Effect of weaning age on the milk yield and the lamb's growth and blood parameters in the Bafra sheep

Weaning Age Effects on Bafra Lambs

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effect of weaning age (45 days vs. 90 days) on the lamb's growth, blood parameters and milk yield in the Bafra sheep. The study included 40 lactating Bafra ewes and 48 lambs (21 females and 27 males) born from them. The lambs were divided into two groups, 23 lambs weaned at day 45 (45D) and 25 lambs weaned at day 90 (90D). The lambs were equally divided between the 45D and 90D groups according to birth weight, sex, birth type, maternal age and sire. Live weights and body measurements of lambs were recorded at birth and on days 30, 42, 60, 90, 120, and 205. Blood plasma cortisol, glucose, total concentration and urea levels of the lambs were determined at 42 days of age (before weaning of lambs) and 47 days of age (2 days after weaning of 45D lambs; before weaning of 90D lambs). Bafra sheep were subjected to monthly milk controls. Lactation length, daily milk yield and lactation milk yield of the sheep were determined. Differences in body measurements and live weights between 45D and 90D lambs on the 90th day were found to be statistically significant, and these differences decreased in the following period (120th day and 205th day). The study concluded that early weaning had no negative effect on lamb live weight and body development. Differences in blood plasma cortisol, glucose, total cholesterol and urea levels on day 2 (at 47 days of age) of weaning between 45D and 90D lambs were not found to be statistically significant. Lactation milk yield of ewes was 113.3 kg, lactation length was 98.5 days and daily milk yield was 1.1 kg. The survival rate of lambs from weaning at 45 days to 205 days of age was found to be 100%. According to these results, weaning at 45 days did not have a negative effect on lamb survival. It was concluded that more careful care and feeding of lambs and the evaluation of sheep milk could contribute more to the farm economy.