Abstract: This research was analysis the seventeen growth indexes of plain Hetian sheep, mountain Hetian sheep and Karakul sheep in the shield. Samples were collected from 3 months old lamb after weaning. SPSS 17.0 was employed to statistics the differences among them. The results were as following, for the 6 months old lambs, the body high and buttock length had significant differences(P<0.05), while the metathorax wide, tail length, tail wide and tail thickness had higher significant differences between plain Hetian sheep and mountain Hetian sheep(P<0.01). The protothorax wide and metathorax wide had significant differences between mountain Hetain sheep and Karakul sheep(P<0.05). The weight and across chest had significant differences(P<0.05), while the protothorax wide, metathorax wide, tail length, tail wide and tail thickness had higher significant differences between plain Hetian sheep and Karakul sheep(P<0.01). For the average monthly increment of these indexes, the body high had significant difference between plain Hetain sheep and mountain Hetain sheep(P<0.05), while the body high had higher significant difference between mountain Hetian sheep and Karakul sheep(P<0.01). Differences of tail thickness between plain Hetain sheep and Karakul sheep were significant(P<0.05). The results showed that plain Hetain sheep were much better than that of the mountain Hetain sheep and Karakul sheep in those indexes such as weight, body length, body high and across chest.

Key words: plain Hetian sheep; mountain Hetian sheep; Karakul sheep; growth and development index