Abstract:The aim was the investigation the milk and its composition for control day in local sheep breeds. The experiment was carried out with 19 Karakachan ewes and 21 West Balkan Mountain ewes from the flock of IAS-Kostinbrod and 15 Local Sofia ewes from a private flock from village Klisura. The study is a part of Bulgarian-Greece project for research of F1-crosses of Chios breed. The experimental ewes were mothers of F1 Chios' crosses. The milk for day was recorded on first control during milking period. The content of milk -fats, proteins, non fat solid, dry matter and density were estimated by individual milk samples by analyzer "Ekomilk". The average milk yield for control day of ewes from Karakachan, West Balkan Mountain and Local Sofia breeds was 0,344 l, 0,421 l and 0,633 l respectively.The content of fat, protein and total solids in milk of Karakachan ewes was -5,91%, 5,19% and 16,42% respectively, of West Balkan Mountain ewes -6,41%, 5,10% and 16,67% and of Sofia local ewes -6,35%, 5,94% and 17,57%.

The aim of the present study was to test transrectal real-time B-mode ultrasonography for pregnancy diagnosis in ewes from the Ile de France breed on day 16, 23 and 30 after fixed-time artificial insemination. The experiment was carried out with 22 multiparous pure-bred Ile de France ewes aged 2-5 years. Diagnosis of pregnancy was based on the presence of enlarged uterine lumen with amniotic fluid and visualisation of embryo. The accuracy (Ac %), sensitivity (Se %) and specificity (Sp %) of the technique were determined. The gestational phase influenced significantly (P<0.01) the accuracy of the transrectal ultrasonography approach for pregnancy diagnosis. At day 16 the accuracy was 50.0%, whereas at day 23 and at day 30 it reached 72.73% and 90.91% respectively.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the short-term progestagen treatments plus PMSG prior ram introduction on the estrus synchronization and the fertility of Ile de France ewes in the beginning of mating season. The study was carried out with 36 pure-bred ewes (aged 4-6 years) during April 2009. The ewes were divided in 3 groups (n=12 for each group): group Ivaginal sponge impregnated with 30mg FGA for six days, as at the time of placement of sponge 125 µg cloprostenolum was put i.m At the time of removal of the sponge 250 UI PMSG was put i.m.; group II-the same as the I group, but without cloprostenolum treatment: III group-control. The teasers were introduced to ewes 24h after the sponge removal and ewes in estrus was inseminated artificially. The following parameters were studied: effect of estrus synchronization (EES) ewes in estrus was recorded twice daily for the first 6 days after sponge removal; onset, end and duration of estrus for group I and II, fertility (at first estrus) and fecundity (calculated after lambing). The data for fertility and fecundity for the control group was obtained as ewes were fertilized during 30 days from the begging of the breeding. A significant effect of both schemes to estrus synchronization was determined F=33,33***, P<0,001).

Comparison between Synthetic population Bulgarian milk (SPBM) and East-Friesian (EF) sheep was done for laboratory yield of cheese and milk composition. The comparison of the means for the individual laboratory yield of cheese showed significantly higher values in the ewes of SPBM on first lactation (2,4735 g) compared to the EF breed (1,7608 g), (P<0,001). The higher amount of cheese probably was connected with the tendency for higher content of the fat, protein and dry matter. However on the second lactation the two breeds showed the same values: SPBM 1,9370 g and EF breed 1,9282 g. No significant differences in the quantity of milk and its composition between the sheep on first and second lactation were observed for both breeds.

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