Effects of Crossbreeding Lacaune with Turcana Breed on Milk Production Traits.

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]