Heritabilties for skin follicle traits and their correlations with production traits in Australian fine wool Merino sheep

Abstract

Genetic parameters for skin follicle traits, wool traits, body weight and number of lambs weaned per ewe joined were estimated for fine wool Merinos. Total, secondary and primary follicle number index, which are based on skin surface area and skin follicle density, were considered. Heritability estimates for total, secondary and primary follicle number index were 0.45, 0.46 and 0.38 respectively. The genetic correlations between total follicle number index and clean fleece weight, mean fibre diameter, staple strength, coefficient of variation of fibre diameter, body weight and number of lambs weaned were 0.16, -0.67, 0.00, 0.22 and 0.22, respectively.