Effect of chosen factors on growth of lambs crossbreeds with using Suffolk in sire position

Abstract

The aim of the study was evaluated the effect of chosen factors (sex, litter size, year of the study) on the growth of lambs crossbreeds with using Suffolk (Sf) in the sire position. In the mother position there were used following genotypes: Charollais (Ch), Sf 50 Ch, Improved Wallachian (IW) and IW 50 Sf. The evaluation was carried out during two successive years (2004–2005) on the farm Růžďka and involved altogether 141 lambs. The growth of lambs was evaluated in the following crossbreeds: Ch 50 Sf (n = 38), Sf 75 Ch (n = 40), IW 50 Sf (n = 29) and Sf 75 IW (n = 34). All lambs were born indoor in the period from January until the end of first decade of February. Lambs were kept indoor till the end of the study. Genotype had significant effect (P ≤ 0.01) only on birth weight. The highest daily gain (DG) from birth to 100 days of age (201 g) and the highest body weight (BW) at 100 days of age (24.26 kg) were found out in IW 50 Sf. Effect of sex had highly significant effect (P ≤ 0.01) only on birth weight and significant effect (P ≤ 0.05) only on BW at 100 days of age. Litter size was the most important factor that influenced the growth of lambs whereas this factor highly significantly (P ≤ 0.01) influenced all parameters under study excerpt the DG between 70 and 100 days of age. Monitoring year had highly significant effect (P ≤ 0.01) on BW at 100 days of age and on daily gains between 70 and 100 days of age and between birth and 100 days of age.

Keywords

• growth
• lambs
• Suffolk
• Improved Wallachian
• Charollais