The Effects of Twice Lambing in a Year on the Survival Ability and Growth of Merino Lambs

The material of the study was consisted of 180 Merino ewes (2 years old) and their lambs. Sheep were divided into two groups. First group, as control group, lambed once in a year; second group, as trial group, lambed twice in a year.

Fertility results for control group and first phase and second phase of trial group were determined to be 92.22, 90.00 and 87.78 % for birth rates, and 40.97, 39.50 and 39.25 % for twinning rates, respectively.

Survival rate of the lambs on 30 th, 60 th and 90 th days were 94.02, 90.60 and 88,03 % for the control group; 94.69, 92.02 and 88.50 % for the trial group in the first phase and 96.36, 93.64 and 89.10 % for the trial group in the second phase, respectively.

Least squares means at birth, 30 th, 60 th, 90 th, 120 th, 180 th and 360 th days were found as 4.52, 16.95, 23.90, 28.40, 33.14, 36.14 and 48.53 kg for control group; 4.40, 15.89, 22.62, 27.12, 31.68, 35.19 and 48.80 kg for first phase of the trial group; 5.71, 17.08, 24.22, 28.67, 33.51, 36.44 and 49.05 kg for second phase of the trial group, respectively. Differences among the groups for body weight were not statisticaly significant (P>0.05).

Differences among groups for withers height, body length, body depth and cannon bone circumference were not statisticaly significant (P>0.05).

In conclucion, twice lambing in a year had no negatively effects on growth and survival ability of Karacabey Merino lambs. Keywords : Sheep, Merino, Twice Lambing a Year, Growth, Survival Ability, Fertility