Performance of Finnsheep in South Africa

Authors

• J C Greeff Irene Animal Production Institute, Irene 1675, Republic of South Africa
• J H Hofmeyer Irene Animal Production Institute, Irene 1675, Republic of South Africa
• D J Lourens Irene Animal Production Institute, Irene 1675, Republic of South Africa
• G A Wyma Irene Animal Production Institute, Irene 1675, Republic of South Africa
• K Maijala Agricultural Research Centre of Finland, Institute of Animal Production, SF-31600 Jokioinen, Finland

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.72438

Abstract

Reproduction, survival, growth and wool parameters were calculated for an experimental flock of Finnsheep from 1969 until 1986 under semi-intensive conditions. The total number of lambs bom were 1774. Litter size, survival rate at birth and from birth to weaning differed significantly (P<0.01) between years. Lambing percentages varied between 56.0 and 90.6% while average litter size varied between 1.97 and 3.1 lambs. Survival rate at birth declined as litter size increased, from 92.2% for singletons to 63.5% for quintuplets, while survival rate from birth to weaning also declined from 74.1% for singletons to 57.0% for quintuplets. For singletons, twins, triplets, quadruplets and quintuplets the least squares means of birth mass was 2.5 ± 0.06; 2.2 ±0.05; 2.0 ±0.05; 1.8 ± 0.06 and 1.7± 0.10, weaning mass was 19.0± 0.47; 16.8 ± 0.37; 16.8 ±0.36; 16.2 ±0.45 and 16.4 ± 0.94, and 12 months mass 43.9 ± 1.5; 40.1 ± 1.4; 38.5 ± 1.3; 37.0 ± 1.5 and 38.9 ± 4.7 respectively. Average fleece mass were 2.6 and 2.4 kg with an average fibre diameter of 26.0 and 26.7 micron for rams and ewes, respectively.