Selection Achievement in Demi-Coarse Wool Sheep Breeding in Russia

The article presents the results of multiyear research to create a new type of demi-coarse wool sheep of the Aginskaya breed in severe environmental conditions of the Trans-Baikal region. At present, the effectiveness of the sheep industry relies on meat productivity of sheep; the foreign experience of sheep breeding shows that young mutton production is the most effective and accounts for more than 80% of the value of gross sheep production. Thus, the goal of the research is to create a new genotype of animals in the demicoarse wool sheep breed that will feature increased meat yield, effectively feed on inexpensive pasture forage, and produce high-quality lamb meat. Works on the creation of the new breed were carried out in two pure breeding (mating) facilities of Mogotuiskii district. As a result, a new type of demi-coarse wool sheep of the Aginskaya breed was approved, namely, Zugalaiskii. Young sheep of the new type is characterized by a high growth rate and good indicators of meat productivity. Dressing percentage of young rams (at the age of 6 months) is 50.9%, and that of hogget (18 months old) is 52.5%; yield of first grade cuts is 92.9 and 93.0%, respectively; carcass cutting yield varies within the range of 79.1 and 78.2%; and the ratio (coefficient) of edible parts to inedible parts of the carcass is equal to 3.8 and 3.6, respectively.