Abstract: 【Objective】The objective of the present study was to compare different purebred rabbits based on individual body growth traits and evaluate the germplasm. 【Method】Postweaning data of 909 rabbits from 173 litters representing five breeds, Flemish Giant, New Zealand White, Californian, Chinchilla，Fujian Yellow, were compared for individual growth traits such as body weights at 5 (5WT), 6 (6WT), 7 (WT), 8 (WT), 9 (WT), and 10 (10WT) weeks of age, and post-weaning average daily gain between 5 and 10 weeks of age (ADG), and approximate age at market weight (AGE). The model included main effects of breed type, month of birth of the litter, parity of dam, sex, random effect of litter, litter size at weaning and age at weighting as linear covariate, and the random error. 【Result】 The overall means for 5WT, 6WT, 7WT, 8WT, 9WT, 10WT, ADG, AGE were 619.46 g, 791.57 g, 941.51 g, 1 107.51 g, 1 309.51 g, 1 445.52 g, 23.64 g•d-1 and 103.14 d. Significant sources of variation for individual growth traits were breed and number weaned per litter. The Flemish Giant had heavier body weights in all weeks than the other four breeds (P＜0.05). However, the Fujian Yellow had lower body weights in all weeks than the other four breeds (P＜0.05). Common litter variance explained a significantly large proportion of total phenotypic variance, with the proportions ranging between 0.48 and 0.74. 【Conclusion】This result would lead us to use Flemish Giant as a terminal sire breed because of its better growth rates. A multi-trait selection index with the inclusion of both number weaned per litter and growth traits was used as the criterion of selecting the lines of meat rabbits.   

Key words: meat rabbits, breeds, growth, germplasm evaluation, number weaned per litter, litter variance