Effect of Gender on Body Conformation Traits in Lambs

The aim of this study was to determine some body conformation traits of female and male Norduz lambs by using linear type evaluation scheme developed for sheep and to determine the effect of gender on conformation defects. The animal material of the study consisted of 40 female and 41 male lambs aged 5-7 months. Body weight and body measurements of lambs were determined. In the lambs, jaw alignment, pelvisslope, topline, gigot and legs were evaluated as body conformation traits. Correlations among body weight, body measurements and conformation traits were determined in female and male lambs. In the study, there found significant differences between the genders in favor of male lambs for body weight (P<0.05), withers height (P<0.01), body length (P<0.05) and chest depth (P<0.01). However, no significant differences were determined between female and male lambs in terms of body conformation defects except for the side view of the rear legs (P<0.01). By evaluating the conformation traits in different growth periods, it will be possible to detect defective animals in advance and to ensure the productivity of the herd. There is a need to develop linear type evaluation schemes that can be applied on different sheep breeds.