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Genetic parameter estimates for fecal egg counts and their relationship with growth in Avikalin and Malpura sheep

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2019

G. R. Gowane Open the ORCID record for G. R. Gowane [Opens in a new window] ,
C. P. Swarnkar ,
S. S. Misra ,
R. Kumar ,
A. Kumar  and
L. L. L. Prince Open the ORCID record for L. L. L. Prince [Opens in a new window]
G. R. Gowane*
Affiliation:
Animal Genetics and Breeding Division, ICAR-Central Sheep & Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan 304501, India
C. P. Swarnkar
Affiliation:
Animal Health Division, ICAR-Central Sheep & Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan 304501, India
S. S. Misra
Affiliation:
Animal Genetics and Breeding Division, ICAR-Central Sheep & Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan 304501, India
R. Kumar
Affiliation:
Animal Genetics and Breeding Division, ICAR-Central Sheep & Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan 304501, India
A. Kumar
Affiliation:
Animal Genetics and Breeding Division, ICAR-Central Sheep & Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan 304501, India
L. L. L. Prince
Affiliation:
ICAR-Directorate of Poultry Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Telangana 500030, India
*
†E-mail: gopalgowane@gmail.com
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Abstract

Breeding for resistance against nematodes has become the need of the hour due to emergence of anthelmintic resistant strains of major pathogenic nematodes of economic importance and rising demand for chemical residue free food by consumers. ICAR-Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute Avikanagar (Rajasthan) has developed Haemonchus contortus resistant lines of sheep in Avikalin and Malpura breeds by harvesting benefits of over-dispersion in fecal egg counts (FEC) through executing a breeding program since year 2004. Aim of the present study was to assess the genetic parameters for nematode resistance in these lines and also to develop suitable criteria for selection targeting resistance as well as growth improvement in these two lines. The data on 1240 Avikalin and 2172 Malpura sheep generated over 13 years (2004–16) for FEC along with deep pedigree and growth records for live weight at 6 (6WT) and 12 month were used for study. Data were analyzed using Average Information Restricted Maximum Likelihood (AIREML) approach. Results revealed moderate heritability (h2) for pre-drench log transformed fecal egg count (LFEC) in Avikalin (0.21±0.06) and Malpura (0.18±0.04) sheep. The post-drench h2 for LFEC was low in Avikalin (0.04±0.03) and Malpura (0.11±0.03) sheep. Effective selection program can be carried out for further improving the resistance against H. contortus in both the breeds using pre-drench LFEC estimates. The genetic correlation between the pre-drench LFEC and growth traits was not in the desired direction. Existence of substantial genotype × environment (G×E) interaction was seen in Malpura sheep, where major shift in ranks of sheep based on pre-drench LFEC as that of post-drench LFEC was observed owing to genetic correlation of 0.65±0.15. The G×E was absent in Avikalin sheep. Unreliable genetic correlation between growth and LFEC does not warrant a multi trait selection index development and its utilization in breeding program. The independent selection for LFEC followed by corrected 6WT can precisely help in achieving the goal of improving growth in nematode resistant sheep.

Keywords

body weightsbreeding goalgenotype by environment interactiongenetic correlationshaemonchus contortus
Type
Research Article
Information
animal , Volume 13 , Issue 9 , September 2019 , pp. 1788 - 1796
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2019 

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