KARAKACHAN SHEEP BREED

G. Staikova, N. Stancheva, I. Dimitrova

Abstract: Karakachan sheep breed is one of the oldest breeds in Europe. It is a typical representative of the rough-woolen Tsakel and is remarkable for its closest genetic distances with the common ancestor of domesticated sheep European mouflon (Ovis ammon musimon). The levels of the main productive traits and their dynamics dating from the middle of the last century, are shown in a short retrospection. The results from our study, carried out in Kabiuk in 2013, indicated an average conception rate was 89.87%, varied from 86.67% at the age of 5.5 to 96.43% at the age of 4.5. The biological fertility was the highest at the age of 5.5 – 110.3%. Average live weight of sheep was 48.767 kg. The highest live weight of 52.113 kg was reached at age of 4.5. 40-50% of the animals are carriers of Nd gene without intensive selection and that makes it unique to the specific structure of the fleece and carpet type wool. It is established there is no direct threat of extinction of the breed and population size of Karakachan sheep breed in Bulgaria in 2015 is 9461* ewes. Local breeds in the country are sources of genetic variability. Due to intensive selection in cultural breeds, genetic variation in recent years is continuously straitening. Local aborigine breeds are sources of higher or specific genetic variability.

Keywords: aborigine breeds; gene pool; Karakachan sheep; origin of the breed; productivity

Date published: 2017-03-16