Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

(Co)variance components and genetic parameters for growth traits in Arabi sheep using different animal models

2012; Research Foundation of Ribeirão Preto; Volume: 11; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.4238/2012.february.8.5

1676-5680

Borhan Shokrollahi, Hasan Baneh,

Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals

The objective of the present study was to estimate genetic parameters for body weight at different ages in Arabi sheep using data collected from 1999 to 2009.Investigated traits consisted of birth weight (N = 2776), weaning weight (N = 2002) and weight at six months of age (N = 1885).The data were analyzed using restricted maximum likelihood analysis, by fitting univariate and multivariate animal models.All three weight traits were significantly influenced by birth year, sex and birth type.Age of dam only significantly affected birth weight.Log-likelihood ratio tests were conducted to determine the most suitable model for each growth trait in univariate analyses.Direct and total heritability estimates for birth weight, weaning weight and weight at six months of age (based on the best model) were 0.42 and 0.16 (model 4), 0.38 and 0.13 (model 4) and 0.14 and 0.14 (model 1), respectively.Estimation of maternal heritability for birth weight and weaning weight was 0.22 and 0.18, respectively.Genetic and phenotypic correlations among these traits were positive.Phenotypic ©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp.com.br