Genetic parameters of birth and weaning weights in a closed flock of corriedale sheep

Records of 2355 Corriedale lambs born from 1986 to 1994 at Sheep Breeding Farm, Shuhama (SKUAST), Srinagar were utilized to study the genetic parameters of birth and weaning weights of this breed maintained under temperate agro-climatic conditions of Kashmir valley. The estimates of heritability were 0.117±0.44 and 0.138±0.48, respectively, for birth and weaning weights. Genetic, phenotypic and environmental correlations of birth weight and subsequent body weights were all positive and moderate, whereas, these estimates of weaning weight with weights at later ages were all positive and high. Selection for higher weaning weight could be effective in simultaneous improvement of post-weaning growth traits.