Rearing practices, morphological characteristics and growth performance of Muzaffarnagari sheep in its home tract

A survey was conducted to study the rearing practices, morphological characteristics and growth performance of Muzaffarnagari sheep in the breeding tract. Data on 512 sheep of either sex pertaining to different age groups were recorded. The results revealed that flocks were mainly maintained by Pal/Gadaria and Khatik communities on extensive system. Lambing and breeding were recorded round the year in the flocks. Animals were shorn twice a year using hand scissors. Overall means for body length, height at withers, chest girth and tail length of lambs (0–1 month old) ranged from 25–28, 32–35, 35–57 and 21–37 cm, respectively. The corresponding figures ranged from 49–55, 55–61, 53–63, 36–44 cm in 1–3 month, 53–60, 59–63, 61–70 and 42–43 cm in 3–6 month, 63–71, 68–76, 65–75 and 42–45 cm in 6–9 month, 80–83, 73–79, 79–81 and 50–54 cm in 9–12 month age groups and 79–86, 80–87, 82–89 and 54–52 cm in adult sheep. The least squares means of body weight were recorded as 6.32, 14.80, 19.82, 22.75, 25.57 and 42.33 kg, respectively in the corresponding age groups. Effect of sex was highly significant (P<0.01) on body weights in all age group except 0–1 month.