Comparison of different models for the estimation of genetic parameters of body weight traits in Moghani sheep

Authors

• Navid Ghavi Hossein-Zadeh Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Guilan, PO Box 41635-1314, Rasht, Iran
• Mehrnaz Ardalan Department of Animal Science, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, PO Box 31587-77871, Karaj, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2137/145960610792912639

Keywords:

heritability, animal model, growth traits, maternal effect, meat sheep

Abstract

Genetic parameters for birth weight (BW), 3-month weight (3MW), 6-month weight (6MW), 9-month weight (9MW) and yearling weight (YW) in Iranian Moghani sheep were estimated using restricted maximum likelihood procedure of MTDFREML program. The data and pedigree information used in this research were collected at the Breeding station of Moghani sheep (Ardebil province, Iran) during 19872005. Six different animal models were fitted, differentiated by including or excluding maternal effects, with and without covariance between maternal and direct genetic effects. The estimates for direct heritability ranged from 0.31 to 0.54, 0.21 to 0.34, 0.13 to 0.25, 0.11 to 0.22 and 0.10 to 0.17 for BW, 3MW, 6MW, 9MW and YW, respectively. The estimates were substantially higher when maternal effects, either genetic or environmental, were ignored in the model. The results of this study show that full models with maternal genetic and environmental effects gave the most accurate estimates for body weight traits in Moghani sheep.;