On Farm Phenotypic Characterization of Indigenous Sheep Types in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted in Soddo Zuria, Damote Gale and Damote Sore districts of Wolaita zone of Southern Nations Nationalities Peoples Regional State. The objectives of the study were to undertake phenotypic characterization of indigenous sheep type under farmers’ management condition and to develop equation for prediction of body weight by using linear body measurements. Data on the assessment of qualitative characters and linear body measurements were collected from a total of 630 sheep that were drawn from 180 households. The sampled sheep were identified by sex, age and district. The most dominant coat colour patterns were plain and patchy. Red, red with white spotted and white were the most frequently observed coat colour with short and smooth hair type. Most sheep possessed long fat tail with straight tip. Sex, dentition and district had significant effect on body weight and most of body measurements. Positive and highly significant correlations were observed between body weight and most of the body measurements in both sexes. The result of the multiple regression analysis showed that chest girth explained more variation than any other measurements in both ewes (94%) and rams (93%). The prediction of body weight could be based on regression equation y=-43.62 + 0.98x for female and y=-71.30 + 1.39xfor male sample sheep population where y and x are body weight and chest girth, respectively. Further study of sheep at molecular level should be done to determine the genetic differences of sheep types in the study area.

Keywords: Body weight, characterization, linear body measurement