Weight development and wool productivity of sheep from the Bulgarian Dairy Synthetic Population

Genoveva Staykova, Margarit Iliev, Todor Tsonev

Abstract: The subject of the study were 351 animals from the Bulgarian Dairy Synthetic Population (BDSP)
from the flock of the Institute of Agriculture – Karnobat, born in the period 2013–2019. The aim of the
study was to track and analyze the weight development and traits of wool productivity in sheep from
the Bulgarian Dairy Synthetic Population. The following selection traits were studied: live weight at
weaning at 90 days; at 9 months, 18 months; 2.5; 3.5 and 4.5 years, wool yield at 18 months; 2.5; 3.5
and 4.5 years, clean wool yield and clean fiber at 18 months. The average live weight of sheep from
the Bulgarian Dairy Synthetic Population was 23.812 kg at weaning, 42.254 kg at 9 months, 52.240
kg at 18 months, 54.989 kg at 2.5, 56.514 kg at 3.5 and 58.092 kg at 4.5 years. The average live weight
of the sheep at 18 months was 92.44% of that of the sheep at 3.5 years, which confirmed the early
reaching of sexual maturity of the breed. The wool yield from sheep at 18 months was 5.428 kg, with
a tendency to decrease from 2.5 to 4.5 years from 4.234 kg to 3.964 kg. The clean wool yield in sheep
from the Bulgarian Dairy Synthetic Population varied from 62.03% to 73.21%, the average value of
the trait was 68.71%. An average of 3.730 kg of clean fiber was obtained, ranging from 3.210 kg to
4.220 kg by year of birth. The level of the studied traits covered the selection limits for the sheep from
the Bulgarian Dairy Synthetic Population. Variability of productivity has been established depending
on non-genetic factors during the different economic years.

Keywords: Bulgarian Dairy Synthetic Population; clean fiber; clean wool yield; live weight; sheep; wool yield

Date published: 2022-11-02