Livestock Studies 2001, Vol 41, Num, 2     (Pages: 063-077)

A Study on the Comparison of the Milk Yield and Udder Characteristics in Akkaraman and Sakız x Akkaraman F1 Crossbreds

Mehmet YARDIMCI 1 ,Ceyhan ÖZBEYAZ 2

1 Ankara Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Ankara
2 Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Zootekni Anabilim Dalı, Ankara
- The aim of this research was to study on the milk yield and udder characteristics of Akkaraman and Sakız x Akkaraman Fı crossbreds. The study was conducted at Lalahan Livestock Research Institute in 1999. Data were collected from two years old ewes of 9 Akkaraman and 30 Sakız x Akkaraman Fı crossbreds.

Daily milk yield of the 30th , 60th , 90th, 120th and 150th days of lactation for Akkaraman were 400.0, 431.1, 401.1, 222.2, 124.0 g and for Sakız x Akkaraman Fı crossbreds were 472.0, 488.0, 378.0, 214.3, 94.7 g respectively. Total milk yield for the same days for Akkaraman were 11.0, 24.0, 36.8, 44.9, 51.7 kg and for Sakız x Akkaraman Fı crossbreds were 13.2, 28.0, 40.4, 47.9, 57.1 kg respectively. Lactation length and milk fat percentage of Akkaraman and Sakız x Akkaraman Fı crossbreds were 148.4 days, %5.9 and 153.4 days, %5.8. Peak milk yield was determined at the 75th day of lactation for Akkaraman and 45th day of lactation for Sakız x Akkaraman crossbreds.

Udder characteristics except the height of udder from the floor and length of teat were decreased from the peak yield to the end of the lactation. The values of the height, width, depth, circumference and volume of udder for Akkaraman and Sakız x Akkaraman Fı crossbreds were 15.4, 13.4, 12.8, 47.7 cm and 1146.7 ml ; 16.3, 14.2, 13.2, 50.1 cm and 1203.5 ml on the 60th day and 13.7, 11.8, 11.1, 41.5 cm and 533.8 ml; 14.2, 12.2, 11.4, 39.5 cm and 583.0 ml on the 150th day of lactation respectively. The values of the height of udder from the floor of Akkaraman and Sakız x Akkaraman Fı crossbreds were 30.3 , 34.2 cm and 31.4, 34.3 cm on the 60th and 150th days.

This study was part of a project that aimed to produce a parent line which will be agreeable for the conditions of the middle region of Anatolia. Sakız x Akkaraman crossbreds produced more milk than Akkaraman but it was supposed that they would produce more. Keywords : Ewe, White Akkaraman, Chios, Crossbreeding, Milk Yield, Udder Characteristics