Phenotypic characterization of sheep breeds in Gamogofa zone

Abstract Background Information on the morphometric character of indigenous sheep population in their habitat is prerequisite to set up the breed improvement under the farmer level in Ethiopia. Still, there is a long way to characterize, identify and document the existing indigenous sheep type. The study was conducted in Gamogofa zone of Southern Ethiopian with the objective of describing the morphological characterization of the indigenous sheep breed. Methods Purposive sampling techniques were employed to select target farmers. Qualitative, body weight and body measurement were taken from 736 sheep. All the collected data were analyzed using Generalized Linear Model procedure of the statistical analysis system (release 9.1, 2003). Results Plain black (34%) and red (19.6%) are the dominant color types with long thin tail (88.2%) in both ewe and ram sheep. Almost 99.3% of ewe’s and 100% of rams had no wattle. The majority (90.4%) of the sheep had a straight tail form at the tip, straight head profiles (88.7%) and also horizontal ear forms (51.2). Agroecology, sex, and age had a significant effect on body weight and linear body measurements. The mean body weight, whiter height, body length, chest girth, shoulder width, cannon bone width, tail length, and tail circumference for ram and ewe sheep were 28.1 ± 0.37 and 24.0 ± 0.18, 58.6 ± 0.32 and 56 ± 0.05, 65.5 ± 0.35 and 62.3 ± 0.17, 75.9 ± 0.47 and 71.0 ± 0.21, 16.95 ± 0.18 and 15.24 ± 0.09, 7.45 ± 0.06 and 6.5 ± 0.03, 27.44 ± 0.3 and 21.04 ± 0.26, 17.11 ± 0.42 and 9.56 ± 0.14 cm, respectively. Body weight and linear body measurements were higher in ram and increased with age. The correlation coefficient between body weight and most of the linear body measurement at different sex and age group were positive. The highest correlation coefficient was obtained between body weight and chest girth for both sex and age groups. Conclusion It was concluded that native sheep had a possible for the versatile role to generate income for livestock keepers. Therefore, genetic improvment program should aim at farmers need to cope with trait preference and existing traditional herding and breeding practice