Livestock Studies 2013, Vol 53, Num, 2     (Pages: 059-073)

The Production Traits of Bafra Sheep Reared in Ankara Conditions

İrfan GÜNGÖR 1 ,Halil AKÇAPINAR 2

1 Ankara Üniversitesi Saglık Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Zootekni Anabilim Dalı, Ankara
2 Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Zootekni Anabilim Dalı, Ankara
- This study was carried out to investigate the production traits and evaluate the adaptation capability of Bafra sheep reared at the private farm in Ankara conditions, in Central Anatolia. Ankara region has continental climate conditions. However, Bafra sheep are generally raised in Black Sea region of Turkey. The data were collected from the Bafra sheep herd raised at a private farm, in a village in Çubuk in Ankara. The mean for premating live weight of ewes was 58.02±0.86 kg, and the differences among ewe age groups weren`t statistically significant (P>0.05). Fertility results were determined to be 93.1 % for birth rate, 48.3, 38.3 and 13.4 % for single, twin and triplet birth rates, 155.6 % for lamb production and 1.67 for litter size. Survival rates of lambs at 30th and 90th (weaning age) days of age were 86.2 and 84.1 %, respectively. Age of ewe and lamb sex had no significant (P>0.05) effect on survival rates of lambs at 30th and 90th days of age, while year and birth type had significant effect on this trait at all ages (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001). The least squares means for live weights of the lambs at birth, 90 and 120 days of age were 3.17±0.03, 22.85±0.44 and 28.19±0.54 kg, respectively. The effects of ewe age and birth type on the birth and weaning weights were important (P<0.05, P<0.001), although the effect of lamb sex was significant (P<0.001) on the birth weight and non-significant (P>0.05) for weaning weight. The least squares means for the lambs at the weaning age were 55.08±1.07 cm for wither height and 56.68±0.81 cm for body length. The effects of all investigated factors on the body measurements were not important (P>0.05). The results indicated that the adaptation capability of Bafra sheep reared at the private farm in Ankara conditions was satisfactory level in terms of live weight and fertility of ewes as well as survival rate and growth of lambs. Keywords : Adaptation capability, Ankara conditions, Bafra sheep, Breeder conditions, Fertility, Growth, Survival rate