Effects of Breeding Practices on Reproductive Efficiency of Ewes and Fattening Performance of Lambs

Abstract

In this study, the data obtained by questionnaire from small ruminant farms in Tekkeköy district of Samsun province were evaluated. Among the enterprises in the study, 50% of them breed Karayaka sheep, and 33.4% of them breed Bafra sheep. It was determined that 95.8% of the farmers applied flushing before ram siring, 83.3% of the farmers applied feed supplements to the ewes after birth, 95.8% of the farmers applied additional vitamin supplements to the lambs, and 83.3% of the farmers used salt-containing licking stones for the lambs. In the study, internal and external parasites were applied to the lambs to be fattened in all of the farms, and all of them were not released to pasture until sale. Winter lambs were fattened in 91.7% of the farms. The average age of the breeders is 50, and the number of ram sires per year is 1.08 on the farms. The average age of lambs sent to slaughter is 4 months, and the average carcass weight at slaughter is 19.15 kg. Feed supplementation to the ewes after birth and application of salt-containing licking stones to the lambs had a positive effect on the average carcass weight of the fattened lambs. In this study, it was determined that winter lambs were preferred more than summer lambs. According to this result, by fattening winter lambs in this period when there is no pasture opportunity, both seasonal meat needs can be met, and it provides the opportunity to sell at high prices in the winter period. In this case, the small ruminant farms will earn more income.