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Estimation of genetic parameters for litter size in sheep: a comparison of a repeatability and a multivariate model

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

M. J. de Vries ,
E. H. van der Waaij  and
J. A. M. van Arendonk
M. J. de Vries
Affiliation:
Animal Breeding and Genetics Group, Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences, Wageningen Agricultural University, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
E. H. van der Waaij
Affiliation:
Animal Breeding and Genetics Group, Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences, Wageningen Agricultural University, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
J. A. M. van Arendonk
Affiliation:
Animal Breeding and Genetics Group, Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences, Wageningen Agricultural University, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Abstract

Genetic parameters were estimated for litter size in two prolific sheep breeds, i.e. the Zwartbles and the synthetic breed Swifter. Genetic parameters and breeding values for litter size in different parities were estimated using both a repeatability and a multivariate animal model. The estimated heritability from the repeatability model was 0·10 for the Zwartbles and 0·12 for the Swifter. For the multivariate model, heritability of litter size in first, second and third parity was 0·05, 0·07 and 0·10 for the Zwartbles and 0·09, 0·12 and 0·09 for the Swifter. Genetic correlation for litter size in Swifter was 0·81 between parity 1 and 2 and 0·99 between parity 2 and 3. For the Zwartbles genetic correlations were all very close to unity. Environmental correlations between litter size in subsequent parities were not constant over parities. Phenotypic variance in litter size in both breeds was 0·309 in first parity and was almost 50% higher in later parities. Based on the results it is recommended to apply a multiple trait model.

Keywords

genetic parameterslitter sizemultiple traitrepeatability modelsheep
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 66 , Issue 3 , June 1998 , pp. 685 - 688
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1998

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