Genetic Analysis of Ewe Productivity Traits in Baluchi Sheep

The present study was carried out to estimate (co)variance components and genetic parameters for some productivity traits of Baluchi ewes. The data were collected during a 31 year period (1984-2014) at the experimental breeding station of Baluchi sheep, which is located in north-east of Mashhad, Iran. The analysis was based on 14030 records of lambs and 4371 records of ewes. Investigated traits were litter size at birth (LSB), litter size at weaning (LSW), litter mean weight per lamb born (LMWLB) and litter mean weight per lamb weaned (LMWLW) as basic traits, total litter weight at birth (TLWB) and total litter weight at weaning (TLWW) as composite traits. Genetic analysis of the studied traits was performed applying restricted maximum likelihood (REML) procedure by fitting a linear mixed animal model. Direct heritability estimate for LSB, LSW, LMWLB, LMWLW, TLWB and TLWW were 0.10, 0.08, 0.13, 0.07, 0.12 and 0.05, respectively. Corresponding values for repeatability estimates were 0.18, 0.17, 0.19, 0.15, 0.18 and 0.15, respectively. Direct genetic correlation estimates among the studied traits varied from -0.52 for LSW and LMWLB to 0.99 for TLWB and TLWW. Phenotypic and environmental correlation estimates were generally lower than those of genetic ones. Although low direct heritability's were estimated for the reproductive traits, as these traits are of interest then they used as the primary selection criterion to bring about genetic improvement in ewe productivity traits.