INVESTIGATIONS ON SOME MORPHOLOGICAL AND FUNCTIONAL TRAITS OF THE UDDER IN PLEVEN BLACKHEAD SHEEP
D. Panayotov, M. Simeonov
Abstract: The study was performed on 29 Pleven Blackhead sheep; 14 at first lactation and 12 – at second lactation.
Udder measurements were taken between the 54th and 57th day after lambing, before the morning milking. The following udder dimensions were determined by means of Wilkens’ compass, centimeter tape and Vernier caliper: 1. Udder width; 2. Udder depth (of the right half; of the left half); 3. Udder circumference (longitudinal; horizontal ); 4. Teat length (right teat length; left teat length); 5. Teat width (right teat width; left teat width); 6. Distance between teats.
The milk yield from the left and right udder halves was determined on test day milking.
Udder width of sheep at first and second lactations was 15.96 and 16.13 cm, respectively; longitudinal circumferences – 23.48 and 23.90 cm, and horizontal circumferences – 36.09 and 37.48 cm. Teat lengths in first-lactation sheep were 3.34 – 3.51 cm, and in those at second lactation – 2.83–3.13 cm. Teat widths were established to be 1.98–2.18 and 1.82–2.12 cm respectively, and the distance between teats was about 16 cm.
The relative proportion of milk from the right udder half was 47.31% (first-lactation sheep) and 51.26% (second-lactation sheep).
Strong correlations were established between udder width and both circumferences (longitudinal and horizontal): 0.889 and 0.845 for both studied groups. The values of correlation coefficients depicting the relationship between right and left teat lengths (0.870 – 0.906) and between right and left teat widths (0.754–0.758).
Strong correlations existed between udder width, longitudinal and horizontal circumferences vs milk yield (0.882–0.908 in first-lactation sheep and 0.683–0.843 in second lactation sheep).
Udder measurements were taken between the 54th and 57th day after lambing, before the morning milking. The following udder dimensions were determined by means of Wilkens’ compass, centimeter tape and Vernier caliper: 1. Udder width; 2. Udder depth (of the right half; of the left half); 3. Udder circumference (longitudinal; horizontal ); 4. Teat length (right teat length; left teat length); 5. Teat width (right teat width; left teat width); 6. Distance between teats.
The milk yield from the left and right udder halves was determined on test day milking.
Udder width of sheep at first and second lactations was 15.96 and 16.13 cm, respectively; longitudinal circumferences – 23.48 and 23.90 cm, and horizontal circumferences – 36.09 and 37.48 cm. Teat lengths in first-lactation sheep were 3.34 – 3.51 cm, and in those at second lactation – 2.83–3.13 cm. Teat widths were established to be 1.98–2.18 and 1.82–2.12 cm respectively, and the distance between teats was about 16 cm.
The relative proportion of milk from the right udder half was 47.31% (first-lactation sheep) and 51.26% (second-lactation sheep).
Strong correlations were established between udder width and both circumferences (longitudinal and horizontal): 0.889 and 0.845 for both studied groups. The values of correlation coefficients depicting the relationship between right and left teat lengths (0.870 – 0.906) and between right and left teat widths (0.754–0.758).
Strong correlations existed between udder width, longitudinal and horizontal circumferences vs milk yield (0.882–0.908 in first-lactation sheep and 0.683–0.843 in second lactation sheep).
Keywords: Correlations; Milk yield; Pleven blackhead breed; Udder measurements
Date published: 2017-05-09
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