Genetic evaluation of growth in farmers' flocks of Madras Red sheep under long-term selection in a group breeding scheme.

The Network Project on Sheep Improvement (NWPSI)-Madras Red field unit is a group breeding scheme involving 198 farmers' flocks of Madras Red sheep in which selection for growth traits and rotation of rams have been practised for over two decades. Growth data collected from these flocks were used to evaluate the performance and understand the direct and expected responses to selection based on genetic parameters. The body weight at birth (BW), weaning weight (WW), 6-month weight (6W), 9-month weight (9W), 12-month weight (YW), pre-weaning average daily gain (ADG1, birth to 3 months), post-weaning ADG2 (3-6 months), ADG3 (6-9 months), ADG4 (9-12 months) and ADG5 (3-12 months) were 2.