Genetic parameters of ultrasound fat depth and eye muscle measurements in live Poll Dorset sheep
1994
Gilmour, A.R. | Fogarty, N.M. (New South Wales Agriculture, Orange (Australia). Agricultural Research and Veterinary Centre) | Luff, A.F. (New South Wales Agriculture, Cowra (Australia). Agricultural Research Station) | Banks, R. (New South Wales Agriculture, Armidale (Australia))
Records on 4338 young sheep were analysed, representing 161 sires and 79 management-sex groups. The heritabilities of liveweight, ultrasonic fat depth and ultrasonic eye muscle measurements were estimated after adjustment for management-sex group, birth and rearing type, age class of dam and age of the animal. Ultrasound measurements of fat depth at the GR site were available on 2065 lambs under 8 months of age representing 76 sires in 33 groups. Heritability estimates for fat depth adjusted for liveweight, at the GR and C sites in these lambs were made. There is potential for including eye muscle depth in selection indices to improve leanness. Ultrasound measurement of eye muscle width and area will not improve prediction of eye muscle over that attained by measuring eye muscle depth. Predicted responses in liveweight, fat depth and eye muscle depth for 5 breeding objectives for terminal sires, using the appropriate LAMBPLAN selection indices, are shown and discussed.
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