Abstract
ABSTRACTGenetic evaluation of dairy sheep for lactation yields at 150 days of milk, fat, protein and lactose, and for live weight, somatic cell score, first let-down time and yield, and litter size at birth was performed in a New Zealand flock. From 123 crossbred ewes, 479 monthly flock tests were obtained during the season 2015/2016. Lactation curves were derived using a random regression model with orthogonal polynomials of order 4. Breeding values were estimated from a multiple-trait animal model using heritabilities and genetic correlations published in the literature, and phenotypic standard deviations obtained from the data set. This model can be extended to other dairy sheep farmers to create selection schemes at an industry level and start a systematic breeding program for the emerging dairy sheep industry.
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