Sheep population structure of Latvia Dark-head breed | Latvijas tumšgalves šķirnes aitu populācija struktūra
2018
Vecvagars, J., Latvia Univ. of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava (Latvia). Faculty of Agriculture | Kairisa, D., Latvia Univ. of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava (Latvia). Faculty of Agriculture
Latvia Dark-head is single local origin sheep breed in Latvia. The breed sheep herdbooks, totally 19 volumes, were issued from 1959 to 1994 with recorded information of 19 Latvia Dark head ram genealogical lines progeny. However, in the 90s of the 20th century those ram line sheep could not be found in the flocks in Latvia. In 2014 eight ram genealogical lines − Apollons 0302, Edzins 0365, Feirams 7251, Ikars 0121, Irbis 0125, Sigars 0005, Simanis 0195, and Skaris 0008 were newly approved. The data of 25,958 Latvia Dark-head breed female sheep (selection population), 8,053 sheep (31.0%) of which in pedigree flocks, and 949 Latvia Dark head breeding rams were used in the study. Sheep were born from 2009 to 2017, and they were registered one of eight ram genealogical line. Most bred Skaris (25.6% of total sire), Apollons (16.9%) and Irbis (14.1%) genealogical lines rams and less bred Edzins and Simanis line rams in selection population. More than a half of the total number of sheep in selection population (55.3%) and in pedigree flocks (57.0%) were Apollons and Skaris line sires. An average age of pedigree flock sheep was 2.6 years, but in selection population an average age was 3.6 years. Among the average age of sheep age there was a significant difference within ram lines. The maximum of the average age of sheep was among Edzins and Feirams lines sheep, and the minimum average age was among Apollons and Irbis lines sheep (p is less than 0.05). More female sheep of Edzins, Ikars and Simanis ram genealogical line sires must be bred for maintaining of genetic diversity in Latvia Dark-head sheep population.
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