RESEARCH REGARDING UDDER CONFORMATION ON NEW DAIRY SHEEP POPULATION FORMED BY CROSSING ŢIGAIE EWE WITH AWASSI RAMS

E.C. Popescu, Diana Popescu Cernei

Abstract
   Breeders have big problem with the absence of human resources from the sheep raising area, for that reason are more interested by machine milking in dairy sheep and implicitly for udder conformation and machine milk ability. The aim of this research is udder characterisation of Awassi Ro population formed in Romania by crossing of Tigaie ewe with Awassi rams. For udder conformation was evaluated ewe in the second day after lambs weaning for following traits: teat placement, teats angle in vertical plane, degree of udder suspension and udder depth using Nine-point linear scale for udder traits. The results show a good placement for teats in horizontally plane. With number of lactation increasing increase the number of asymmetric udders and pendulous udder cases. The marks for udder depth were between 4 and 8 points. The ewe with more than three lactations had before 6 points for udder depth

Key words: Awassi Ro, udder conformation, dairy sheep