Vol. 12, Special Issue 9 (2023)

The current investigation was taken up to evaluate the genetic parameters like heritability estimates, genetic correlations, phenotypic correlations and linear regression analysis of ten different biometrical measurements at different age periods in the Deccani flock comprising of 300 animals which were maintained at Livestock Research Station, Mahabubnagar in Telangana State. The heritability estimates of Deccani sheep at different age groups recorded were very low for height at withers, heart girth and paunch girth which ranged 0.01±0.00 to 0.19±0.03 while the heritability estimates were low to moderate for body length and chest depth which ranged 0.06±0.00 to 0.33±0.04. The genetic and phenotypic correlations of the different biometrical measurements at different ages were positive and ranged from 0.15±0.04 to 0.99±0.06 and from 0.18±0.06 to 0.99±0.02. The R2 values generated from the backward regression analysis for determining the prediction equations for body weight from biometrical measurements varied from 0.184 to 0.198, 0.147 to 0.177, 0.230 to 0.242 and 0.364 to 0.380 at different pre and post weaning age groups of 90, 180, 270 and 360 days of age. The biometrical measurements like Height at withers, rump height, body length, hip width, heart girth, Paunch girth and fore-cannon bone length had significant influence on the body weight.