Department of Animal Science
Date of this Version
1986
Abstract
body weights of 120 progeny of horned and polled Awassi rams were compared. Ram group significantly influenced body weight at weaning (p < 0.01), 6 (p < 0.05) and 8 month (p < 0.01) of age in favour of horned-sires. It has been hypothesized that polled gene to exhibit overdominance and / or epistasis for body weight in the heterozygous lambs.
Ram lambs were significantly heavier than ewe lambs at all ages, and single lambs were significantly heavier at birth and weaning. Month of lambing had a significant effect on weaning weight. The effect of age of dam on birth weight was significant.
Comments
Published in 3rd World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, edited by Gordon E. Dickerson and Rodger K. Johnson, 4 vols. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 1986). Copyright © 1986 Board of Regents University of Nebraska.