ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING GREASY WOOL YIELD TRAITS OF BUCHI SHEEP IN PAKISTAN

M. Akhtar, K. Javed, M. Abdullah, R. H. Mirza and M. A. Elzo*

Department of Livestock Production, Faculty of Animal Production and Technology, University of Veterinary and Animal Science Lahore, Pakistan.
*Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 – 0910, USA.
Corresponding author: drmaqsood66@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Data on Buchi sheep collected from 1986 to 2010 maintained at the Livestock Experiment Station Jugaitpir, Pakistan were analyzed to study the environmental factors considered to be sources of variation for greasy wool traits in Buchi sheep.The average values and standard errors were 1.88 ± 0.11 kg for greasy wool yield at 1st shearing, 1.84 ± 0.01 kg for greasy wool yield at 2nd shearing and 3.21 ± 0.02 kg for annual grassy wool yield. Statistical analysis was performed by using the mixed procedure of the SAS statistical package. The model included year and season of birth, sex, type of birth, parity, age and weight of dam at lambing, and two-way interactions between these factors as fixed effects and residual as a random effect. Analysis revealed that all wool yield traits were significantly (P < 0.05) affected by year of birth, sex of lamb, interaction between year and season, and interaction between year and sex of lamb. In addition, wool yield at 1st shearing was also affected (P < 0.05) by age of dam at lambing. Season, type of birth, parity, and weight of dam were not important for any greasy wool yield trait in this Buchi flock. Significant effects of different environmental factors on all wool yield traits found here suggested that an effective action plan would be required to face any severe climate and feed scarcity situations on the farm.
Key words: Buchi sheep, environmental factors, interaction, wool.