Estimation of genetic parameters of growth traits in Magra sheep

Jat, Nitesh , Kumar, Virendra , Chopra, Ashish , Lehga, R. A. , Pannu, Urmila

2026-06-01 TROPICAL ANIMAL HEALTH AND PRODUCTION 2026   58(卷), 5(期), (null页)

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The present study aimed to estimate the heritability as well as genotypic and phenotypic correlations of body weights at different ages, average daily gain (ADG), and Kleiber ratio (KR) in Magra sheep. A total of 5,469 growth records, spanning 26 years (1998-2023), were obtained from the Arid Region Campus of the ICAR-Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Bikaner, Rajasthan. Genetic parameters were estimated using a univariate animal model incorporating fixed effects and random additive genetic effects under the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) framework in WOMBAT software. The estimates of direct heritability were 0.34 +/- 0.02, 0.21 +/- 0.02, 0.20 +/- 0.03, 0.20 +/- 0.03, 0.21 +/- 0.03, 0.21 +/- 0.03, 0.17 +/- 0.02, 0.10 +/- 0.02, 0.23 +/- 0.03, 0.18 +/- 0.03 and 0.10 +/- 0.02, respectively for birth weight (BWT), weaning weight (3MWT), 6-month weight (6MWT), 9-month weight (9MWT), 12-month weight (12MWT), Average daily gains (ADG) i.e. ADG1 (birth to weaning), ADG2 (weaning to 6 month), ADG3 (6 to 12-month), KR1 (ADG1/3MWT0.75), KR2 (ADG2/6MWT0.75) and KR3 (ADG3/12MWT0.75), respectively. Heritability in present flock was moderate in early growth traits of Magra sheep indicating potential of improvement through selection. The genetic and phenotypic correlations among the studied traits revealed potential for their simultaneous improvement, particularly in association with 3MWT. The findings indicated that early selection based on 3MWT could facilitate substantial genetic progress in the resource population.