STRATEGIC SUPPLEMENTATION ON PRODUCTIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF MECHERI SHEEP
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Date
2021
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Abstract
The study was designed to assess the strategic feed supplementation on body condition score, productive and reproductive performances of Mecheri sheep. Eighty cyclic Mecheri ewes aged between 2 and 4 years belonging to Mecheri Sheep Research Station (MSRS), Pottaneri, were utilised used for this study. The animals were divided equally into control and treatment groups, each group consisting of 40 animals. The animals for each group were allotted based on body condition scoring namely < 2.5, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 and > 3.5 with eight animals in each BCS level. The control group animals were maintained under semi-intensive system of rearing with eight hours of grazing and concentrate supplementation @ 150 grams / ewe / day for the entire trial period. The treatment group animals were maintained under strategic feed supplementation. The ewes in this group were maintained under semi-intensive system of rearing with eight hours of grazing and concentrate supplementation @ 150 grams / ewe / day for the entire trial period. Apart from the regular feed supplementation, these animals were strategically supplemented with additional 250 grams of concentrate feed 21 days before ram introduction and continued for two oestrous cycles. In addition, strategic supplementation was given during last month of pregnancy and first month of lactation. The body weight of ewes at mating and lambing was found to be statistically non-significant between the treatment groups. Age of the ewes was found to have a significant (P<0.05) effect on weight at mating and lambing. BCS at mating and lambing had a significant (P<0.05) effect on body weight of ewes between different BCS groups. The statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in birth and weaning weight of lambs born to ewes of different treatment groups. The age of ewes was found to have a significant effect (P<0.05) on birth and weaning weight of lambs. Body Condition Score at mating had a highly significant (P<0.01) effect on birth and weaning weight of lambs. Statistical analysis revealed that there was no significant effect of supplementation and age of the ewes on average weight gain during pregnancy in different treatment groups. The supplementation had a significant (P<0.05) effect on average weight gain during pregnancy between the BCS groups, with ewes in BCS group 2.5 to 3.0 had gained highest weight (6.94 ± 2.51 kg) during pregnancy. Supplementation and age of the ewes revealed no significant difference in tupping percentage, lambing percentage, duration of pregnancy and lamb survival between the treatment groups. BCS at mating had a highly significant (P<0.01) effect on tupping percentage and lamb survival and significant (P<0.05) effect on lambing percentage. The total variable cost to produce one lamb differed between the groups, the lowest cost of production of lamb was observed in control group than the supplementation group. Total kilograms of weight produced at the time of weaning differed between the groups. In supplementation group, the total kilograms of weaning weight produced was 517.5 kg and it was 440.9 kg in control group. The revenue generated from one ewe was highest in supplementation group than the control group. The results revealed that animals can be maintained under maintenance ration followed in the farm. The animals with lower BCS in a flock need to be identified and preferentially supplement them to increase the body condition score for augmenting the productive and reproductive performance.