FERTILITY AND PROLIFICACY TRAITS OF CHIOS AND FARAFRA EWES UNDER SUBTROPICAL EGYPTIAN CONDITIONS | ||
| Journal of Animal and Poultry Production | ||
| Article 4, Volume 2, Issue 12, December 2011, Pages 549-559 PDF (347.63 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/jappmu.2011.83425 | ||
| Authors | ||
| H. A. M. Hamdon1; M. N. M. Abd El Ati2; M. Hayder3; M. A. M. H. Abdel Wahed1 | ||
| 1Faculty of Agriculture, Sohag University. | ||
| 2Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University. | ||
| 3Animal Production Research Institute, Agric. Res. Center. | ||
| Abstract | ||
| The aim of this study was to evaluate reproductive performance traits of Chios and Farafra sheep. Eight hundred and twenty five Farafra and two hundreds and five Chios ewes were used for comparison during the experimental period. Ewes lambed per ewe joined (EL/EJ), estimates of lambs born per ewe joined (LB/EJ), lambs weaned per ewe joined (LW/EJ), kilogram born per ewe joined (KB/EJ) and kilogram weaned per ewe joined (KW/EJ) were recorded and calculated. Results showed that EL/EJ in Farafra ewes was significantly (P< 0.01) higher than Chios ewes (0.67 vs. 0.49). In Farafra ewes, LB/EJ, LW/EJ, KB/EJ and KW/EJ were 0.86, 0.72, 2.94 and 8.86, respectively. The corresponding values in Chios ewes were 0.63, 0.43, 2.36 and 5.71, respectively. The best reproductive performance was observed in September (0.71, 0.96, 0.78, 3.43 kg and 9.58 kg) followed by May (0.65, 0.80, 0.66, 2.72 kg and 8.12 kg), then in January (0.50, 0.62, 0.51, 2.10 kg and 6.46 kg) for EL/EJ, LB/EJ, LW/EJ, KB/EJ, and KW/EJ, respectively. It was observed that fertility traits increased significantly (P< 0.01) up to 6 - <8 years old then decreased with advancing age. Chios ewes had slightly higher LB/EL (1.30) and KB/EL (4.83 kg) than Farafra ewes (1.28 and 4.39kg), respectively. Meantime, Farafra ewes had higher LW/EL (1.08) and KW/EL (13.25 kg) than Chios ewes (0.89 and 11.71 kg), respectively. Litter size at birth and at weaning was better in February compared to October and June lambing seasons. February lambing season showed the best values of KW/EL (4.83 kg), and KW/EL (13.49 kg), while, October and June lambing seasons had 4.21 kg & 4.17 kg for KB/EL and 12.60 kg &12.81 kg for KW/EL, respectively. In addition, it was found that prolificacy traits increased significantly (P< 0.01) with advancing age of mating up to 4 -<6 years old then decreased thereafter. It can be concluded that, must improve fertility and prolificacy traits of Chios flock, Moreover, the selection program for Farafra flock should be continued. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Fertility; Prolificacy; ewes | ||
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