The objective of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters of three
important categorical traits in sheep using GIBBS SAMPLING (GS) program. These
traits were conception rate (CR). number of lambs bom (NLB) and number of lambs
weaned (NLW) of Rahmani ewes in Egypt. Data consisted of 1437 Rahmani ewes
raised at two farms. Mehallet-Mousa (mid delta) and EI·Serw (North Delta). belong to
the Animal Production Research Institute (APRI) Ministry of Agriculture. The model
included the effects of location. year of lambing. season and parity as fixed effects
and the effects of the additive genetic and permanent environmental variances as
random effects. The heritability estimates for CR, LB and LW were 0.01. 0.02 and
0.02 as a result of GS program. respectively. Genetic correlations were 0.93. 0.76
and 0.79 between CR and NLB . CR and NLW and between NLB and NLW.
respectively.