A study on effect of carrying FecB gene on body weight in garole and GarolexMalpura sheep

Abstract

High prolificacy in Garole sheep is due to existence of FecB mutation in an autosomal gene, bone morphogenetic protein receptor. The mutation enhances ovulation rate and in turn litter size in Garole sheep. Garole sires were crossed with non-prolific Malpura ewes with the aim to introduce prolificacy into GarolexMalpura (GxM) crosses through FecB introgression programme. In the present study, the effect of carrying booroola allele on litter size and live body weight was analyzed. The average litter size at birth was found to be 1.87 and 1.48 in the Garole and the GxM crosses, respectively. At weaning, 6-month, 9-month and 12-month of age, body weights were not affected by the presence of booroola allele (p>0.05); however, a significant effect (p<0.05) was found on body weight at birth in GxM crosses. In Garole sheep, no significant effect of FecB was observed on live weights in any age group. The interaction between the genetic group and the FecB genotype was also found to be non-significant.