STUDY ON LIFETIME PROLIFICACY AND LONGEVITY OF PATCH FACED MARITZA SHEEP BREED

Doycho Dimov

Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate some traits characterizing lifetime prolificacy and longevity of Patch Faced Maritza sheep breed. Database includes records of 359 ewes descending from 6 small sized herds property of sheep breeders from Plovdiv region of Bulgaria. Data are referred to ewes that have been in productive cycle during 1990 - 2008. Natural mating in normal mating season (july, august, september) have been in common practice. Longevity of Patch Faced Maritza sheep breed was 4.37 years. The breed has 3.87 lambing and 5.87 born lambs during lifetime. Coefficient of lifetime prolificacy was 1.51. Number of lifetime born lambs, lifetime lambing and longevity are significantly influenced by herd effect. The herd has not significant effect for lifetime prolificacy. Calculated Eta-squared ( 2) about herd effect explain only 9.88 % and 10.99 % of total variation of the number of born lambs and lambing per lifetime of the Patch Faced Maritza ewes. Calculated Eta-squared ( 2) about herd effect explain only 9.41 % of total variation of the longevity. Residual part of total phenotypic variation due to no identified environmental and genetic effects. In the context of new tendencies at modern animal breeding lifetime prolificacy and longevity should have generally grate importance about effectiveness of sheep farming. Including elements of sustainability about breeding program of Patch Faced Maritza sheep requires indicators and new traits connected with lifetime production and longevity of the sheep.

Keywords: born lambs; breeds; lambing; lifetime prolificacy; longevity; sheep

Date published: 2023-03-01