Five-years crossing scheme involving the Spanish V-line (V) and Saudi Gabali (S) rabbits was practiced to produce 14 genetic groups: V, S, ½V½S, ½S½V, ¾V¼S, ¾S¼V, (½V½S)2, (½S½V)2, (¾V¼S)2, (¾S¼V)2, ((¾V¼S)2)2, ((¾S¼V)2)2, Saudi 2 and Saudi 3. A total of 3496 litters of 1022 does mothered by 419 dams and fathered by 151 sires were used to evaluate litter size at birth (LSB) and weaning (LSW), litter weight at birth (LWB) and weaning (LWW), litter survival (PLS), milk yield at lactation intervals of 0-7 days (MY07), 0-21 days (MY021), 0-28 days (total, TMY), milk
conversion ratio (MCR), milk components (fat, protein, lactose, ash and total solids), total (TFC) and daily (DFC) feed consumption per doe per litter, feed to litter gain conversion ratios (FCRLG), and feed to milk conversion ratios (FCRM) in different doe genetic groups obtained. The solutions of the mixed model equations for the genetic group effects were used to identify the possibilities of using
Saudi 2 and S3 as synthetic lines in hot climate areas.
S2 line was significantly superior to S by 1.12 kit, 1.45 kit, 54 g, 558 g, 72%, 111 g, 170 g, 180 g, and 753 g in LSB, LSW, LWB, LWW, PLS, MY7, MY21, MY28, and TMY, respectively
(P