INVESTIGATIONS INTO TRADITIONALLY MANAGED DJALLONKE-SHEEP PRODUCTION IN THE HUMID AND SUBHUMID ZONES OF ASANTE, GHANA .5. PRODUCTIVITY INDEXES

In both zones, single lambs had significantly better productivity indi ces than twins; the lower indices were observed among primiparous ewes . The values of Index I showed the highest productivity at the fifth a nd sixth panties among the humid- and subhumid-zone ewes. The effect o f parity on Indices II and III was highest in the second and third par ities among semi-tethered and free-range ewes, respectively. Better in dices were recorded for ewes that lambed in the dry-harmattan and tran sitional dry-wet seasons, than for those lambing in either major-wet o r dryspell-minor wet seasons in both management systems. The overall r esults largely confirm the increased superiority of the free-range ewe s over the semi-tethered ewes: 6.3 % heavier lambs up to natural weani ng age; 9.8 % shorter parturition intervals; 10.6 % higher viability r ate up to natural weaning, and 10.4 % higher post-partum weight of the dams.