Estimates of the Repeatability of Lamb Growth as a Characteristic of the Ewe

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Abstract
Data were collected over a 6 year period on 829 lambs from 176 grade Rambouillet and Rambouillet x Panama-Rambouillet ewes. The influence of several sources of variation in lamb growth were investigated prior to the calculation of repeatability estimates as a characteristic of the ewe. These repeatability estimates varied considerably depending upon what factors were considered in adjustment of the data. When the data were adjusted for difference due to sex, birth and rearing type of the lamb and the year the record was made, repeatability estimates for birth weight, 70-day weight and rate of gain from 70 to 140 days were 0.37, 0.23 and 0.14 respectively.