SEX, GENE X ENVIRUNMENT EFFECT ON BODY WEIGHT AND LINEAR BODY MEASUREMENTS OF INDIGENOUS SHEEP OF NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Three hundred and seventy eight adult semi intensively managed indigenous sheep randomly sampled in the three administrative zones (A, B and C)of Niger state, Nigeria. They were used to investigate the effect of sex, gene X environmental interactions on body weight and linear body measurements. Parameters measured were body weight (BW), head length (HL), head width (HW), height at withers (HAW), chest depth (CD), chest girth (CG) shoulder point width (SPW) rump length (RL), rump width (RW), shin circumference (SC), body length (BL), fore leg length (FLL) horn and hind leg length (HLL). Result showed that sheep with wattle from zone B were significantly (p<0.05) better in CG, CD, RL, RW and SPW, while zone C sheep were superior (p<0.05) in BW, BL, HAW, HL, HW, FLL and HLL. Wattleless sheep from zone B showed better (p<0.05) performance in BW, HAW,CG, CD, RL, RW, SC, HLL and SPW while those from zone C were superior (p<0.05) in Bl, Hl and Fll. Male sheep in zone B were better in almost all the parameters measured. In the females, zone B and C sheep had better (p<0.05) performance than those from zone A. Soft haired sheep from B had higher (p<0.05) mean values for HAW, CG, HL, HW, RL, SC and FLL; zone C had better (p<0.05) values for BW, BL, RW and HLL while zone A sheep were only superior (p<0.05) in CD. Coarse haired sheep from zone B had better (p<0.05) mean values for six of the parameters measured; zone C sheep had better (p<0.05) values for five of the parameters while those from zone A are superior (p<0.05) only in CD. Horned sheep from zone B had higher (p<0.05) values in all the parameters measured except in HW where zone A sheep were better. Zone B and C polled sheep shared superiority in all the parameters measured. It was concluded that sex, gene x environment interaction influenced body weight and body measurements in indigenous sheep of Niger State.