Genotype by Birth or Rearing type Interaction for Growth Traits in Merino Sheep — ASN Events
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Genotype by Birth or Rearing type Interaction for Growth Traits in Merino Sheep (#39)

Akhmad Dakhlan 1 2 , Nasir Moghaddar 2 , Julius H.J. van der Werf 2
  1. on leave from Animal Science, University of Lampung, Bandar Lampung, Lampung, Indonesia
  2. School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia

SUMMARY

This study explores if there is an interaction between the genetic potential for growth in Merino lambs and their birth or rearing type. Data consisted of 3,920 singles and 4,492 twins birth type and they were the progeny of 285 sires and 5,279 dams. We found a significant sire by BT interaction with the sire x BT effect accounting for 1.59% and 2.49% of the phenotypic variation for birth weight (BWT) and weaning weight (WWT), respectively. The effect was not significant for post weaning weight (PWWT), scan fat (SF) and eye muscle depth (EMD) with sire x BT effects accounting for less than 1% of the variation. Sire by RT interaction effects were much smaller and not significant for WWT, PWWT and SF, but accounting for 1,83% in EMD, which was significant. Results from bivariate analysis correlations lower than one for expression of weight traits when expressed in singles versus twins, with BT having a slightly larger effect on genotype expression than RT.

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