The present study was undertaken with the objectives to estimate the genetic parameters on growth traits of Rambouillet sheep. The data were obtained from the records of 7161 Rambouillet sheep maintained at Government Sheep Breeding and Research Farm, Reasi, Jammu, India. The data were spread over a period of sixteen years i.e. from 2000 to 2015. The growth traits included in the study were birth weight (BW), three-month weight (3MW), six-month body weight (6MW), nine-month body weight (9MW) and twelve-month body weight or yearling weight (YW). Estimates of (genetic parameters were obtained by paternal half sib correlation method. The estimates of heritability for BW, 3MW, 6MW, 9MW and YW were 0.223±0.17, 0.156±0.04, 0.402±0.09, 0.586±0.11 and 0.550±0.11, respectively. The highest genetic correlation was obtained between 9MW and YW. 9MW had high heritability and high genetic correlation with YW indicate that 9MW can be used as criterion for selection.
Key words: Heritability, Genetic correlations, Growth traits, India, Rambouillet sheep.
|
