A study of some productive traits of a flock of Sudan Nilotic ewes

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to assess the productive potentials of a 
flock of 42 multiparous and 27 primiparous ewes of the Sudan Nilotic breed. 
The latter group (Young Ewes, YE) were offsprings from the former (Parent 
Flock, PF). Each age group was further divided into two subgroups referred to 
as PF-dura, PF-molasses, YE-dura and YE-molasses according to the diet 
offered. The two diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous, formulated 
from dura and groundnut cake (the dura based diet) or molasses and urea (the 
molasses based diet) as sources of energy and protein, respectively. Ewes 
were designated to subgroups in accordance to their age and live weight. The 
data obtained were examined by 2-way analysis of variance to study the 
effect of ewes' age and diet treatments. The results showed that age of ewe 
and the diet treatment had no significant effects on the gestation (150.9±3.1 
days), postpartum anoestrus (42.2±16.7 days) and lambing interval (206.1±24.7 
days) periods. The experimental groups also showed no significant variations 
on the number of lambs born/ewe (1.0 to 1.118 lambs born/ewe) and total 
lambs birth weight/ewe (2.3 to 2.6 kg birth weight of lambs/ewe). Ewes fed on 
dura-based diet had heavier average lamb weaning weight/ewe (9.9 to 16.3 
kg lamb weaning weight/ewe) than their fellow molasses fed mates of the 
same age group; however the differences were significant (P<0.05) only 
for PF-dura group. Whereas, Index 1 (17.3 to 29.2 kg weaning weight of 
lambs/ewe/year) of PF-dura group was significantly (P<0.05) higher than those 
of the other three groups, which were similar (P>0.05).