Morphometric and production traits characterization of malvi sheep in malwa region of Madhya Pradesh

Introduction

India harbours an exceptionally diverse array of indigenous sheep germplasm, reflecting its vast agro-climatic variability and long-standing pastoral traditions. As per the 20th Livestock Census (2019), the national ovine population stands at approximately 74.26 million, positioning India as the world's third-largest sheep-rearing nation (BAHS, 2019). The ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) has formally registered 46 indigenous sheep breeds to date, representing a critical step towards conserving and valorizing this genetic heritage. Despite this, nearly 50% of India's sheep remain non-descript, lacking systematic characterization of their morphometrics, productivity, reproductive traits, and genomic profiles (Breed-wise Survey Report, ICAR-NBAGR, 2022, https://nbagr.res.in/brc). The Malvi sheep population has been distinctly recognised by pastoral rearing communities for approximately 50 years. Malvi sheep display variable coat colour (predominantly white, black, brown, or black-and-white) with frequent brownish patches and dark brown to black pigmentation on the face, neck, and ears. The head is slightly convex with a Roman nose and elevated profile; ears are medium-long, pendulous, and leafy. The breed shows a high dressing percentage, indicating excellent carcass yield and good meat-producing potential under local conditions. Malvi sheep are well adapted to the semi-arid agro-climatic conditions of central India and are primarily reared under an extensive or pastoral system. The Malvi sheep represents a promising yet formally unregistered indigenous population in its native tract; however, published information on its morphometric traits, milk composition, wool characteristics, and overall productive performance remains scarce. The present work aims to address these knowledge gaps by providing a comprehensive documentation and analysis of phenotypic and morphometric characteristics, milk quality parameters, wool attributes (fibre diameter, staple length, and fleece traits), key production and reproduction performance indicators, as well as the traditional rearing and management practices followed by pastoralist communities for the Malvi sheep.

Materials and Methods

Geographical distribution

The Malvi sheep is indigenous to the Malwa and Nimar regions of Madhya Pradesh, centrally located at approximately 23.78° North latitude and 75.99° West longitude, within a semi-arid transitional zone characterized by black cotton soils, undulating plateaus, and erratic monsoon rainfall ranging from 600 to 900 mm annually. This compact breeding tract spans 112 square kilometres across eight districts, with Dhar and Indore serving as core areas supporting the highest population density due to communal grazing lands along the Narmada River tributaries (Fig. 1).

Fig 1: Native tract of Malvi sheep in Madhya Pradesh

Field visits were conducted across various villages located in the native breeding tract of the Malvi sheep in order to gather comprehensive and representative data. The random sampling method was used to select the villages to minimize sampling bias or systematic error. The survey work was strategically scheduled: data collection at farmers' homes was carried out during the morning hours when animals were usually confined, whereas observations in the grazing areas (range) were made during the daytime when flocks were out for grazing. A total of approximately 35 villages spread across the key districts of the Malvi sheep's home tract were covered during the survey period. For selecting individual flocks and animals, purposive sampling technique as described by Singh and Chaudhary (1989) was adopted, which allowed targeting of typical, representative flocks maintained under traditional management systems. The average flock size in the breeding tract was observed to consist of approximately 60% adult ewes, 15% breeding rams, and 25% lambs (below one year of age). The total population of Malvi sheep in the home tract is estimated to be around 45,000-50,000 heads. The phenotypic characterization of the Malvi sheep breed was achieved through detailed on-field examination and recording of data from 130 different flocks belonging to the breeding tract. Body weight and a comprehensive set of body measurements (biometry) were recorded separately for male and female animals across various physiological age groups, namely: at birth, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, at first lambing (for females), and in adult animals. The exact age of each animal was ascertained by interviewing the farmer about the month and year of birth, and this information was subsequently verified and confirmed through dentition examination using the method described by Banerjee, 1991. The morphological traits were measured for both sexes including body length, chest girth, height at withers, and body weight, etc. All linear measurements except body weight were taken in centimetres using a flexible measuring (inch) tape, while body weight was recorded in kilograms using a weighing balance. This systematic approach ensured standardized and comparable data across the population studied.

Results and Discussion

The Malvi sheep is a medium-to-large sized breed native to Madhya Pradesh, primarily raised for mutton, wool, and milk production. The coat colour varies from white, brown and black with black or brown patches of varying intensity and distribution over white coat colour. The patches are also seen around the head. The face exhibits slightly convex profile with a prominent roman nose and elevated face. The coat colour is wool type with medium fleece length. The wool is medium thick coarse and non-lustrous and covers head, face, belly and legs. The ears are long, pendulous, and leafy. Horns and wattles were absent in both the sexes. The tail is long and thick, and cylindrical in shape. The limbs are tall and slender and covered with wool (Fig 2 ). A total of 2,600 animals ( males and females) within the breeding tract were evaluated for measurements of morphometric traits-including body length (BL), height at withers (HW), and chest girth (CG), as well as body weight (BW). The overall mean body weights were recorded in the present study under field conditions for both the sexes (Table 1). At birth, the body weight for male was 3.50 ± 0.28 kg, and for female the boy weight was 2.50 ± 0.23 kg. At 3 months of age, the body weight for male was 11.00 ± 1.28 kg, and for female it was 9.15 ± 1.17 kg. At 6 months of age, the body weight for male was 14.25 ± 1.10 kg, and for female it was 11.50 ± 1.05. At 1 year of age, the body weight for male was 31.50 ± 1.27 kg, and for female it was 27.50 ± 1.05 kg. At first lambing, the body weight for female is 28.25 ± 1.20 kg.

The adult body weight for male is 39.25 ± 1.85 kg, and for female is 33.50 ± 1.30 kg; which is higher than Sonadi sheep with 12 months body weight of 23.31 ± 0.12 kg ( Tailor et al., 2006) [6] . Sahana et al. (2004) [5] has reported adult body weight of of male and female Jalauni sheep 35.5 ± 2.1 and 27.2 ± 0.7 kg, respectively. The morphometric measurements for adult rams showed mean ( ± SE) values of 78.50 ± 1.50 cm for body length, 82.50 ± 1.6 cm for height at withers, and 74.50 ± 2.4 cm for chest girth. For adult ewes, the corresponding values were 70.50 ± 1.80 cm, 76.50 ± 1.40 cm, and 70.50 ± 1.80 cm, respectively (Table 2). Higher values for body length, height at withers, and chest girth in Madgyal sheep were reported by Tarange et al. (2023) [7] .

Performance traits Milk traits

The dairy performance traits are presented in Table 3. The average daily milk yield was 310.50 ± 4.25 ml, and the total lactation milk yield was 30.5 ± 1.50 kg. The lactation length ranged from 85 to 105 days, with a mean of 95.5 ± 1.20 days. The fat percentage in milk ranged from 4-6 %, with an average of 4.50 ± 0.10 %. The solid-not-fat content in Malvi sheep was 8.75 ± 0.15 %.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementThe Authors acknowledge NBAGR, Karnal for providing financial assistance as farmers for cooperation during survey.

References

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