Research Article
Belete Asefa, Tadesse Abate
Abstract
This study was aimed to generate organized information on physical characteristics and prediction of live weight using linear body measurements of indigenous sheep types in five districts of Bale zone (Agarfa, Dinsh, Goba, Sawena and Dawe Kechan). The study was based on field measurements. Multistage purposive sampling was used for selection of districts. Three kebeles from each districts were sampled using simple random sampling techniques. About 600 matured sheep (540 female and 60 male) sheep were sampled for body measurements and qualitative character based on four age category (1 PPI, 2 PPI, 3 PPI and 4 PPI). Both qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed using Statistical analysis system. On the identified dimensions, the sheep population in highland district were found within the same region of space and were clustered with long tailed, no toggle, black and red coat color, no wattle, lateral ear form and forward and upright horn orientation while sheep in Sawena and Dawe kechan were characterized as patch coat color pattern with black and white color, polled horn, dropped ear form, fat rumped tail type, concave head profile and absence of toggle and presence of wattle. The highest correlation between chest girth and body weight both for male and female sheep indicate that chest girth is the best variable for predicting live weight than other measurements. The overall mean of body weight, body length, heart girth, wither height, pelvic width, ear length, rump height, rump length, rump width and head length were 26 Kg, 48.75 cm, 71.4 cm, 62.1 cm, 16.32 cm, 11.1 cm, 63.66 cm, 14.04 cm, 16.86 cm and 9.11 cm, respectively. The best predicted body weight (BW) Model for female sheep is -13.53+0.40HG+0.25BL-0.17HL and Model for male sheep (BW) is -13.66+0.41HG+0.39SC+0.27RL-0.11PW. The present phenotypic characterization reveals that, the existence of diversity of sheep genetic resource across different agro-ecologies. Arsi bale sheep breed is distributed in highland districts and black head Somali sheep is distributed in lowlands of bale zone.