Study design
The purpose of the experiment was to compare
the genetic resistance to helminthiasis of the two indigenous breeds of sheep -
Dorper and Red Maasai, together with their crosses. Throughout six years from
1991 to 1996 Dorper (D), Red Maasai (R) and Red Maasai - Dorper crossed ewes
were mated to Red Maasai and Dorper rams to produce a number of different lamb
genotypes.
In the first year 12 Dorper and 12 Red Maasai rams were mated to
Dorper and Red Maasai x Dorper ewes (Red Maasai genes coming from the sire (ram)
and Dorper genes coming from the dam (ewe)).
Red Maasai ewes were not available in this year and the study formed what is known in the
discipline of genetics as a partial diallel design.
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