Analysis of multivariate relations among birth weight, survivability traits, growth performance, and some important factors in Suffolk lambs

Abstract

Abstract. The aim of this study was to describe the relationships among lambs' birth weight, survivability traits, growth performance, and selected factors in Suffolk lambs kept under a specified extensive management system. Data were collected regarding 1012 Suffolk lambs born during a 3-year period (2012)(2013)(2014) in one flock. Statistical analyses were conducted using the SAS and CANOCO program software. Birth weight was found to be an important factor influencing survivability and growth performance traits. Lambs with too low a birth weight (< 2.9 kg) had the worst results of practically all the survivability and growth performance traits. A significantly lower percentage of live-born lambs (5.2 to 6.1 %; P < 0.05) was also observed amongst overweight lambs at birth (> 6.0 kg) compared to lambs with a birth weight of 4-5.9 kg. Generally, the highest results of growth performance traits were detected in groups of lambs with a birth weight of 5.0-5.9 and 6.0-9.0 kg. Therefore, the optimal birth weight of Suffolk lambs was in the range of 5.0 to 5.9 kg in the evaluated flock management system. Litter size was found to be the dominant factor influencing birth weight, survivability, and growth performance traits, such that singles tended to have the highest birth weight and growth performance traits, while higher survivability traits were found in twins. The results of multivariate relations also clearly indicated that the selection of lambs should be focused on twins with regard to the monitoring of mature ewes' live weight at mating, which helped to improve the lambs' survivability traits, in particular. The monitoring of ewes' mature live weight at mating should also serve as a tool for flock management to shorten the lambing period in the flock and to improve the birth weight and growth performance traits of lambs. The mature ewe body condition score at mating should be monitored to ensure that lambs are adequately meaty and fatty. This study confirmed the importance of keeping records of birth weight and suggested practical implications of some important factors when improving flock profitability.

Relationship between the animal body condition and reproduction: the biotechnological aspects

“…Important studies have been focused on animal husbandry (Buckley et al, 2003;Berry et al, 2003;Banos et al, 2007;Cam et al, 2018;Gruber et al, 2018;Makarevich et al, 2018;Ledinek et al, 2019;Ptáček et al, 2017;Tančin et al, 2018), but also on biotechnology, e.g., embryo transfer (Bezdíček et al, 2015;Bezdíček and Louda, 2016), in vitro fertilization (Makarevich et al, 2012b;Chrenek et al, 2015;Oba et al, 2013) and ovarian activity (Makarevich et al, 2012a;Kuźnicka et al, 2016). A number of studies have been also focused on the relationship between the body condition and reproduction from a veterinary point of view, e.g., early embryonic mortality and retained placenta (Qu et al, 2014;Aungier et al, 2014;Berry et al, 2007a, b). A relationship was also determined between BCS and mastitis by Loker et al (2012), who calculated the average genetic correlation between the BCS and mastitis in Canadian Holstein ( − 0.730) and the correlation between BCS and metabolic disease (−0.438).…”

Genome Variation in Tick Infestation and Cryptic Divergence in Tunisian Indigenous Sheep

“…Birth weight is the earliest available body weight trait with considerable impact on lamb survivability and growth performance traits [79]. Our analysis revealed a candidate region on OAR1 that was identi ed by LR-GWAS, XP-EHH and F ST that spanned among others the RAB6B and TF genes.…”

Genome-Wide Analysis for Early Growth-Related Traits of the Locally Adapted Egyptian Barki Sheep

“…Body weight gain can be monitored at birth or at other animal life stages and largely determines the amount of income from sheep meat production. Weight measurement at birth represents the earliest indicator of growth performance and related traits [16]. Various genetic but also non-genetic factors affect the birth weight, such as the dam's weight, age, and nutrient supply during pregnancy [17].…”