• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.594-597
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• 2004

A pedigree file of 4,628 records of Muzaffarnagari sheep, maintained at Central Institute for Research on Goats (CIRG), Makhdoom, was used to calculate the inbreeding coefficient of the flock. The flock had been closed for about 25 years (1978 to 2002). The investigation was aimed to study the effects of inbreeding on survivability of lambs. The cumulative survivability of lambs i.e., lambs survived up to 3, 7 and 15 days, 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after birth was considered for the study. The average level of inbreeding of lambs was 1.60%, ranging from 0 to 26.4%. The average inbreeding coefficient of dam over the periods was 1.00% and it ranged from 0 to 25.0%. Significant (p<0.05) adverse effect of lamb's inbreeding was observed on survivability of lambs at all ages except up to 3 and 7 days after birth. On an average, 1% increase in individual inbreeding coefficient should reduce the 0.31, 0.34, 0.32, 0.31, 0.33, 0.44 and 0.49 percent lamb survival up to the age of 15 day and 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, respectively. Ewes inbreeding had non-significant effects on lamb survival at all ages.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1524-1528
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• 2006

A total of 437 animals, comprising lambs aged between 3 and 12 months and adults of either sex of Muzaffarnagari sheep maintained at the Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom, Farah, Mathura, India were screened to assess the prevalence of Haemonchus contortus infection following natural infection and to identify the various factors affecting faecal egg count (FEC) and packed cell volume (PCV) of ewes and their genetic control. The relationships between FEC, PCV and body weight were also estimated. The prevalence rate for H. contortus infection in the flock under study was 15.7% indicating much lower occurrence of worm infection in lambs up to one year of age. On the other hand, a large proportion i.e., 67.7% of sheep was refractive to natural H. contortus infection. The random effect of sire significantly contributed (p<0.01) variation in log-transformed FEC (LFEC) of ewes. The season of birth had a significant (p<0.01) effect on LFEC of ewes. The lactating ewes had significantly (p<0.01) higher faecal egg counts compared to dry and pregnant ewes. The linear regression effects of the age of ewes on LFEC of animals were significant (p<0.01) in the present study. The heritabilities of LFEC, PCV and body weights of ewes during the course of infection were moderate to high in magnitude and ranged from 0.24 to 0.47. The LFEC of ewes was significantly (p<0.05) and negatively correlated with PCV at both genetic and phenotypic level. The genetic and phenotypic relationships between LFEC and body weights of ewes were -0.26 and -0.06 for this breed. The genetic correlation of PCV and body weight of ewes was positive and high (0.58) and statistically significant (p<0.05) but it was negatively correlated (-0.01) with body weight at the phenotypic level.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1363-1367
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• 2005

A pedigree file of 4,738 records of a purebred flock of Muzaffarnagari sheep, maintained at Central Institute for Research on Goats (CIRG), Makhdoom, for a period of 24 years (1978 to 2001) was used to calculate inbreeding coefficients. The lambtraits studied were birth, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months weights as well as 6 and 12 months fleece yields. The lambs' and ewes' inbreeding coefficients ranged from 0 to 26.4% and 0 to 25%, respectively. The average inbreeding coefficient of lambs was higher than that of ewes in all periods as expected in a closed flock. Fluctuations in lamb and ewe inbreeding were observed in the periods under study. The percentages of animals in the higher inbred categories varied somewhat but generally were relatively constant. The mean rate of inbreeding was 0.63% per generation. The effective population size of the flock was 79.1. On average, an increase of 1% individual inbreeding significantly (p<0.05) reduced weights at birth by 0.010 kg, at 3 month by 0.048 kg, at 6 month by 0.075 kg, at 9 month by 0.129 kg and at 12 month by 0.112 kg. Ewes' inbreeding had non-significant effects on body weight at all ages. Effects of both lambs' and ewes' inbreeding had negative but non-significant effects on fleece weights at 6 and 12 months of age. Thus, inbreeding depression in lambs significantly reduced body weights from birth to 12 months of age but had a negligible effect on fleece yields.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.1238-1244
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• 2001

