | Article Number: 4EDD1EA01 | Vol.11 (2) - April 2026
Received Date: 23 September 2025 | Accepted Date: 05 November 2025 | Published Date: 30 April 2026
Authors: Okon, B.* , Ibom, L. A. , Okon, F. I. , Nkerede, M. E. , Uzodima, O. L. and Ibom, E. K.
Keywords: correlation, rabbit, prediction, linear and quadratic models, phenotypic trait
A total of 104 rabbits generated from 24 sexually mature, 5 months purebred of the mating from New Zealand White (NZW) and Californian White (CAL), 12 per breed, which comprised 3 bucks and 9 does mated in a ratio 1:3, replicated thrice, were used in the study. Phenotypic traits measured were body weight (BWT), ear length (ELT), nose length (NTS), heart girth (HGT), shoulder to tail drop (STF), body length (BLT), tail length (TLT) and length of front leg (FLT) from 9 to 21 weeks of age were used to estimate phenotypic correlations and predict body weights using both linear and quadratic models for the two breeds of rabbits. Results of correlation coefficients of post-weaning traits investigated for NZW rabbits expressed mostly high, positive and negative but significant (p<0.01) values for 9, 13, 17 and 21 weeks of age, with few low, positive significant (p<0.05) values and non-significant (p>0.05) values. Whereas, results of phenotypic correlations of CAL rabbits expressed mostly non-significant (p>0.05), both positive and negative low values, with the exceptions of high, positive significant (p<0.01) correlation coefficients between STF and HGT, between BLT and STF for week 17, between STF and NTS, between TLT and ELT, and between TLT and NTS for week 21 of age. The results of high phenotypic correlations mean that these traits could be used for improvement and selection. The regression estimates of parameters and coefficient of determination (R2) for simple (one trait), multiple (two or more traits) and quadratic (X2) for predicting body weights of NZW and CAL rabbits showed highly significant (p<0.01) values associating interrelationships for both breeds of rabbits. Body weights were predicted with effluent accuracy from phenotypic traits of NZW and CAL rabbits using linear and quadratic models. It can therefore be recommended that, where measuring scales are unavailable, rabbits' body weights can be best predicted using BLT and TLT, and BLT and NTS in simple and quadratic models, respectively.
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