Milk Production of Lacaune Sheep with Different Degrees of Crossing with Manchega Sheep in a Commercial Flock in Spain
Lizbeth E. Robles Jimenez,
Juan C. Angeles Hernandez,
Carlos Palacios,
José A. Abecia,
Anna Naranjo,
Jorge Osorio Avalos,
Manuel Gonzalez-Ronquillo
Affiliations
Lizbeth E. Robles Jimenez
Departamento de Produccion Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de México, Campus el Cerrillo, Instituto Literario 100, Toluca, Estado de Mexico 50000, Mexico
Juan C. Angeles Hernandez
Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Rancho Universitario, Av. Universidad Km 1. Exhacienda de Aquetzalpa, Tulancingo, Hidalgo 43600, Mexico
Carlos Palacios
Department of Construction and Agronomy, Faculty of Agrarian and Environmental Sciences, University of Salamanca, Avenida Filiberto Villalobos, 119, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
José A. Abecia
University Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences of Aragon (IUCA), University of Zaragoza, Miguel Servet, 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
Anna Naranjo
Department of Animal Science, Animal Nutrition and Environment Modeling Applications Laboratory (ANEMAL), UC Davis, CA 95616, USA
Jorge Osorio Avalos
Departamento de Produccion Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de México, Campus el Cerrillo, Instituto Literario 100, Toluca, Estado de Mexico 50000, Mexico
Manuel Gonzalez-Ronquillo
Departamento de Produccion Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de México, Campus el Cerrillo, Instituto Literario 100, Toluca, Estado de Mexico 50000, Mexico
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the grade of crossbreeding (Lacaune x Manchega) and environmental factors on milk production in a commercial flock in Spain. A total of 5769 milk production records of sheep with different degrees of purity of the Lacaune breed crossed with Manchega were used as follows: 100% Lacaune (n = 2960), 7/8 Lacaune (n = 502), 13/16 Lacaune (n = 306), 3/4 (n = 1288), 5/8 Lacaune (n = 441) and 1/2 Lacaune: Manchega (n = 272). Additional available information included the number of parity (1 to 8), litter size (single or multiple), and the season of the year of lambing (spring, summer, autumn and winter). A mixed model was used to evaluate the level of crossbreeding and environmental factors on milk production. The 100% Lacaune sheep presented the highest milk production with respect to the F1 Lacaune x Manchega sheep (p < 0.01), showing that as the degree of gene absorption increases with the Manchega breed, it presents lower milk yield. The 100%, 13/16, and 3/4 Lacaune genotypes had the highest milk yields with respect to the 1/2 Lacaune/Manchega breed (p < 0.001). The Lacaune registered on average 181.1 L in a period adjusted to 160 days of lactation (1.13 L/ day). Likewise, the parity number, litter size, and season of lambing effects showed significant differences (p < 0.01). It was concluded that 13/16 and 3/4 Lacaune/Manchega ewes presented the highest milk yields with respect to the other crosses.
