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Data were collected over a period of 21 years (1988-2008) to estimate (co)variance components for birth weight (BWT), weaning weight (WWT), 6-month weight (6WT), 9-month weight (9WT), 12-month weight (12WT), average daily gain from birth to weaning (ADG1), weaning to 6WT (ADG2), and from 6WT to 12WT (ADG3) in Sirohi goats maintained at the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan, India. Analyses were carried out by restricted maximum likelihood, fitting six animal models with various combinations of direct and maternal effects. The best model was chosen after testing the improvement of the log-likelihood values. Heritability estimates for BWT, WWT, 6WT, 9WT, 12WT, ADG1, ADG2, and ADG3 were 0.39 ± 0.05, 0.09 ± 0.03, 0.06 ± 0.02, 0.09 ± 0.03, 0.11 ± 0.03, 0.10 ± 0.3, 0.04 ± 0.02, and 0.01 ± 0.01, respectively. For BWT and ADG1, only direct effects were significant. Estimate of maternal permanent environmental effect were important for body weights from weaning to 12WT and also for ADG2 and ADG3. However, direct maternal effects were not significant throughout. Estimate of c (2) were 0.06 ± 0.02, 0.03 ± 0.02, 0.06 ± 0.02, 0.05 ± 0.02, 0.02 ± 0.02, and 0.02 ± 0.02 for 3WT, 6WT, 9WT, 12WT, ADG2, and ADG3, respectively. The estimated repeatabilities across years of ewe effects on kid body weights were 0.10, 0.08, 0.05, 0.08, and 0.08 at birth, weaning, 6, 9, and 12 months of age, respectively. Results suggest possibility of modest rate of genetic progress for body weight traits and ADG1 through selection, whereas only slow progress will be possible for post-weaning gain. Genetic and phenotypic correlations between body weight traits were high and positive. High genetic correlation between 6WT and 9WT suggests that selection of animals at 6 months can be carried out instead of present practice of selection at 9 months.

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(Co)variance components and genetic parameters of weight at birth (BWT), weaning (3WT), 6, 9 and 12 months of age (6WT, 9WT and 12WT, respectively) and first greasy fleece weight (GFW) of Bharat Merino sheep, maintained at Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan, India, were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood, fitting six animal models with various combinations of direct and maternal effects. Data were collected over a period of 10 years (1998 to 2007). A log-likelihood ratio test was used to select the most appropriate univariate model for each trait, which was subsequently used in bivariate analysis. Heritability estimates for BWT, 3WT, 6WT, 9WT and 12WT and first GFW were 0.05 6 0.03, 0.04 6 0.02, 0.00, 0.03 6 0.03, 0.09 6 0.05 and 0.05 6 0.03, respectively. There was no evidence for the maternal genetic effect on the traits under study. Maternal permanent environmental effect contributed 19% for BWT and 6% to 11% from 3WT to 9WT and 11% for first GFW. Maternal permanent environmental effect on the post-3WT was a carryover effect of maternal influences during pre-weaning age. A low rate of genetic progress seems possible in the flock through selection. Direct genetic correlations between body weight traits were positive and ranged from 0.36 between BWT and 6WT to 0.94 between 3WT and 6WT and between 6WT and 12WT. Genetic correlations of 3WT with 6WT, 9WT and 12WT were high and positive (0.94, 0.93 and 0.93, respectively), suggesting that genetic gain in post-3WT will be maintained if selection age is reduced to 3 months. The genetic correlations of GFW with live weights were 0.01, 0.16, 0.18, 0.40 and 0.32 for BWT, 3WT, 6WT, 9WT and 12WT, respectively. Correlations of permanent environmental effects of the dam across different traits were high and positive for all the traits (0.45 to 0.98).

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