Comparison of different models to estimate of genetic parameters of litter size by Bayesian method in the Mehrabani sheep

The present study was carried out to estimate genetic and phenotypic parameters for litter size trait in Mehrabani sheep by threshold model. Data file included the litter size of 5069 ewes which collected from 1994 to 2010 at Mehrabani sheep breeding center under supervision of Agriculture-Jahad Organization of Hamedan. The pedigree file consisted of the information of animals burned which were born from 1987 to 2010. The number of lambs per ewe were used as, repeated records. The effects of herd, year, and lambing time were fitted in the model as fixed effects. The significance of fixed effects was examined using Logistic procedure of SAS software. The analysis for trait was carried out, using the Thrgibbs1f90 program. Estimates of direct heritability, maternal heritability and repeatability were 0.039, 0.11 and 0.057, respectively. The low estimations of direct heritability, maternal heritability and repeatability were obtained in the current study for litter size trait. It indicates that selection based on the ewe’s own performance may result in slow genetic improvement.