RESEARCH REGARDING MILK PRODUCTION IMPROVEMENT TO THE NORD-EAST OF ROMANIA LOCAL SHEEP BY CROSSING WITH AWASSI RACE

E.C. Popescu, Diana Popescu Cernei

Abstract
   In many farms from Romania the sheep are raising without a breeding program, for that reason sheep performances are low. The aim of this study was to see if we can improve milk production of local sheep from the Nord-East of country by crossing with Awassi rams. For this we cross local sheep with Awassi rams. First generation lambs have a good body development with an average body weight of 5.5 kg at birth and 17.5 kg at age of 60 days. First generation ewes have a bigger milk production than his mothers with a better udder development. The lactation length of first generation ewe was bigger with 15% than local sheep. Average milk production in the first lactation was 79kg with 29 kg bigger than local sheep.