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Objective of the current research was to evaluate the effects of crossbreeding the French Lacaune breed with Romanian indigenous Turcana sheep on milk production traits in crossbred ewes. Milk yield in Turcana ewes was on average 77.98±2.73 kg, with limits ranging between 64.67kg and 92.01kg. While in the F1 Lacaune x Turcana, the average milk production was of 109.04±4.70 kg, with limits ranging between 89.23kg and 129.76kg. The F1 Lacaune x Turcana ewes outperformed significantly (p<0.001) the Turcana breed. The fat percentage in milk was on average of 8.02±0.22% with limits ranging between 6.95% and 8.98% in the Turcana breed, and of 8.60±0.40%, ranging between 5.45% and 11.06% in the F1 Lacaune x Turcana ewes. Genotype had no significant influence (p>0.05) on the fat percentage from milk. Current results show that by using Lacaune rams for crossbreeding with the unimproved Turcana, the progeny will have significantly higher milk yields, and thus, the farm returns could be much improved in sheep enterprises that practice the semi-intensive pasture-based farming system. Thus, current results should be advertised to both farmers and the breeders associations, in order for the sheep farmers to take advantage of the breed complementarity found between the specialized Lacaune and the local Turcana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective of the current research was to evaluate the effects of the production system (conventional vs. organic), on milk yield and major chemical components from milk, in Turcana sheep reared under highland conditions. In the conventional system, the ewes had an average milk production of 76.81±2.99kg, with limits ranging between 64.67kg and 92.01kg. While in the organic production system, the Turcana ewes produced on average 78.95±4.59kg of milk, with variations between 69.29kg and 86.93kg. Differences between the two experimental groups were not significant (p>0.05). Although, the ewes reared under organic production outperformed the conventional managed ewes, on average by 2.14kg of milk/lactation. Fat percentage was on average 8.38±0.330%, with limits ranging between 7.25% and 8.97% in the conventional system, and of 7.72±0.261% with limits of 6.95% and 8.65% in the organic system. Protein levels were of 5.91±0.246% in the conventional system, with limits ranging between 5.26% and 6.79%, while in the organic trial the average 5.64±0.184%, ranging 5.11% and 6.31%. Current results suggest that the potential to produce and market organic sheep milk under highlands conditions is high in Romania, and will not have detrimental effects on the overall production or milk quality parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]