Character Attributes DebreLibanos Wuchale Overall Sex Sex Female Male Female Male   N % N % N % N % N % Coat colour pattern Plain 89* 57.42 21* 60.00 97* 64.67 20 40.00 227 58.21 Patchy 60 38.71 6 17.14 44 29.33 20 40.00 130 33.33 Spotted 6 3.87 8 22.86 9 6.00 10 20.00 33 8.46 X2_value 68.68 11.37 78.52 4.00ns   Coat colour type White 7* 4.52 - - 6* 4.00 6 12.00 19 4.87 Black 10 6.45 - - 7 4.67 - - 17 4.36 Brown 23 14.84 8 22.86 32 21.33 8 16.00 71 18.21 Red 6 3.87 5 14.29 9 6.00 6 12.00 26 6.67 white and red with white dominant 5 3.23 - - 6 4.00 8 16.00 19 4.87 Brown and White with brown  dominant 43 27.74 6 17.14 40 26.67 8 16.00 97 24.87 Brown and red  with red  dominant 25 16.13 10 28.57 17 11.33 14 28.00 66 16.92 Black and white with black dominant 36 23.23 6 17.14 33 22.00 - - 75 19.23 X2_value 91.72  2.29 ns 74.21  5.20ns   Toggle Present 44* 28.39 - - 31* 20.67 - - 75 19.23 Absent 111 71.61 35 100 119 79.33 50 100 315 80.77 X2_value 28.96 - 51.63 -             Character Attributes DebreLibanos Wuchale Overall Sex Sex Female Male Female Male   N % N % N % N % N % Tail type Long fat tail 44* 92.90 30* 85.71 141* 94.00 50 100 365 93.59 Long thin tail 11 7.10 5 14.29 9 6.00 - - 25 6.41 X2_value  114.12 17.86 116.6 -     Tail form Straight and tip down ward 104* 67.10 12 34.29 81 54.00 36* 72.00 233 59.74 Straight and twisted end 51 32.90 23 65.71 69 46.00 14 28.00 157 40.26 X2_value 18.12  3.46ns 0.96 9.68     Ruff Present - - 26* 74.29 - - 44* 88.00 70 17.95 Absent 155 100 9 25.71 150 100 6 12.00 320 82.05 X2_value  -  8.26 - 28.88     Ear form Rudimentary 24* 15.48 5 14.29 15* 10 8* 16 52 13.33 Semi-pendulous 131 84.52 30 85.71 135 90 42 84 338 86.67 X2_value 73.86 17.86 96.00 23.12     Horn shape Straight 17 48.72 - - 11 44.00 - - 28 19.72 Curved 7 30.77 26 74.29 6 24.00 26 52.00 65 45.77 Spiral 8 20.51 9 25.71   8 32.00 24 48.00 49   X2_value 5.69ns 8.26 1.52ns 0.08ns   N=number of households; Ns=non-significant;*P<0.05

Table 1: Summary of the qualitative traits of female and male sheep in the study areas.