Estimation of Variance Components and Heritabilities of Growth Characteristics in Morkaraman Lambs Using Different Statistical Methods

Abstract

Bilgin, O.C., Esenbuga, N., Macit, M. and Karaoglu, M. 2004. Estimation of variance components and heritabilities of growth characteristics in Morkaraman lambs using different statistical methods. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 26: 83–88.

Henderson's method 3, maximum likelihood (ML), restricted maximum likelihood (REML) and minimum variance quadratic unbiased estimation (MIVQUE) methods were used to estimate variance components and to predict heritabilities of birth weight, weaning weight and daily weight gain until weaning in Morkaraman lambs. The different variance components methods gave similar results. The moderately-high estimate of heritability for weaning weight, demonstrates an opportunity for improvement of this trait through genetic selection.

Key words:

• Variance components
• heritability
• growth traits
• Morkaraman lambs