J. Anim Sci.
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J. Anim Sci. 1984. 58:1138-1143.
© 1984 American Society of Animal Science
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Transmitted Effect of Purebred versus Crossbred Rams on Rate and Variability of Lamb Growth1

D. J. Stritzke2, J. V. Whiteman3 and R. W. McNew4

Oklahoma State University, Stillwater 74078

Abstract

The performance of 457 fall-, 510 winter-and 640 summer-born lambs from several years was examined to compare the progeny of purebred Hampshire (H) or Suffolk (S) and crossbred (S x H or H x S) rams for mean and variability of growth rate. Eight rams (four crossbred and four purebred) were mated to white-faced crossbred ewes each season with a total of 37 rams represented in the study. Individual rams were exposed to approximately 30 ewes each season. Purebred-sired lambs were slightly heavier at birth than crossbred-sired lambs averaged over seasons (P=.10). The differences in birth weight between purebred- and crossbred-sired lambs were .08 kg (P = .28); .15 kg (P=.20) and .13 kg (P=.03) for fall, winter and summer seasons, respectively. For 70-d weight and average daily gain from weaning to market weight (ADG), the differences between purebred- and crossbred-sired lambs were not consistent over seasons. Purebred-sired lambs were 1.62 kg heavier (P = .02) at 70 d of age for the winter season, but were .26 (P=.44) and .27 kg (P = .48) lighter than crossbred-sired lambs for the fall and summer lambing seasons, respectively. Differences in ADG between lambs sired by purebred and crossbred rams were –27 (P=.01), 35 (P = .01) and 5 g/d (P=.28) for fall, winter and summer seasons, respectively. The pooled estimates of variability (variances) in purebred- and crossbred-sired lambs were .457 and .514 kg2 for birth weight, 14.44 and 15.64 kg2 for 70-d weight and .0027 and .0026 kg2 for postweaning ADG. These data substantiate the meager evidence in the literature that there is little if any difference in the variability of growth rate of lambs sired by purebred vs crossbred rams.

Footnotes

1 Journal Article 1234 of the Agr. Exp. Sta. Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater. Research was conducted by the Dept. of Anim. Sci. (Project 1519) in cooperation with USD A, ARS, Southern Region. Project 1519 is a contributing project to North Central Region Project 111 "Increased Efficiency of Lamb Production."

2 19505 S.W. Ecotopia Lane, West Linn, OR.

3 Dept. of Anim. Sci.

4 Dept. of Statist.






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Copyright © 1984 by the American Society of Animal Science.