Calculating economic weights for sheep sire breeds used in different breeding systems

WOLFOVÁ, Marie, WOLF, Jochen and MILERSKI, Michal. Calculating economic weights for sheep sire breeds used in different breeding systems. Journal of Animal Science, 2011, 89, 1698-1711. ISSN 0021-8812.
Year2011
CathegoryScientific publication in impacted journals
Internal link11044.pdf
Abstract

The objective of this paper was to adapt gene-flow methodology for the calculation of economic weights (EW) for direct and maternal traits and trait components in sheep and to apply this methodology to the Suffolk breed in the Czech Republic. Computer programs were developed in which annual-lambing sheep production systems with pure-breeding or partial terminal crossing were simulated. Using these programs, the EW for 12 production and functional traits were estimated (i) for Suffolk sires whose sons were used both in pure-breeding and in terminal crossing with the 4 dual-purpose breeds Romanov, Sumavska, Romney, and Merinolandschaf and (ii) for Suffolk sires used only for terminal crossing. In the case (i) the EW were at first calculated separately for the pure-breeding system and for the crossing systems with the 4 dual-purpose breeds in dam position. Compound EW for the general breeding goal for Suffolk were then estimated as weighted averages from the EW in the 5 sub-systems.