INFLUENCE OF CANNON BONE CIRCUMFERENCE ON SOME BODY SIZE TRAITS IN RAKHSHANI SHEEP BREED OF BALUCHISTAN (PAKISTAN).

8-month-old, 80 animals, including 40 males and 40 females of Rakhshani sheep were randomly selected from Pirkani sheep farm district, Naseerabad, Baluchistan. The results showed that the average cannon bone circumference in Rakhshani ram was 8.05±0.20 cm and in ewe was 7.53±0.11 cm, statistically significant between male and female of Rakhshani breed. The body weight was higher (P<0.05) in male which was 27.08±0.64 kg and in female 23.91±0.38 kg. The average body height was 65.47±0.82 and 59.98±0.58 cm in rams and ewes, which was significantly higher in rams (male) as compared to ewes (female). The body length was observed as 69.89±0.54 cm and 63.37±0.84 cm in rams and ewes. Rakhshani rams have larger (P<0.05) body length compared to ewes. The cannon bone circumference has strong positive influence on body weight, body height and body length of Rakhshani sheep (P<0.05). The genetic correlation of cannon bone circumference for body weight, body height, body length for male was 0.657, 0.830, 0.783, and for body weight, body height 0.725, 0.639 whereas for body height and body length 0.895. However, for female it was 0.597, 0.810, 0.699 in between cannon bone circumference vs. body weight, body height and body length, and for body weight vs. body height, body length 0.675, 0.619, whereas for body height vs. body length, it was 0.798. In conclusion, the Rakhshani rams have significantly higher cannon bone circumference and has significant influence on body weight, body height and body length of Rakhshani sheep breed of Baluchistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]