Productive and breeding qualities of the sheep of Aginskaya breed, Zugalai type

The genetic potential of wool and meat productivity of semi-coarse wool sheep was evaluated for the creation of animal groups that would meet requirements of the desirable type. The article presents the results of the study of productivity and breeding abilities of semi-coarse wool sheep of Aginskaya breed, Zugalai type, belonging to mutton-wool production type. The study was carried out in the pedigree breeding unit of Trans-Baikal Territory. The scope of research was to study productive and breeding qualities of sheep of various age and gender groups. It was established that sheep of Aginskaya breed, Zugalai type, correspond to the elite class by 37.5%, rst class – by 51.7% and second class – by 10.8%. Zugalai type semicoarse wool rams exceed the breed standard in live weight by 37.4%, replacement rams – by 38.0%, ewes – by 15.4% and young ewes – by 25.7%, and in terms of pure wool production – by 28.6; 25.0; 7.7 and 8.3%, respectively. Production and yield of wool, its length, morphological composition and neness by fractions of semi-coarse wool sheep were identi ed. The semi-coarse wool of Zugalayan sheep is heterogeneous and consists of ne eece (79.5-80.6%), medullated bers (12.7-13.4%) and coarse hair (6.0-7.8%). The neness of bers by fractions varies between 21.4-22.9 microns for ne eece, 39.7-40.2 for medullated bers and 72.2-77.3 for coarse hair. The results of the control slaughter of semi-coarse wool rams at the age of 6 months show their reasonably high meat productivity. The slaughter mass of Zugalai type specimens is 18.5 kg, the slaughter yield is 50.9%, rst grade meat yield is 92.9%, the meatiness ratio is 3.8.