Phenotypic and Genetic Factors Affecting on Reproductive Lifetime of Lori-Bakhtiari Ewes

In this study phenotypic and genetic factors affecting the reproductive efficiency of Lori-Bakhtiari ewes were determined using 8202 reproductive records of 2478 ewes collected at Shooli research station in the southwestern part of Iran (Shahrekord) during 1989 to 2012. Reproductive efficiency over all consecutive lambing opportunities were calculated by adding the total reproductive efficiency traits per ewe joined for all of the parturition opportunities. Reproductive traits included in the current study were: number of parity (NP), total number of lambs born (TNLB), total number of lambs weaned (TNLW), total of lambs birth weight (TLBW), total of lambs weaning weight (TLWW), total of lambs weaning weight per kg ewe body weight (TLWW/EBW) and total of lambs weaning weight per kg metabolic ewe body weight (TLWW/MEBW). The data set analyzed with multi-trait animal model included the fixed effects of birth year of ewe, number of parturition in ewe's lifetime, ewe body weight as covariate and random effects direct additive genetic and residual. The overall mean of NP, TNLB, TNLW, TLBW, TLWW, TLWW/EBW and TLWW/MEBW were 3.31, 3.31, 3.21, 16.51 kg, 87.31 kg, 1.51 and 4.16, respectively. The effect of non-genetic factors were significant for all investigated traits in this study (P