Introgression of Wool-Shedding Genes into the Romane Breed Sheep

Abstract Text:

Wool shedding data were measured on 2762 Romane females and after an experimental design aiming to introgress wool-shedding genes from the Martinik Hair into the Romane breed through 4 successive backcrossing generations. Ability to shed varied from 42.7 % to 52.8% according to age but only 1.2% of adult Romane ewes showed total wool shedding. Estimated heritability of wool shedding was high (0.69) and wool shedding in lambs was strongly genetically correlated (0.86) to wool shedding in adults. After the introgression process, a large increase of the ability to shed (+75.3%) and shedding extent (+145.7%) was observed. This introgressed breeding stock (n=120 ewes) was then selected using EBV. A high genetic gain (+1 σ_g) was observed after 2 generations of selection indicating that a rapid progress can be achieved through introgression of wool-shedding genes and then selection in the Romane breed.

Keywords:

Sheep

Romane breed

Wool shedding introgression