This study was carried out using 94 ewes at Erbil plain - Kurdistan region-Iraq, during the period from May 2016 to April 2017. The overall mean mortality rates from birth to 7 days and from 8 days to weaning age were 8.6 and 6.6%, respectively. Age of dam, type of birth, weight of the dam at matting, Body Condition Score (BCS) and birth weight had an important significant (P<0.05) impact on lamb mortality from birth to 7 days and from 8 days to weaning age. This research revealed that a higher lamb mortality (4.2%) was registered for dams aged 2 years, while a lower mortality(6.6%) was found in dams aged 5-6 years, no significant differences in mortality among males and females were appeared, male lambs showed a higher mortality than females, type of birth showed an important impact (P<0.05) on lamb mortality. Single born lamb mortality was 5.5%, whereas that of the twin born lamb was significant (13.6%). Ewes with the (BCS) of 2-3 showed a higher mortality (14.2%), while those ewes with (BCS) more than 3 recorded the lowest lamb mortality (5.4%). Lambs weighting less than 3 kg at birth registered a higher mortality compared with lambs weighing 3 kg, or more which showed the lowest mortality. It has appeared from the results of this study that most of the non-genetic factors studied involve: Age of dam, type of birth, birth weight, and weight of the dam, and body condition score showed a substantial significant influence on lamb mortality between birth and weaning of Kurdi sheep.
Details
Publication Date
Sat Jan 13 2018
Journal Name
Iraqi Journal Of Agricultural Sciences
Volume
49
Issue Number
1
Keywords
Kurdi lamb
Non-Genetic factor
Birth
Weaning weights and mortality.
Choose Citation Style
Statistics
Abstract Views
312
Galley Views
288
Statistics
Authors (1)
S.
S.
NON-GENETIC FACTORS AFFECTING THE MORTALITY IN KURDI LAMBS
Quick Preview PDF
Related publications