Genetic evaluation of growth rate and efficiency-related traits in Menz sheep

Asfaw Bisrat, Shanbel Besufkad, Aschalew Abebe, Shenkute Goshme, Ayele Abebe, Tesfaye Zewdie, Alemnew Areaya, Zeleke Tesema, Chekol Demis, Erdachew Yitagesu, Yeshitila Wondifra, Tadiwos Asfaw, Enyiew Alemnew, Solomon Gizaw, Tesfaye Getachew, Barbara Rischkowsky, Mourad Rekik, Berhanu Belay and Aynalem Haile

PLOS ONE, 2025, vol. 20, issue 12, 1-14

Abstract: Growth efficiency traits are economically important and their genetic improvement is essential in small ruminants, particularly under conditions of limited feed availability. Data on body weights of Menz sheep collected from 2009 through 2023 in Menz sheep community-based breeding programs (CBBPs) were used to estimate genetic parameters for six months weight (WT6), average daily gain from birth to weaning (ADG1), average daily gain from weaning to six months (ADG2), and average daily gain from six months to yearling (ADG3), and corresponding kleiber ratios (KR1, KR2, KR3), efficiency of growth (GE1, GE2, GE3), and relative growth rate (RGR1, RGR2, RGR3). Least-squares analysis was performed using the PROC GLM procedure in SAS 9.4. (Co)variance components and corresponding genetic parameters were estimated using the Average Information Restricted Maximum Likelihood (AI-REML) method in WOMBAT software by fitting six univariate animal models that incorporated various combination of direct additive, maternal genetic, and permanent environmental effects. The year of birth, season and villages of CBBP contributed significantly (P

Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0337718

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0337718

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