Canonical Correlation Analysis for Estimation of Relationships Between Some Traits Measured at Birth and Weaning Time in Karayaka Lambs

Abstract

In this study, canonical correlation analysis was applied to estimate the relationship between six different morphologic traits (X set - birth weight (BW), body length (BL), height at withers (HW), chest depth (CD), chest width (CW) and chest girth (CG)) measured at birth and the morphological traits measured at weaning time (Y set - weaning weight (WW), body length (BL_W), height at withers (HW_W), chest depth (CD_W), chest width (CW_W) and chest girth (CG_W)) measured from 121 Karayaka lambs, raised at Gaziosmanpasa University. First of estimated six different canonical correlation coefficients (CCC) (r=0.668) between the pairs of canonical variables were found significant (P<0.05). The results of canonical correlation analysis indicated that height at withers, chest girth and birth weight had largest contribution for the explanatory capacity of canonical variables estimated from the morphologic traits of Karayaka lambs at the birth when compared with other body measurements. Height withers and chest girth had largest contribution for the explanatory capacity of canonical variables estimated from the morphological traits of the lambs at the weaning time when compared with other body measurements. As results of this study showed that height at withers, body weight and chest girth measured at birth can be used as early selection criteria for genetic improvement in Karayaka lambs.