Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi

Abstract

Sununary: The aim of this study was to compare Dağlıç and Rambouİllet x Dağlıç
(f,) shcep for important production charactcristics, using records obtained in the first half
of a 5- year rescarch project concerning Rambouİllet x Dağlıç crossbreeding; it was initiated
in 1969 al Çifteler State Farm. Growıh and survival rate oflambs have been studied on the
records of 165 Dağlıç and 360 Fı lambs born as singles in 1970, and 240 Dağlıç and 365 Fı
lambs born as singles in i97 i;20 single-born Rombouiııet lambs were also included in these
analyses. For body weight and fleecc weight, records of ıhe females surviving to i97 i and
1972 shearing scasons werc used. Fleece characteristics were dctermined using samples taken
from l5-month-old Dağlıç and Fı females at i97 ıshearing time.
The effeets of genotype and sex of lamb, and age of dam on birth weight, weaning
weight (120 days) and 180-day weight were found higlıly signifİcant (P < 0.001), using leaast squares procedure. For thesc eharacteristics, 1'1 lambs werc superior to Dağlıç lambs by
0.32, 2.42 and 3.98 kg in i970 and 0.35, 2.40 and 3.22 kg in 197i, rcspeetively. Average birth
wcight of Rambouiııet lambs was highcr than those for Fı and Dağlıç lambs but thcir average
weaning weight only exceeded that for Dağlıç lambs. Survival rate İn both Dağlıç and Fı
lambs \Vas high (97 %), while that for Rambouillet lambs lower (7S %), the diffcrences wİth
the first t\Vo groups being signifieant (P <0.05).