A five-years crossing scheme involving the Spanish V-line (V) and Saudi Gabali (S) rabbits was practiced during five generations to produce new synthetic lines: Saudi 2 with structure of ((¾V¼S)2)2 to be used as maternal line, and Saudi 3 with structure of ((¾S¼V)2)2 to be used as paternal line. To perform the genetic analysis, DNA from four sires of the parental generation (V-line and Saudi Gabali purebreds) were used to determine which genetic markers (from 40 RAPD markers used) can be used to differentiate between individuals. To reach high accuracy of homogeneity within families, 526 granddaughter progenies from the 5th generation (Saudi2, with the structure of ((¾V¼S)2)2) were used to perform the genetic and statistical analysis. Traits under investigation included litter size at birth (LSB) and weaning (LSW), litter weight at birth (LWB), 7 days (LW7), 21 days (LW21) and weaning (LWW), litter gain at days interval of 0-21 (LG021) and 0-28 (LG028), pre-weaning litter mortality (PLM), milk yield at lactation intervals of 0-7 days (MY07), 0-21 days (MY021), 7-21 days (MY721), 21-28 days (MY2128), total 0-28 days (TMY), and body weight at 4 and 8 weeks of age. Application of the RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) technique with 40 primers revealed that five polymorphisms between the strains were detected. In single-marker analysis, RAPD marker of OPF09700 explained variation ranged from 10 to 14.7 % for litter weight (LWB, LW7, LW21 and LWW) and gains (LG021), PLM and milk yield (MY07, MY21). RAPD marker of OPA191100 explained variations ranging from 10 to 14 % for LW7, LW21, LWW, LG021 and PLM, while OPF12900 marker explained 14.7 and 16.8% of the variation for body weight at 4 and 8 weeks of age, respectively.
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