EC Veterinary Science

A total of 773 records of Awassi = 547, Najdi = 124 and Erbi = 102 sheep raised under semi-intensive system at Animal production Research Station - Al-Shahaniya, Al-Shahaniya Municipality, Qatar for 3 years (2021-2023) were analyzed to investigate the productive and reproduction performance in relation to season of lambing, the traits were birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), preweaning daily gain (PWDG), Age at first lambing (AFL), lambing interval (LI), litter size at birth (LSB), single birth% (SB), twin birth% (TB), fertility% (F) and preweaning mortality rate (PWM). The study revealed superior value records of Najdi sheep in birth weight, weaning weight, preweaning daily gain and preweaning mortality rate. Whereas Awassi showed the less records in age at first lambing as 11.9 and 11.7 months in winter and summer respectively. Najdi ewes were excelled on other sheep breeds in litter size at birth in summer (1.33), fertility (91%) also it showed the highest preweaning mortality (17.2%). Erbi sheep noted the highest (P < 0.01) interlambing period of 14.6 months. The findings derived from this study might serve as a foundational reference for formulating a plan aimed at enhancing the productive and reproductive traits of the studied sheep breed.

 Keywords: Reproductive Attributes; Birth Weight; Interlambing Period; Awassi Sheep; Qatar

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