Table 3 Least square mean and standard error (LSM ± SE) of linear body measurement (cm) sheep breed

Agroecology

*

*

*

ns

ns

ns

na

‘Dega’ ewe

8.62 ± 0.15

12.5 ± 0.07

6.44 ± 0.03

21.4 ± 0.37

9.69 ± 0.19

6.34 ± 0.15

WD ewe

9.72 ± 0.16

12.8 ± 0.08

6.57 ± 0.05

20.7 ± 0.37

9.42 ± 0.21

7.09 ± 0.16

ns

ns

**

**

**

ns

*

‘Dega’ ram

8.46 ± 0.19

13.27 ± 0.19

7.19 ± 0.09

26.41 ± 0.37

15.07 ± 0.62

20.5 ± 0.86

25.4 ± 0.73

WD ram

8.82 ± 0.14

13.64 ± 0.14

7.72 ± 0.08

28.46 ± 0.41

19.16 ± 0.49

20.3 ± 1.42

28.1 ± 0.59

Sex

ns

**

**

**

**

**

na

Ewe

9.03 + 0.09

12.67 + 0.05

6.50 + 0.03

21.04 ± 0.26

9.56 ± 0.14

6.72 ± 0.11

Ram

8.68 ± 0.11

13.49 ± 0.11

7.45 ± 0.06

27.44 ± 0.30

17.11 ± 0.42

20.4 ± 0.76

Age

ns

**

**

ns

*

ns

**

1PPI

8.74 ± 0.12

12.2 ± 0.07^a

6.58 ± 0.05^a

23.2 ± 0.41

12 ± 0.31^a

12.8 ± 0.64

22.8 ± 0.42^a

2PPI

8.82 ± 0.14

13.8 ± 0.09^b

6.70 ± 0.06^b

24.6 ± 0.44

13.7 ± 0.38^b

13.6 ± 0.38

26.2 ± 0.57^b

≥ 3PPI

9.18 ± 0.12

14.4 ± 0.08^c

6.91 ± 0.05^c

26.3 ± 0.37

14.1 ± 0.31^b

14.0 ± 0.43

31.3 ± 0.63^c

Sex by age

ns

**

**

ns

**

Ewe*1PPI

8.90 ± 0.16

11.9 ± 0.09^a

6.26 ± 0.04^a

21 ± 0.53

8.4 ± 0.27^a

Ewe*2PPI

8.85 ± 0.17

12.6 ± 0.08^b

6.43 ± 0.05^a

21.3 ± 0.48

9.3 ± 0.26^a

Ewe* ≥ 3PPI

9.22 ± 0.13

13.1 ± 0.08^bc

6.68. ± 0.05^b

22.0 ± 0.38

10.5 ± 0.21^b

Ram*1PPI

8.49 ± 0.15

12.7 ± 0.12^b

7.12 ± 0.07^c

26.9 ± 0.40

15.3 ± 0.53^c

Ram*2PPI

8.72 ± 0.24

13.7 ± 0.21^c

7.60 ± 0.12^c

27.3 ± 0.66

17.6 ± 0.84^d

Ram* ≥ 3PPI

9.01 ± 0.25

14.9 ± 0.18^d

8.16 ± 0.11^d

29.4 ± 0.51

20.1 ± 0.85^e