The phenotype characteristics of Iraqi Awassi and Iraqi Nuaimi sheep

The phenotype characteristics of Iraqi Awassi and Iraqi Nuaimi sheep

Ameer K. Thabet and Jaafar Ahmed
Under Supervision of: Assist. Professor Dr Falah Hasan Ali Baiee

Abstract
Small ruminants play a major role for strengthening the backbone of rural economy; especially sheep are integral to the cultural, social and economic livelihood of the rural farmers of Iraq. The native Iraqi sheep breeds include the Awassi (Nuaimi and Shefali), Hamdani and Arabi sheep. However, there are many Iraqi sheep breeders cannot distinguish between breeds. Hence, the study was aimed to differentiate between the phenotypic characteristics of the Iraqi sheep breeds. This study was undertaken on 1800 local Iraqi sheep that aged 1-7 years, weighted 30-90 kg. Samples were collected randomly from Najaf, Najaf desert, Diwaniyah, Samawa and suburbs, representative of all central provinces. Nuaimi Iraqi sheep are distinguished by their convex face and having 87.7% of them Blaze on the animal front, in addition to the males having horns and their disappearance among the females. It is distinguished by its fine, long and milky white wool, which fleece weight approximately 350 to 750 grams when shaved. According to the current practical study of a number of sheep fields, we did not find an Iraqi sheep breed called Awassi, and it is believed that the name Awassi is a family that includes the Nuaimi and Shefali breeds.