RESEARCH REGARDING THE FECUNDITY OF WHITE TURCANA SHEEP

Gh. Nacu, C-tin Pascal, Raluca Donosă, Mihaela Ivancia, M. Doliş, G. Hoha, D. Simeanu

Abstract
   Fecundity is an index by which the reproductive activity may be assessed to all species. In this research was analysed the dynamic of the sheep entering into heat during the breeding season (August 15 - October 25) and was calculated the fecundity in relation to the rearing period, the sheep age, the rams age. The research was done on 1200 White Turcana sheep breed raised in the pedoclimatic conditions of Neamţ county in two different farms with 800 and 400 sheep, respectively.
   The sheep entering in heat was noticed in a larger percentage after two weeks since the rams were introduced into the flock so, the biostimulatory effect of the males being obvious. This percentage overlapped with a decreasing of the average daily temperature with 2ºC. The best fertility was obtained to the ewes which were mounted in the first month of the breeding season (91.62%). For both farms, the periods with the most mounts, also represented the periods with good fertility. Depending on the ram used for mounting, the fecundity ranged from 80.0% to 100%, and depending on their age, between 87.2% (for 5 year old rams) and 91.6% (for 3 and 4 year old rams). The fecundity of adult ewes was equal to that of the young ones.

Key words: sheep, fecundity