Analysis of Growth Performance Data in Sheep using Linear Mixed Model

Abstract

The annual Ethiopian goat meat and mutton production is very low. Major causes contributing to such low meat production include slaughtering animals at immature body-weights, poor genetic potential of the local breeds, poor feeding conditions and policy issues. Increasing the current level of productivity is essential to provide meat to the ever-increasing human population and to satisfy the huge demand of live-animal export to neighboring countries. Ethiopian Sheep and Goat Productivity Improvement Program has imported Dorper sheep and Boer goat from South Africa to cross with local sheep and goats for the purpose of upgrading the productivity of local breeds. In order to promote the merit of such crossbreeding activities it is important to have data on growth potential characteristics.