Investigation of genetic and phenotypic trends for growth traits in Moghani sheep

To estimate genetic and phenotypic trends of growth traits a data set collected from 1995 to 2008 by the Moghani breeding station were used. (Co) variance components for traits were estimated by derivative free restricted maximum likelihood (DFREML) and breeding values of animals were predicted with Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) methodology under multi-trait animal models and then genetic trend estimated on based the most appropriate model. Genetic and phenotypic trends of studied traits were estimated regression mean of breeding value and phenotypic on birth year. Direct genetic and phenotypic trends for birth weight(BW), weaning weight(WW), 6- month weight(6MW), average daily gain birth to weaning(ADG0-3), average daily gain weaning to 6- month (ADG3-6), kleiber ratio from birth to weaning (KR0-3) and kleiber ratio from weaning to 6 month (KR3-6) were estimated 2 and 31; 36 and 528; 43 and; 0.617 and 4.258; 0.223 and 0.144; 0.016 and 0.165 and 0.007 and -0.235 gr per year, respectively. Total genetic progress of 14 years for BW, WW and 6MW were 38, 401 and 578 gr and 65.541, 2.697, 2.497 and 0.090 for ADGa, ADGb, KRa and KRb, respectively.