BIOLOGICAL EFFICIENCY OF MEAT AND WOOL PRODUCTION OF 7 SHEEP GENOTYPES

One hundred and thirty-two ewes of the Merino (M), Finn X Merino (FLXM ), Border Leicester X Merino (BLXM), Bleu de Maine X Merino (BMXM), Te xel X Merino (TXM), Cheviot X Merino (ChXM) and Merino Landsheep X Mer ino (MLXM) were evaluated for efficiency of lamb production. Individua l food intakes of every ewe and also of her lamb(s) were determined ov er a complete production cycle. Efficiency of lamb production (kg lamb marketed at 35 kg live mass per kg food consumed by the ewe and her l amb(s)) indicated that the FLXM was the most efficient, followed by th e TXM, Merino, MLXM, BLXM, ChXM and the BMXM was the least efficient. No significant differences (P < 0.05) were found between genotypes for efficiency of lamb production for ewes producing and rearing singleto ns until 35 kg live mass with ewe mass included as a covariate. Effici ency of wool production of the Merino was significantly (P < 0.001) hi gher than that of the other crosses. These results emphasize the impor tance of reproduction traits in improving efficiency of lamb productio n.