Influence of Supplemental Feeding on Body Condition Score and Reproductive Performance Dynamics in Botosani Karakul Sheep

Ionică Nechifor, Marian Alexandru Florea, Răzvan-Mihail Radu-Rusu and Constantin Pascal ()
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Ionică Nechifor: Research and Development Station for Sheep and Goat Breeding, Popăuţi-Botoşani, 710004 Botoșani, Romania
Marian Alexandru Florea: Research and Development Station for Sheep and Goat Breeding, Popăuţi-Botoşani, 710004 Botoșani, Romania
Răzvan-Mihail Radu-Rusu: Department of Animal Resources and Technologies, Faculty of Food and Animal Sciences, Iasi University of Life Sciences, 700490 Iași, Romania
Constantin Pascal: Department of Animal Resources and Technologies, Faculty of Food and Animal Sciences, Iasi University of Life Sciences, 700490 Iași, Romania

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 12, 1-16

Abstract: The aim of this research was to study the impact of supplementary feeding on reproductive traits in sheep. Two groups, L1 (control) and L2 (experimental treatment), of adult females aged between two and six years belonging to the Botosani Karakul sheep breed were formed. The experimental treatment group (L2) received supplementary feeding 25 days prior to mating. Improvements in body condition and significant increases in live weight occurred by the time of mating in those ewes that had been flushed (L2) ( p < 0.01 vs. L1). The number of lambs per individual parturition was influenced by the body condition score (BCS), especially in females with a BCS of 2.0. The total number of weaned lambs in females with a BCS of 2.0 differed in comparison to that of females with a BCS of 2.5 or 3.0. All results highlighted that supplementary feeding applied to ewes prior to mating affected their reproductive and economic performance, translating to an increased live weight of the litter at weaning in the L2 group ( p < 0.01 in lambs from BCS 2.0 ewes and p < 0.001 in lambs from BCS 2.5 to 3.5 ewes).

Keywords: body condition score; ewes; reproductive traits; flushing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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