Power of phenotypes in discriminating Awassi sheep to pure strains and from other breeds

The phenotypic description is the oldest method for animal taxonomic studies. In this study, we report phenotypic traits of discriminant power to assign sheep individuals into Awassi breed or other exotic breeds found in Jordan. Twenty-two and 19 phenotype traits for ewes and rams, respectively, were utilized using multivariate and discriminant analyses. Seven traits, out of them, for ewes and five for rams were qualitative traits: body color, nose shape, horn presence, ear shape, wattles presence, udder shape, and teat placement. The other 15 traits were quantitative traits: body weight, head width, head length, chest depth, chest girth, shoulder width, withers height, foreleg height, shin circumference, body length, rump width, rump length, rump height, rear leg height, and udder height. The traits were taken on 1697 and 652 adult ewes and rams of different breeds, respectively. The breeds were predefined as Awassi and three exotic breeds: Chios, Assaf, and improved Awassi sheep. The results indicated a significant relationship of the 21 and 16 studied traits in assigning and discriminating individual's sheep into their correct breed. The analysis revealed the clustering of the three strains of Awassi sheep in Jordan as the Baladi, the Naemi, and the Saqri. The genetic distances have also confirmed the findings. However, the potential of gene flow between Awassi strains and the exotic breed was reported. The phenotypic traits with discriminant power would be utilized in a guideline for sheep taxonomy in general and for Awassi sheep in particular.