Male Heterosis Effect on Lamb Production Traits of the Ewe

Authors

T. S. Ch'ang, CSIRO Division of Animal Production
R. Evans, CSIRO Division of Animal Production

Date of this Version

1986

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.

Abstract

In a CSIRO Sheep Heterosis Experiment, 387 F₁ ewes were mated to either purebred, F₁ or F₂ rams for studying the effect of male heterosis on several lamb production traits and to investigate pro rata retention of male heterosis based on the dominance hypothesis. Evidence was found to demonstrate the occurrence of a moderate effect due to the F₁ rams (versus the purebreds) and the dominance hypothesis appeared adequate to account for the pro rata retention i.e. at 50%, of heterosis in the F₂ rams.