Livestock Studies 2006, Vol 46, Num, 1     (Pages: 045-057)

Some of reproduction characteristics in various local pure and crossbred sheep genotypes

Necmettin ÜNAL 1 ,Melik AYTAÇ 2 ,Serdar KOÇAK 3 ,Halil EROL 2

1 Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Zootekni Anabilim Dalı, ANKARA
2 Lalahan Hayvancılık Merkez Araştırma Enstitüsü, ANKARA
3 Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Zootekni Anabilim Dalı, AFYON
- The purpose of the study was to investigate some of reproduction characteristics in White Karaman (W), Kıvırcık x White Karaman F1 (KWF1), Kıvırcık x White Karaman B1 (KWB1), Chios x White Karaman F1 (CWF1), Chios x White Karaman B1 (CWB1), Karayaka and Bafra Sheep. The study was conducted at the Lalahan Livestock Research Institute in Ankara between 1998-2005 years. The results for W, KWF1, KWB1, CWF1 and CWB1 were 95.3, 92.3, 92.5, 95.8 and 96.4 % for oestrous rate; 14.8, 9.8, 12.8, 10.1 and 16.1 % for rate of sheep showing oestrous secondly; 72.7, 71.4, 77.5, 73.5 and 72.6 % for lambing rate; 17.7, 17.8, 17.3, 17.9 and 17.3 days for least squares means of oestrous cycle; 148.9, 148.9, 149.6, 150.5 and 151.3 days (P<0.001) for gestation period, respectively. Corresponding values for Karayaka and Bafra sheep were 86.7 and 93.1 %; 7.7 and 5.7 %; 60.0 and 67.2 %; 17.1 days (for Bafra Sheep); 152.2 and 150.9 days, respectively. The effects of genotype, year and age of ewe on oestrous cycle were not statistically significant and the effects of genotype and year on gestation period were significant (P<0.001, P<0.05), but age of ewe and lamb birth type were not significant in W, KWF1, KWB1, CWF1 and CWB1 sheep. The effects of environmental factors investigated on gestation period were not significant in Karayaka and Bafra sheep. In conclusion, White Karaman and crossbred genotypes were similar each other in terms of oestrous rate and lambing rate and oestrous cycle, but gestation period of Chios crossbreds had higher than the others. All of characteristics investigated in the study were similar in Karayaka and Bafra sheep, but the values of oestrous rate and lambing rate in this study were lower than those of values obtaining from the conditions of Gökhöyük State Farm, in Middle Black Sea Region, of Karayaka and Bafra sheep. Keywords : Sheep, Oestrus Rate, Mating Season, lambing Rate, Gestation Period