BODY CONDITION SCORE AND PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF THE SYNTHETIC POPULATION BULGARIAN MILK SHEEP

N. Stancheva, G. Staikova

Abstract: Subject of the study were ewes from the Synthetic Population Bulgarian Milk (SPBM) from the herd of Agricultural institute – Shumen. The evaluation carried out in 2011 and 2012 assigned 128 ewes at first parity and 126 at second and third. In correspondence to the physiological status, the animals were subjected to one and the same housing conditions and diet. Three sessions of body condition score (BCS) assessment were accomplished: during first lactation month; prior to artificial insemination; and during first gestation half. BCS evaluation was made by the five-rank system, as adapted by Todorov (2008). On the basis of the assessments from the different sessions, overall BCS was also formed. The analysis of the relationship between overall BCS and the milk performance at the different lactations indicates that the highest milk yield belongs to the ewes with estimates of BCS>3.5. The relationship between BCS and live weight shows that the method is reliable and adequate for the management of the feeding level of the BDSP ewes. At first lactation the highest biological prolificacy belongs to the ewes with BCS of 3.0 to 3.5, which corresponds to the optimal breeding condition prior to joining. Culling rate due to selecttion or other reasons is in normal range and indicates for the good condition and health status of the ewes.

Keywords: biological prolificacy; body condition score; live weight; milk yield; Synthetic Population Bulgarian Milk Sheep (SPBM)

Date published: 2017-05-23