The objective of this study was to determine the impact of dihydroquercetin from Siberian larch and dry distilled rose petals (DDRP) on growth performance, carcasses characteristics and blood parameters of lambs from the Bulgarian Dairy Synthetic population sheep. For the purpose of the study there were used 30 clinically healthy male lambs aged 65 days, levelled by live weight. They were housed in a totally indoor barn and were divided into one control and two experimental groups, each consisting of 10 animals that were fed for 50 days. The control group (C) was fed ground alfalfa + granulated compound feed. The experimental groups (D) and (R) were fed on the same diet supplemented either with 7.5 mg dihydroquercetin/kg/day or with 545 mg DDRP/kg/day respectively. The carcass yield of lambs having consumed dihydroquercetin or DDRP compared to lambs from control group C do not have significant differences (p > 0.05). The carcass conformation of C or R groups lambs do not differ (70% - class P, 30% - class O). The 90% of lamb's carcasses from the experimental group D were classified in class P. The dihydroquercetin feeding increases the relative fat content (p ≤ 0.01) of lamb carcasses but adversely affects their conformation. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were found between 1st h and 24th h post-mortem pH of control group C and experimental group D. Compared to them the pH values of the experimental group R were by 0.14-0.15 pH units lower (p ≤ 0.05). No significant differences (p > 0.05) were found in the blood count of the three studied groups of lambs. Exceptions were made for haemoglobin (HGL) in the experimental group D which were with 6-7 g/l higher (p ≤ 0.05) than these in control group C and experimental group R and the blood glucose (GLU) in the experimental group R which is with 0.25-0.28 mmol/l lower than determined in control group C and experimental group D.

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of dihydroquercetin from Siberian larch and dry distilled rose petals (DDRP) on growth performance, carcasses quality and blood characteristics of lambs from the Bulgarian Dairy Synthetic population sheep. For the purpose of the study there were used 30 clinically healthy male lambs aged 65 days, levelled by live weight. They were housed in a totally indoor barn and were divided into one control and two experimental groups, each consisting of 10 animals that were fed for 50 days. The control group (C) was fed ground alfalfa + granulated compound feed. The experimental groups (D) and (R) were fed on the same diet supplemented either with 7.5 mg dihydroquercetin/kg/day or with 545 mg dry distilled rose petals (DDRP)/kg/day respectively. The experimental group D had 5.45% and 8.78% higher slaughter weight comparing to the control group C and experimental group R, respectively. The carcass yield of lambs supplemented with dihydroquercetin was 1.28% and 2.19% higher compared to control group C or the lambs that had consumed DDRP. The carcass yield of lambs having consumed dihydroquercetin is higher by 1.28% and 2.19% respectively compared to lambs from control group C or those having consumed DDRP. The carcass conformation of C or R groups lambs do not differ (70% - class P, 30% - class O). The 90% of lamb's carcasses from the experimental group D were classified in class P. No significant differences were found in the fatness degree. The dihydroquercetin feeding increases the relative fat content (P ≤ 0.01) of lamb carcasses but adversely affects their conformation. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were found between 1st h and 24th h post-mortem pH of control group C and experimental group D. Compared to them the pH values of the experimental group R were by 0.14 - 0.15 pH units lower (p ≤ 0.05). No significant differences (p > 0.05) were found in the blood count of the three studied groups of lambs. Exceptions were made for erythrocytes (RBC) and haemoglobin (HGL) in the experimental group D which were higher (p ≤ 0.05) than these in control group C and experimental group R. The conclusion made was that the use of the dihydroquercetin had a positive effect on the lamb's fattening, slaughter weight and carcass yield. Such an effect was not detected when DDRP was used.

A study on the physicochemical composition, the properties, and the technological characteristics of sheep milk was carried out. The subject of the study was the milk produced by the Caucasian and the Askanian sheep breeds on the farm of "Kabiuk", near Shumen, during the lactation period of 2008. It was established that the quality components of the milk of the Caucasian and Askanian sheep are in keeping with the standards for raw sheep milk to be processed to dairy products. The technological characteristics indicate that the Caucasian and the Askanian sheep milk is a favourable environment for the development of the leaven bacteria cultures, rendering it an appropriate source for the Bulgarian Yoghurt industry.