LINK BETWEEN THE BODY CONDITION SCORE AND PRODUCTIVITY OF THE SHEEP FROM BULGARIAN DAIRY SYNTHETIC POPULATION

N. Dimova, I. Ivanova, J. Peeva, M .Djorbineva, M. Michailova

Abstract: The study was performed with 113-143 ewes at the age of 1.5-3.5 years from the flock of the Bulgarian dairy synthetic population (BDSP) of the Agricultural Institute, Stara Zagora from 2007 to 2009. During the two year period the sheep were in different physiological status - before conception and after lambing. The aim was to trace the link between the body condition score (BCS) with the basic characteristics of the productivity - milk yield, live weight, prolificacy and wool production of the sheep from the BDSP. The analysis of the results possessed the following conclusions: The BCS were influenced from the physiological status and separate farm year. The method for assessment of the BCS was accurate for the live weight and it is necessary to be used for management of the energy nutrition level of the sheep from the BDSP. The analysis of the link between the BCS with the total milked milk and prolificacy reveal higher values for the group of ewes with score 2.75 - 3.25 as well during the two years as at the different physiological status.

Keywords: BCS; link; live weight; milk production; reproductive performance; wool production

Date published: 2018-03-09