INFLUENCE OF THE PREGNANCY AT EARLY AGE ON THE REPRODUCTION AND PRODUCTION LIFE IN EWES OF THE BOTOSANI KARAKUL BREED

The paper presents experimental results concerning the age importance of the first freshening of the ewes belonging to the Botosani Karakul breed. Some females were mated at an early age (8-9 months old) and others at the normal physiological age (16-18 months old). The influence of early pregnancy and of the one in due time on the production parameters (body weight, body growth and milk production and their evolution, bodily dimensions, lamb pelt features) and reproduction indicators (heat apparition rhythm, their manifestation rate, freshening number in order to the pregnancy be installed, fecundity, prolificacy) was yearly pursued next to 3.5-4 years old. The experimental results point out that the age of the first freshening in the Botosani Karakul sheep (early mating or mating at normal physiological age) does not influence or unsignificantly influences the morpho-production parameters and reproduction indices of the adult animal. But, forwarding the reproduction activity of ewes with an year, a gain of lamb number and of milk production is obtained on the whole productive period of ewes, thus contibuting to streamlining the economic situation of sheep farms specializated for the lamb pelt production.