PHENOTYPIC SURVEY OF LOCAL SHEEP BREEDS IN IRAQ

Abstract

This study was conducted in the various regions of Iraq (north, center, and south) from January to September 2023. It collected data on 572 local sheep, consisting of 100 Karadi breeds, including 90 ewes, 10 rams, and 100 Hamdani sheep strains. Eighty-seven ewes, 13 rams, 100 Arabi sheep, 91 ewes and nine rams, and finally 271 Awassi sheep, 221 ewes, and 50 rams, from the governorates of Baghdad, Babylon, Najaf, and Anbar, as they are the areas that represent the environment of these breeds of Iraqi sheep. Moreover, one hundred and twenty Guraishi sheep, including 108 ewes and 12 rams, were also involved. The goal was to study the local sheep spread in these areas, record their appearance and productivity and compare them with the exact measurements in previous studies. The current study showe0d that the Hamdani sheep were significantly superior (P≤ 0.01) in body weight, followed by the Guraishi sheep. The Karadi and Awassi sheep were the least weighted, and the Arabi sheep were the least weighted. At a time when the body weight characteristics of the rams of the Guraishi and Hamdani sheep models were similar, they were significantly superior (P ≤ 0.01) over other breeds. This superior of the Guraishi and Hamdani strains included most of the studied characteristics. At the same time, the Awassi breeds came third, and the Arabi breeds came last, except for chest circumference, which did not show a significant difference between all breeds and models. It can be concluded that as we move from south to north, Iraqi sheep increase in weight and size, and their colors tend to take on almost one pattern: the white body, with the head and legs being black or brown. The Arabi breed is unique in having more than one color among its individuals.

Keywords: Iraqi Sheep, Phenotype, Body measurements, Body weight.