Heritability and environmental parameters for pre-weaning growth traits fo single lambs

Authors

  • Fermín San Primitivo Tirados Universidad de León
  • A. Río Universidad de León
  • Juan Antonio Carriedo González Universidad de León

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18002/analesdeveterinaria.v34.7938

Keywords:

Lamb weights, pre-weaning growth, heritability, churra sheep breed

Abstract

Data on 2188 Churra lambs were used to estimate heritability and environmental parameters for birth weight, weaning weight and pre-weaning daily gain. The study was carried out on lambs born and reared single. The heritability was estimated by paternal half-sib analyses. Data were statistically analysed by least squares (LS) and maximum likelihood (ML) procedures. Heritability estimates for birth weight, weaning weight and pre-weaning daily gain were: 0,29 + 0,07, 0,17 + 0,05 and 0,16 + 0,05, respectively. For birth weight, weaning weight and pre-weaning daily gain, the environmental factors flock, year of birth, and sex of lamb were statistically highly significative. For weaning weight, age at weaning was the most important factor of variation, explaining 13,7% of the total variation. For weaning weight and pre-weaning daily gain, season lambing was found to be a highly significative variation factor while the lactation number of dam was a highly significative variation factor on birth weight and weaning weight.

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Published

1988-01-02

Issue

Section

Research papers