Results Concerning the Fattening Performances and Carcass Traits in Young Sheep Hybrid Norwegian White x Turcana and Turcana Breed.

The sheep hybrids are of high efficiency due to their carcass traits that demonstrate better commercial traits, compared to their parental breeds. In Romania, the sheep hybridizing is mainly performed in order to obtain individuals with higher meat yield of their carcass. The aim of this paper is to emphasize the fattening performances, traits of the main body components, and carcass conformation in Norwegian White x Turcana young hybrids compared to Turcana young sheep. All studied individuals were fattened for 79 days within two experimental series (2008 and 2009). The estimated statistical parameters are focused on 10 young rams fattened and slaughtered, belonging to both breed structures, considered by entire experiment (both experimental series). The average values and differences between them reflect the superiority of the Norwegian White x Turcana young hybrids compared to Turcana young for all analyzed traits, except gigot length and basin depth. Significant and distinct significant differences in advantage of the hybrids were recorded for the following traits: weight in the end of fattening (slaughtering weight) total gain, average daily gain, warm carcass weight, internal organs weight, large and small carcass length, carcass width, thorax depth and crupper width. We consider that these results demonstrate the presence of the heterosis effect in hybrids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]