EFFECT OF THE YEAR OF BREEDING AND AGE OF EWES ON SELECT REPRODUCTION INDICATORS OF CHAROLLAIS SHEEP BREED

MOMANI SHAKER M., SADA I., VOHRADSKY, R, GHASAN AGIL

Abstract
The aim of this work was to evaluate select reproduction indicators of mutton Cha-rollais breed of sheep imported from France in dependence on age of ewes including the effect of early tupping of gimmers at the age of 9 months and on the year of breeding.
Results of reproduction indicators of the Charollais sheep found in Czech Republic with respect to fertility percentage per ewe of the foundation stock (157.14 %) as well as with respect to fertility percentage per ewe lambed (179.25 %) are very good even when these indicators do not reach the indicators of the country of origin - in France. It is necessary to take into consideration the less favourable conditions of Czech Republic, most of all the average temperature and quantity of precipitations in spring and autumn.
Fertility percentage of all sheep observed during the years 1993 - 1997 reached including gimmers 81.25 % and without gimmers tupped at the age of 8 - 9 months 87.67 %. The effect of the year on the fertilization percentage of ewes was insignificant but the age of ewes proved as statistically significant effect (PL 0.05), when the highest fertilization percentage was found in ewes at the age of 3 years (91.07 %) and the lowest value in gimmers tupped at the age of 9 months (55.56 %). It is evident from the Tab. 1. the rising tendency of fertilization percentage with successive age of ewes till the age of 5 years. The effect of the year showed up as significant at the fertilization percentage per ewe lambed.

Key words:
sheep, Charollais breed, fertility, effect of year, age of ewes

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