Productive and reproductive performances of Tikur sheep in Gubalafto district of North Wollo Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the productive and reproductive performance of Tikur sheep. Two villages were purposely selected, whereas 62 households were randomly selected to use their sheep in the monitoring study. A total of 1015 sheep with varied ages were involved. Productive traits were measured using a spring balance scale (50 kg capacity with 100g precision), while reproductive data will be collected by recording animals that gave birth during the monitoring period by trained enumerators. Both productive and reproductive data were analyzed using SAS (9.40). The overall means of birth, weaning, six-month, nine-month, and yearling weights of
the sheep were 2.47±0.47, 11.89±2.26, 15.76±1.49, and 16.49±1.25 and 21.33±3.27 kg, respectively, whereas the means of age at first mating, age at first lambing, and lambing interval were 8.36±0.92, 13.94±0.86, and 8.92±1.10 months, respectively. The annual reproductive rate and litter size were 1.44±0.26 lambs per ewe per year and 1.04 lambs per lambing, respectively. Seasons and years of birth, types of birth, and parity of birth significantly affected most of the productive and reproductive traits. The overall lamb mortality was 9.04%, whereas the major causes of mortality included pasteurellosis, parasites, and circling diseases. The study indicates that the performances of Tikur sheep are found to be good for major productive and reproductive traits. The results of the study can serve as baseline information to take necessary actions for sheep genetic improvement and conservation. The sheep flock management should consider significant non-genetic factors.