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Evaluation of growth rates and resistance to nematodes of Deccani and Bannur lambs and their crosses with Garole

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

C. Nimbkar ,
P. M. Ghalsasi ,
A. A. Swan ,
S. W. Walkden-Brown  and
L. P. Kahn
C. Nimbkar*
Affiliation:
Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute, Animal Husbandry Division, PO Box 23, Phaltan 415 523, Maharashtra, India Animal Science, School of Rural Science and Agriculture, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
P. M. Ghalsasi
Affiliation:
Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute, Animal Husbandry Division, PO Box 23, Phaltan 415 523, Maharashtra, India
A. A. Swan
Affiliation:
CSIRO Livestock Industries F. D. McMaster Laboratory at Chiswick Station, Locked Bag 1, PO Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia
S. W. Walkden-Brown
Affiliation:
Animal Science, School of Rural Science and Agriculture, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
L. P. Kahn
Affiliation:
Animal Science, School of Rural Science and Agriculture, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
*
† E-mail address: cnimbka2@pobox.une.edu.au
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Abstract

Sheep rearing is a traditional occupation of about 85 000 shepherd families on the Deccan plateau in the Maharashtra State of India. They rear Deccani (D) sheep which usually bear only single lambs. Prolificacy is an important trait for the efficiency of meat producing sheep. It was decided to evaluate and utilize Indian sheep genetic resources with a view to improving the efficiency of sheep production on the Deccan plateau. A crossbreeding experiment was conducted over 4 years, using rams of the D, Bannur (B) and Garole (G) breeds and D and B ewes with the aim of developing recommendations for the appropriate breed combination of a likely composite. It was found that crossing with G reduces live weight and growth rates significantly compared with D but lambs sired by G rams were more resistant to naturally acquired gastro-intestinal nematode infections and to artificial challenge with Haemonchus contortus than those sired by D or B rams. The G breed, being from a humid environment is, however, not adapted to the semi-arid Deccan plateau. The higher productivity (in terms of weight of lamb weaned) of twin-bearing ewes compared with those bearing singles was evident even in extensive rearing conditions. The finding of increased resistance to gastro-intestinal nematodes in the G breed, which also carries a major gene for prolificacy, highlights the potential for inclusion of G in a composite breed. Negative effects on growth and survival from inclusion of the Garole need to be carefully managed.

Keywords

crossbreedinggrowth ratenematodaprolificacysheep
Type
Ruminant nutrition, behaviour and production
Information
Animal Science , Volume 76 , Issue 3 , June 2003 , pp. 503 - 515
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2003

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