Estimation of milk yield in suckled Awassi sheep under traditional feedingconditions

This study was performed to estimate the milk production ability of Awassi ewes using oxytocin-induced hand milking method under traditional feeding. Thirty eight Awassi ewes (2 to 7 year) were used in this study. Milk produc tion and body weight of ewes were estimated once a week throughout the suck ling period (8 weeks). Each ewe received 5 i.u. of oxytocin (iv) followed i mmediately by hand-milking until all the milk was stripped off. Lambs remai ned in isolation from ewes for 4 hours after which the milking procedure wa s repeated. Milk obtained at second milking was measured. Twenty four hour ilk production was calculated in relation to the interval between milkings. The least-squares means for daily milk yield in the first eight weeks of l actation (suckling period) were 1.88, 1.60, 1.58, 1.39, 1.30, 1.18, 1.12 an d 1.06 kg, respectively. The effect of lamb sex, ewe age, day of measuremen t and ewe weight on daily milk yield were generally not significant.