Background:

There are no studies that allow developing these programs for their conservation and genetic improvement of South American cobays. The objective of this article was analyze genotypic and environmental factors that influence the growth traits of a native line of guinea pigs from the south of the Ecuadorian highlands.

Methods:

The work was carried out in the experimental farm of Irquis of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Cuenca, with guinea pigs belonging to two native sublines originating from rural breeders of the provinces of Azuay and Cañar. The weight-for-age traits and the daily weight gains measured in grams were analyzed using a mixed variance analysis model with the fixed effects; size of litter (5), time (semester), sex and number of delivery of the mother with software R 3.4.4. The sub-lines Azuay (1) and Cañar (2) and the parents within sublines formed the random effects. The basic statisticians were determined.

Results:

The weights at birth, at weaning and at 90 days, measured in grams, were 110.2 ± 1.81, respectively, and 117.0 ± 1.44; 212.2 ± 4.30 and 221.13 ± 3.38; 540.7 ± 12.01 and 659.1 ± 9.44. The heritabilities for these characters were 0.09 ± 0.101; 0.34 ± 0.201 and 0.11 ± 0.111. In addition, weights were analyzed at 30; Four. Five; 60; 75 and 90 days of births and earnings among all ages. The BLUP predictors were determined for the parents of both su-blíneas. Variation and heritabilities allow to apply selection in the weight at weaning and at 90 days.

Conclusions:

The line showed low growth levels, but there is enough variation and its heritabilities would allow to expect favorable progress in case of a medium-term selection program.