Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T04:39:30.737Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Using Suffolk sheep for improving lamb production from sub-tropical Egyptian sheep:2. Lamb and fattening performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

A. S. El-Shobokshy
Affiliation:
Animal Production Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
A. M. Aboul-Naga
Affiliation:
Animal Production Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt

Summary

Lamb and fattening performance and carcass quality of Suffolk x local Ossimi cross-bred lambs are discussed. 1369 cross-bred lamb records over the period from 1957 to 1970 were available for the study. The lambs of 50–59% Suffolk were the best cross-bred group with an advantage of 7–7, 14–2 and 17–1% over the native Ossimi lambs in birth weight, 120-day and yearling body weights, respectively. Generally, lamb performance declined as the Suffolk breeding was increased. However, breed groups variation was not statistically significant, except for birth weight.

Seventy-one weaned male lambs, 4 months of age, from three breed groups: 70–90% Suffolk, 35–45% Suffolk and local Ossimi, were fattened for 16 weeks using two levels of feeding. The two Suffolk cross-bred groups gained slightly more body weight than the local Ossimi. After 8 weeks of fattening, the 35–45% Suffolk lambs gained significantly more weight than the local lambs. However, the local lambs were more efficient in converting food to live-weight gain.

The carcass quality of the Suffolk cross-bred lambs was better than the local lambs, and the advantage was greater for the high Suffolk breeding group.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1978

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aboul-Naga, A. M. (1978). Using Suffolk sheep for improving lamb production from sub-tropical Egyptian sheep. 1. Reproductive performance. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 90, 125–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aboul-Naga, A. M.El-Shobokshy, A. S. (1974). Fattening performance and carcass quality of Suffolk cross-bred lambs compared with Ossimi. Agricultural Research Review, Cairo 52, 6372.Google Scholar
Aboul-Naga, A. M., El-Tawil, E. E., Salah, E., Galal, E., Labban, F.Khishin, S. S. (1972). The effect of crossing Merino with Ossimi and Barki sheep on some productive traits. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 78, 275–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fahmy, M. H., Galal, E., Salah, E., Ghanem, Y. S.Khishin, S. S. (1969). Crossbreeding of sheep under semi-arid conditions. Animal Production 11, 351–60.Google Scholar
Ghoneim, K., Aboul-Naga, A. M.Labban, F.(1968). Effect of crossing Merino with Ossimi sheep on growth and body weight. Journal of Animal Production, Egypt 8, 4556.Google Scholar
Meat Research Institute (1971 a). Pliotographic Judging Standards Lambs. London: Agricultural Research Council.Google Scholar
Meat Research Institute (1971 b). Lamb Judging Score Card. London: Agricultural Research Council.Google Scholar
Sidky, A. R. (1948). The Egyptian sheep: an attempt to improve quality and quantity. Empire Journal of Experimental Agriculture 16, no. 62, 7989.Google Scholar
Tommi, M. F. (1963). Ration and Allowances of Farm Animals. Moscow: Sel-khoz. Isdat.Google Scholar