Study on Effect of Environmental Influences on Pre-Weaning Growth Traits in Mecheri Sheep
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Date
2016
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Abstract
Analysis of pre-weaning growth rate performance in
Mecheri sheep was carried out using age-wise body weight
data of Mecheri lambs maintained at Mecheri Sheep
Research Station, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal
Sciences University, Pottaneri. The age-wise data for the
period of twenty four years from 1991 to 2014 were
considered for this study. Besides analysing the effects of
environmental influences, viz., period of lambing, season
of lambing and sex of lamb born on pre-weaning growth
traits were also analysed. In addition, the overall leastsquares
means of pre- weaning AGR (g/day) measures
was 79.97 ± 0.56. Period of birth, season of lambing and
sex of lamb born were a highly significant (P < 0.01) source
of variation in influencing the measures of pre-weaning
AGR (g/day) was estimated. Among the least-squares
means obtained for pre- weaning AGR (g/day) measured at
different period of lambing, the maximum value (99.37 ±
1.04) was found in period 6 (2011 - 2014) and minimum
(60.61± 1.53) in period 1 (1991 - 1994) lambing. Besides,
season 2 (July- September) lambing was found highest
(93.90 ± 0.78) pre-weaning AGR (g/day) and lowest (61.84
± 0.81) in season 1(January-March) lambing. Similarly,
male lamb had maximum (84.84±0.85) pre-weaning AGR
(g/day) than female lamb (74.79 ± 0.71) also estimated.