Genetic parameters of sheep growth curve traits reared within rangelands under uncertain paternity

This work aims to improve the selection program of the Timahdit breed through the use of the parameters of the Von Bertalanffy model as selection criteria and the treatment of uncertain paternity found in pastoral systems. A database containing 12,029 animals and a pedigree file integrating the probabilities of the parents with a total of 48,292 animals were used in the analysis. An individual estimation of the parameters of the model studied by the nonlinear regression procedure Proc NLIN of SAS was carried out, followed by the determination of the fixed effects which influence these parameters by means of a general linear model using the GLM procedure of the SAS software. The treatment of uncertain paternity is solved by an R code translating Average Numerator Relationship Matrix Model (ANRM). Then, the variance and (co)variance components were estimated by a Bayesian approach using the BRMS package. The high heritability values obtained, between 0.52 and 0.55 for the parameters studied, suggest good prospects for genetic responses to selection and the maintenance of sustained genetic progress, especially when environmental conditions are unfavorable. The positive correlations between all the parameters studied show that animals with rapid development tend to have lower weight performance. Finally, with optimal selection based on the genetic values associated with these parameters, we can make the desired changes to the growth curve by choosing breeders that achieve high weight performances as quickly as possible, and that would allow improving the feed efficiency for these animals, as well as increasing the profitability of sheep farms.