Two calorimetric experiments were performed to investigate the effects of two diets with same concentrate: roughage ratio (70:30) but varying in composition on energy metabolism and methane production in faunated (F) and defaunated (DF) Muzaffarnagari sheep. For experiment I, ten animals were divided equally into two groups of which one was kept normally F as such while other was DF using 10% sodium lauryl sulphate. All the animals were offered diet I which comprised of oat hay and concentrate mixture I (CM I) containing maize grain (93%) as a major ingredient in 70:30 ratio. Similarly, the experiment II was conducted for which four F and four DF sheep (same as used for experiment I) were switched to diet II that consisted of maize hay and CM II (maize grain 59% + molasses 36%). Through diet II, DM intake in DF sheep was significantly (p<0.05) lower. Intake of GE through both the diets was similar in F and DF sheep. Digestibility of DM, OM, CP and GE and also metabolisability (ME/GE) was similar in F and DF sheep on both the diets. Total urinary energy loss did not differ in F and DF on both the diets, but methane energy loss as a percent of GE in DF was significantly (p<0.05) lower on diet I (3.75 vs 2.48), while it did not differ on diet II (3.20 vs 3.60). Heat production was significantly (p<0.01) reduced in DF on both the diets. Although, efficiency of utilisation of ME for maintenance calculated as per ARC (1984) did not differ in F and DF on both the diets, efficiency for maintenance and growth was higher (0.60 vs 0.672) on diet I in DF. It was inferred that methane production in DF sheep reduces on good quality hay-based diet supplemented with slowly fermentable carbohydrate (maize grain) but supplementation of molasses (rapidly fermentable CHO) nullify this effect when sheep were fed diets with concentrate: roughage ratio of 70:30.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1715-1720
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• 2005

Two promising varieties of forage sorghum viz. HD-15 and J. Sel-10 were identified for their higher forage yield (350-400 quintals per hectare) compared to traditional/existing variety, HC-136 at Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi. Silage of these three forage sorghum varieties viz., HD-15, J.Sel-10 and HC-136 were prepared in three concrete silos for their nutritional evaluation in sheep. Twelve adult Muzaffarnagari Ewes, divided into three equal groups of 4 each, were offered a particular variety of sorghum silage ad libitum over a period of 30 days followed by a 6 day metabolism trial and a collection of rumen liquor and blood samples. The HD-15 variety of forage sorghum silage contained higher crude protein (CP) than both the J.Sel-10 and HC-136. Average daily dry matter (DM) intake (% of live weight) differed significantly (p<0.05) in sheep that were fed the different varieties of silage, with the maximum amount in HD-15 (2.55) followed by J.Sel-10 (2.49) and HC-136 (1.84). The average apparent digestibility of all the nutrients was low in the sheep that were fed the HC-136 variety of sorghum silage when compared to both HD-15 and J.Sel-10. However, digestibility of organic matter (p<0.05) and crude protein (p<0.01) was significantly low in the HC-136 variety. The average daily nitrogen retention was-0.19, 2.15 and 0.42 g in HC-136, HD-15 and J.Sel-10, respectively which differed significantly (p<0.01). The average digestible crude protein and total digestible nutrient (TDN) contents (%) of the silage varieties were higher in HD-15 (3.14 and 55.3) than HC-136 (0.25 and 58.6) and J.Sel-10 (1.58 and 55.3) varieties. On comparing to the maintenance requirements (ICAR, 1985) for dry matter, crude protein and total digestible nutrients, both the improved varieties (HD-15 and J.Sel-10) almost met the requirements except crude protein, which met only 73.3% of the requirement by J.Sel-10, while the HC-136 variety was unable to meet the requirements. The average rumen pH and total volatile fatty acids concentrations were comparable among the groups. However, concentrations of nitrogen metabolites were higher in the animals fed the HD-15 variety of silage. Varieties of sorghum silage also did not have any influence on the concentration of the blood metabolites. It was concluded that the HD-15 variety of sorghum silage was nutritionally superior to both J.Sel-10 and HC-136 silage.