Characterizing Body Size Variation in Rex, Satin, and Rex-Satin Rabbits: Base and Selected Populations

Abstract

This study aimed to characterize body size variation in Rex, Satin, and Rex-Satin rabbits across base and selected populations. The base population consisted of 25 Rex, 22 Satin, and 21 Rex-Satin rabbits (2005), while the selected population included 40 Rex, 39 Satin, and 40 Rex-Satin rabbits (2021). Morphometric traits measured included head and ear dimensions, chest measurements, limb bone lengths (humerus, radius-ulna, femur, tibia), and body length. Data were analyzed using General Linear Models, discriminant analysis, and canonical analysis. The results showed significant differences between base and selected populations in most traits. Rex bucks differed in chest circumference, chest width, humerus length, and femur length, while Rex does differed in all traits except ear length. Satin bucks showed differences in most traits except head width, ear length, and tibia length, whereas Satin does differed in several traits but not in head width, ear length, radius-ulna length, tibia length, and body length. In Rex-Satin rabbits, bucks differed in all traits except humerus length, while does differed in most traits except head width, ear width, chest width, radius-ulna length, and femur length. These findings highlight the impact of selection on body size traits, providing useful insights for rabbit breeding programs.