Impact of selection in body weight at birth and yearling age in economic return from magra flock at farmer's level

The study on growth records belonging to two Sire groups spread over a period of three years, three centers, two seasons (in birth weight) and two sexes was carried out. The data from Network Project on Magra sheep improvement in farmer's flock at Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, CVAS, RAU, Bikaner were used. The least-squares means for body weight at birth and 12 months of age were found to be 2.94±0.03 and 29.22 ± 0.036 kg, respectively. The effect of sire groups (elite and local), years (1998–2000), centers (Norangdesar, Gadhwala and Kilchu), seasons (January–June and July–December), sexes (male and female) and sire group X year interaction were observed to be highly significant on both the body weights. The progeny of elite rams weighed on an average 90 g more than the lambs of local sires available with the sheep breeders. Considering current price of Rs. 40.00/kg of live weight, the net annual gain in body weight at one year of age on account of improved sires was observed as 3.015 kg thereby an extra profit of Rs. 120.60/lamb/annum over and above the other income at 12 months of age. It was a significant economic gain to a poor shepherd. The use of superior germplasm in farmer's flock increased the socioeconomic status of sheep breeders.