Phenotypic Characterization of Indigenous Sheep Breeds in Saudi Arabia

Saudi’s farm animal genetic resources have a particular role to play in managing the rural environment and assisting maintaining wild biological diversity. Our indigenous livestock breeds are of great economic, social cultural importance. The presence is very positive feature for many who live in, work or visit countryside farming frequently core activity on which whole communities depend. Kingdom has rich diverse population sheep, goats, poultry, horses & Camel most it at risk. conservation sustainable use food agriculture widely supported international objective contributing efforts eliminate global poverty achieve world security.
 
 data present study were collected form Noemi, Najdi Hari raised Najd (96, 108, 90 animals, respectively) Qassim region. Eight body measurements studied, Wither heights (WH), Rum (RH), Body length (BL), Head (HL), Heart girth (HG), Muzzle diameter (MD), Cannon circumference (CC) (CL). Noemi taking second size breed sheep Saudi Arabia. smallest Arabia main Hejaz Asir regions belong with coarse hair thick tail strain. results these showed that biggest sizes all 10.9% 11.4% bigger than Hari, Approximate respectively. By other way comparing Noemi’s breed, having (10.5% Approximate) Hari. Three categories ages presents this study, eight, eighteen forty-eight months. first category eight months by 11.2% compare No big differences among different around 2% favor category. In addition, effect sex was significant, male always female. more studied All fixed (effect of: Age, Breed Sex) significant traits expect trait. correlations coefficients moderate high highly significant. highest correlation coefficient found between RH WH (0.872), lowest one CC HG (0.214).