Abstract
The once bred ewe slaughter method proposes the use of female lamb to produce a lamb and then both are slaughtered, increasing income and high quality meat production. Thus, this study evaluated the growth and reproduction performance of ewe lamb from Santa Inês (SI), a naturalized genetic resource, and their crosses (Dorper x Santa Inês (DOR), Texel x Santa Inês (TEX), Ile de France x Santa Inês (ILE)), as well as the survivability and development of their offspring. The animals were weighed monthly from birth to 12-months age. Samples of milk were collected on approximately 30 days of lactation. The physical-chemical analysis of milk was performed. SI females (2.94 kg) had significantly lower birth weight than DOR (3.80 kg) and TEX (3.87 kg). ILE females had higher weaning weight and weight at 12 months than SI females, which reflected in higher daily weight gain (ADG) (108.46 g/day) than TEX and SI. The pregnancy rates at 12 months were ILE (57.14%), TEX (25%), DOR (50%), and SI (28.57%), with TEX and SI differing of ILE and DOR (p = 0.03). Therefore, in semi-confinement and in a once-bred ewe production system using crossbreeding and allying meat production and reproduction, we recommend the use of Dorper and Ile de France breeds for crossbreeding with Santa Inês females. These results demonstrated the useful of a local genetic resource in productive system aiming a low cost meat production.
Highlights
The sheep flock in the Center-west of Brazil is used mainly for meat production
There was no difference in weight at 12 months for ewes from Ile de France (ILE) (40.69 ± 6.90 kg), TEX (33.92 ± 8.80 kg), DOR
Female Santa Inês and Texel x Santa Inês had grown slower than Ile de France x Santa Inês, in semi-confinement
Summary
The Santa Ines hair breed, a naturalised hair breed, is the most popular in this region as it exhibits estrus throughout the year and has no need for shearing Their lambs have a lower rate of weight gain and poorer carcass conformation when compared to specialized meat breeds (Alcalde et al 2004) and lower carcass yield (Garcia et al 2010). One system proposed using modelling to reduce this cost is the once bred ewe slaughter method (Keeling et al.1991), where the females are mated at 6 to 8 months of age, weaning a lamb at 16 to 18 months of age and slaughtered before 22 months of age, producing a high-weight carcass without quality losses. The ewe maintenance cost is reduced as the female still growing while producing lamb
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
