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PSXII-30 Genetic and phenotypic correlations for growth and resistance to gastrointestinal parasitism in meat goats and hair sheep


 Genetic and phenotypic correlations for growth and response to parasite infection traits were estimated for growing male meat goats and hair sheep from different farms in the southcentral United States during three consecutive central performance tests (CPT). Data were collected for 7–10 wk after artificial infection with Haemonchus contortus, which included average daily gain (ADG), fecal egg count (FEC), packed cell volume (PCV), and immunoglobin (Ig) levels. Animals evaluated were selected randomly in year 1 and in years 2 and 3 progeny of CPT sires classified as highly or moderately resistant and included 46, 50, and 51 Boer, Kiko, and Spanish goats and 59, 61, 34, and 46 Dorper, Katahdin-farm A, Katahdin-farm B, and St. Croix sheep, respectively. Females were classified accordingly on-farm based on FEC and FAMACHA. Pedigree records included 4 and 10 full-sibs and 97 and 149 half-sibs for goats and sheep, respectively. Variance components and correlations were estimated by AIREML using WOMBAT with a multivariate animal model. The additive genetic correlation between FEC and PCV was negative for goats (r=-041, P < 0.001) but positive for sheep (r=0.21, P = 0.004), whereas the phenotypic correlation between FEC and PCV was nonsignificant for goats but negative for sheep (r=-0.252, P < 0.001). The genetic correlation between FEC and IgA was positive (r=0.39, P < 0.001) for goats but nonsignificant (P = 0.439) for sheep, whereas those of FEC with IgM and IgG were both negative (r=-0.369 and -0.732 with IgM and r=-0.284 and -0.702 for goats and sheep, respectively; P < 0.001). Genetic and phenotypic correlations between ADG and FEC were nonsignificant for both species. In conclusion, different relationships of FEC and PCV between species require careful attention during selection and the lack of relationship between ADG and FEC suggests that selection of growing male meat goats and hair sheep for resistance to internal parasitism will not adversely affect growth performance.