Age Dynamics and Heritability of the Main Selection Traits in Sheep From Karnobat Fine Fleece Breed

Margarit Iliev, Genoveva Staykova, Todor Tsonev

Abstract: Subject of the study were 359 sheep of the Karnobat Fine Fleece breed, raised at the Institute of Agriculture – Karnobat. The aim of the present study was to track the age dynamics and establish the heritability coefficients of the main selection traits. The animals were born in the period 2013–2018 and were daughters of 26 rams. Live weight, wool yield and staple length up to 4.5 years of age, clean wool yield and clean fiber at 1.5 and 2.5 years were the main selection traits that were controlled. The live weight of the Karnobat Fine Fleece sheep increased to 60.79 kg at 4.5 years, and wool yield and staple length increased to 6.98 kg and 11.59 cm at 3.5 years, respectively. Clean wool yield was relatively high – 64.45% and 64.92%, and the amount of clean fiber was 5.20 kg and 4.37 kg at the two studied ages. Heritability values for the main selection traits of sheep from the studied flock were low and vary within narrow limits. The low values of heritability coefficients indicate a reduced genetic diversity, which is not a prerequisite for successful selection and genetic progress in the Karnobat Fine Fleece sheep breed.

Keywords: clean fiber; clean wool yield; heritability; Karnobat Fine Fleece breed; live weight; wool yield

Date published: 2022-12-21