Phenotypic characterization of indigenous sheep breeds in the Jimma Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

The objective of the study was to undertake phenotypic characterization of sheep, in their production environment. A total of 570 sheep were used in this study for body measurements. After the data were collected, using the Proc GLM model, quantitative data were analysed by SAS version 9.3 (2014) and qualitative data were analysed by SPSS. The dominant coat colour pattern observed was 81.1% plain, 16.4% patchy and sheep with spotted pattern (2.5%), respectively. Brown (43.5%), fawn (17.5%) and red (13.0%) were the most frequently observed coat colour types. The majority (91.1%) of sheep were polled whereas (8.9%) of the sheep were horned. The effect of the district on body weight and most of the linear body measurements were significant (p < 0.05) except head length, canon bone length, ear length and tail length. Chest girth explains more variation than any other linear body measurements in both ewes (94%) and rams (93%). The prediction of body weight based on regression equation y = -21.82 + 0.68x for female sheep and y = -49.90 + 1.08x for male sheep, where y and x are body weight and chest girth, respectively. In general, it could help as an input for efficient utilization, conservation and improvement in the future.

Automated summary

The objective of this study was to characterize the phenotypic features of sheep in their production environment. The study found that the dominant coat color pattern was plain, followed by patchy and spotted patterns. Brown, fawn, and red were the most frequently observed coat color types. Most sheep were polled, while a small percentage had horns. The study also showed that the district had a significant effect on body weight and most linear body measurements. Chest girth was found to be the most influential measurement for predicting body weight. These findings provide valuable information for the efficient utilization, conservation, and improvement of sheep in the future.