Effects Of Season Of Birth On Growth Performance Of Sheep In Umudike

ABSTRACT

The lambing records of a mixed herd of WAD X Yankasa ewes, managed intensively at the Michael Okpara University Agriculture, Teaching and Research Farm Umudike, were evaluated within a 6-year period (January 1998-December 2003). A total of 46 lambings made of 13 males and 33 females were investigated. The lambs were grouped by sex and season of birth. Results showed that the average weight of the male lambs (1.65 ± 0.39kg) was non-significantly (P>0.05) higher than the weight of the female lambs (1.34 ± 0.37kg). Rainy season lambs (1.51 ± 0.37kg) were also heavier than the dry season lambs (1.32 ± 0.37kg), though the difference was non-significant (P>0.05). Birth weight of lambs were positively and significantly (P<0.05) correlated with liveweight of sheep at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months of age. The values were 0.569, 0.544, 0.520, 0.606, 0.430 and 0.452 respectively. Management programme in sheep should improve to accommodate practices that should ensure less postnatal mortality and encourage the harvest of heavier and increased lamb crop in the rainy season