GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF SIMPLE- AND TRIRACIALI CROSSBRED LAMBS AND EWES PRODUCTIVITY OF R1 GERMAN BLACKFACE X TSIGAI CROSSED WITH FRENCH MEAT BREED

Crossbreeding of three French meat breeds rams and one R1 German Blackface (75%) x Tsigai (25%) ram with R1 crossbreed ewes German Blackface (75%) x Tsigai (25%) was carried out to determine the ram breed effects on productivity of ewes and growth performances of the Iambs. A total of 151 crossbreed ewes R1 German Blackface x Tsigai were divided into four groups for mating with 4 rams from Berrichon du Cher (BC) - group 1, Blanche du Massif Central (BMC) - group 2, Mouton Vendeen (MV) - group 3, and R1 German Blackface (BF) - group 4, resulting in total 147 lambs. Ram breed had a significant influence on growth performances of the lambs. The lambs obtained from the R1 German Blackface ram were heavier than the Iambs from groups 1 and 3 (P< 0.001) at birth, 28 day and 56 day. Significant differences were recorded between group 2 and 4 with regard at weight at 28 day (P< 0.01) and 56 day (P< 0.05). Body weight at 5 months in group 1 of crossbred lambs was significantly higher than to the crossbreed lambs obtained from the group 2 (P< 0.01), 3 (P< 0.05) and 4 (P< 0.01). The number of lambs born per ewe, number of lambs weaned per ewe, and lamb survival rate at weaning were similar among the four groups, while the lambs survival rate at 5 months at the lambs obtained from ewes mated to Blanche du Massif Central ram was higher compared to the others, the differences being significant (P< 0.05) compared to the lambs obtained from ewes mated to Mouton Vendeen ram.