GENETIC AND PHENOTYPIC PARAMETER ESTIMATES FOR GROWTH AND CARCASS VALUE TRAITS OF SHEEP

Heritability coefficients as well as genetic and phenotypic correlatio ns of growth and carcass value traits were estimated for German Mutton Merino (GMM), German Longwool Merino (GLM) and Merinoland (ML) using data From test stations recorded between 1990 and 1996. According to t he regulations in German sheep breeding performance testing starts wit h an average weight of 20 kg and ends at a target slaughter weight of about 42 kg involving only male lambs. Traits analysed were preadjuste d for the effects of birth type, recording year, season, flock, contem porary group and age of lamb at measurement. With slight differences a mong the three involved stations/breeds heritability for traits of gro wth intensity ranged from 0.22 to 0.47 and was always lowest for pre t esting daily weight gain (DGB) and highest for daily gain in the testi ng period (DGT). Due to maternal influences only low or no genetic cor relations between DGB and both other traits were found (-0.14 up to 0. 38). There were close relations between daily gain from birth to slaug hter and DGT (0.94 - 0.96). The subjective score for conformation show s considerably lower heritabilities ranging from 0.12 to 0.19 for GMM and GLM whereas for ML the estimated heritabilities between 0.43 to 0. 47 ranged.