Research Information System
Van Veterinary Journal, vol.27, pp.37-42, 2016 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
This study examined the effect of different forage levels and ewe’s milk consumption levels on the development of fleece characters and number of follicles in Norduz lambs. Fifty Norduz sheep and their 50 lambs were used in the study. Control group lambs freely consumed alfalfa hay until the pasture season and then freely consumed pasture grass. The lambs in the control group also nursed from the ewes for 150 days. The experimental group lambs were fed milk residues for 47 days and consumed test feed after the first week. The lambs in the first, second, and third groups were fed with food consisting 2, 3, and 4% dry matter, respectively, based on their live weights. Skin samples were obtained from animals aged 7 days, 21 days, 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year in order to determine the rates and varieties of fleece follicles. Fleece samples were also obtained from one-year-old animals to determine specific fleece characteristics. The lengths (haut and barb) and strength values of the fleeces were significantly greater in the control group than in the other groups. The effect of forage and breast milk consumption in different levels were not statistically significant in secondary follicle numbers. Key Words: Norduz, Different feeding, Fleece, Fiber follicle