Multi-farm evaluation of morphometric, reproductive and productive traits of Jamuna basin indigenous and Muzaffarnagari cross breed sheep of Bangladesh.

The study aimed to determine the more performance sheep between Jamuna basin indigenous and Muzaffarnagri cross breeds with respect to their morphometric, reproductive and productive traits for farmers' choice of Bangladesh. Farm visit, routine monitoring, spot observation and semi-structure questionnaire were used for field data collection. Morphometric traits like body weight (BWT), withers height (WH), heart girth (HG) and body length (BL) were studied both on matured rams and ewes of Jamuna basin indigenous and Muzaffarnagri cross breed sheep and scrotal circumference (SC) and testicular length (TL) on mature rams. Muzaffarnagri cross sheep had significantly higher body weight than Jamuna basin indigenous sheep. The ram traits were dominated over female except Jamuna basin indigenous ewes had higher body length than male. The age at first service (AFS), gestation length (GL), age at first lambing (AFL), lambing interval (LI) and post-partum interval (PPI) were found significantly shorter in Jamuna basin indigenous ewes than those of Muzaffarnagari cross breed ewes. The multiple births and number of female lambs were higher in Jamuna basin indigenous than those of Muzaffarnagari cross breed sheep. In reverse, single birth and number of male lambs were higher in Muzaffarnagari cross breed sheep than those of Jamuna basin indigenous sheep. The birth weight, 30 and 60 days weight, average daily gains at (0-30) and (30-60) days were significantly higher in Muzaffarnagari cross breed lambs than those of Jamuna basin indigenous lambs. Male lambs were dominated in weight and daily gain over female lambs in all age groups and breed difference were significant. Although Jamuna basin indigenous is comparatively more prolific in nature in reproductive traits but morphometric and productive features of Muzaffarnagari cross breed sheep may generate more money to fulfill the farmer's dream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]