Abstract

GARCIA-OSORIO, Irma del Carmen et al. Maternal influence on preweaning growth and carcass characteristics of hair lambs. Ecosistemas y recur. agropecuarios [online]. 2017, vol.4, n.10, pp.51-63. ISSN 2007-901X.  https://doi.org/10.19136/era.a4n10.818.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of type of birth (TB) of lambs and number of parity (NP) of ewes on preweaning growth, carcass yield (CY), body composition of lambs and the productive performance of the ewes. Twenty five Blackbelly x Pelibuey ewes and their lambs were studied, in a factorial design; the factors were TB (single and multiple) and NP (primiparous and multiparous). The lambs were slaughtered at 56 d of age. The variables evaluated were: body weight at birth (BWB) and weaning (BWW), average daily wight gain (ADG), carcass weight and CY and weight and yield of the primal cuts. In ewes, body weight at lambing and at the end of lactation, change of body weight (CHBW), litter weight at birth (LWB) and at weaning (LWW) were evaluated. TB affected (p < 0.05) ADG, BWW, carcass weight and CY of the lambs. In ewes, type of lambing (TL) and NP influenced (p < 0.05) CHBW. TL affected (p < 0.05) LWB and LWW. TB affected the pre-weaning growth, CY and body composition of the lambs, with the single lambs presenting higher ADG, carcass weight and CY, while multiparous ewes and ewes with multiple lambing had the largest negative CHBW. However, ewes with multiple lambing had greater productive performance.

Keywords : Growth; lamb; meat; lactation; humid tropic.