Pre-weaning growth performance in deccani sheep

The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the effect of genetic and non-genetic factors on preweaning growth traits in Deccani flock comprising records of 300 animals maintained at Livestock Research Station, Mahabubnagar, Telangana State from October, 2012 to July, 2015. The least squares means for body weight were 2.72 ± 0.03, 4.37 ± 0.07, 5.90 ± 0.10, 7.49 ± 0.12, 9.03 ± 0.14, 10.32 ± 0.15 and 11.48 ± 0.16 kg at birth, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 days of age, respectively. The least-squares analysis of variance revealed highly significant influence of sex on birth weight (P<0.05); season on weaning weight at 90 days (P<0.01) and parity of ewe on body weights at 30, 45 and 60 days age (P<0.05). The effect of weight of dam was non-significant on all the pre-weaning body weights studied.