Influence of Production System, Sex and Litter Size on Growth Rates in Turcana Lambs

• Main Author: Dinu Gavojdian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Agroprint Timisoara 2013-10-01
• Series: Scientific Papers Animal Science and Biotechnologies
• Subjects: growth rates; litter size; production system; turcana breed
• Online Access: http://spasb.ro/index.php/spasb/article/view/90

Lamb meat production has become the main source of income in the Romanian sheep farming industry, representing over 66% of the total returns. Turcana breed represents over 70% of the national flock, and 92% of the sheep bred in western Romania. However, meat production potential and growth rates of the breed are low, and thus strategies to improve performance of the Turcana lambs need to be identified. Aim of the current research was to evaluate the effects that sex and litter size have on the growth rates of lambs from Turcana breed under extensive and semi-intensive production systems. Weaning weight was significantly (p≤0.001) influenced by the production system, with lambs reared extensively registering a average body weights of 18.23±0.094 kg at the age of 90 days, while the semi-intensively reared lambs registered an average weight of 20.19±0.082 kg. It was concluded that all three factors taken into study significantly influence growth rates in Turcana lambs and that weight of the lamb(s) at the age of 28 days should be included as a selection trait within the Turcana breed genetic improvement plan.