Estimation of Genetic Parameters for Growth Traits of Garut Sheep at the Breeding Center in West Java, Indonesia

Abstract Garut sheep ( Ovis aries ) are one of Indonesian native sheep breeds that mainly kept for mutton production purpose. This study aims to determine the estimated breeding value of body weight (BW) and weaning weight (WW) for Garut sheep at West Java of Indonesia. The total of 4,156 data records of BW and WW at 2018 to 2023 from the breeding center (BPPTDK Margawati) were used to analyse the heritability (h 2 ), genetic correlation (r G ), estimated breeding value (EBV), direct selection response (R Y ) and correlated selection response (CR Y ) values. Research showed that the h 2 value in BW and WW were moderate (0.10-0.30) and the r G for both traits are positive and high (0.77). The highest of EBV for BW and WW in garut sheep (male/female) were 3.39/3.05 kg and 16.68/18.85 kg, respectively. Therefore, the optimum R Y for WW (0.35 kg/year) were obtained by using sire for 3 years and dams for 5 years. In conclusion, the WW of Garut sheep can be improved by selection program with the selected breeding lambs.