Awassi sheep reproduction and milk production: review

Abstract

Awassi is the local breed of sheep in Jordan and is the most important breed in the semi-arid regions of the near east countries. Awassi ram and ewe lambs reach puberty at around 8 and 9 months of age, respectively. The breeding season of Awassi ewes starts as early as April and lasts through September. After puberty, Awassi rams are sexually active throughout the year. The normal estrous cycle in Awassi ewes is 15-20 days (average 17 days). Estrus ranges from 16-59 h (average 29 h) during the breeding season. The reproductive performance of unimproved Awassi sheep has been low while improved Awassi has the highest fertility and milk production and are the heaviest among all Awassi populations. The gestation length varies from 149 to 155 days (average 152 days). Hormones that are commonly used for induction and synchronization of estrus in Awassi ewes include progestins, gonadotropins and PGF2α. An Awassi ewe produces 40-60 and 70-80 kg of milk per 150-day lactation period under traditional and improved production systems, respectively, in addition to the suckled milk left for lambs until weaning. The improved Awassi has the highest milk production among all Awassi populations and may reach 506 L over 214-day lactation period. The objective of this review is to summarize the reproductive pattern and milk production of Awassi sheep in the Middle East region.

Reproductive Performances of Indigenous Ewes in Bangladesh

“…The average length of the estrous cycle was comparable with observations made on other breeds [27], [28]. The differences in length of the cycle between the studies could be due to phase of the breeding season age of the sheep groups and breed differences [29].…”

“…The differences in length of the cycle between the studies could be due to phase of the breeding season age of the sheep groups and breed differences [29]. The mean duration of estrus for both groups was within the range reported in previous studies [27], [30]. However, there are some other studies in which a longer or shorter duration of estrus has been reported than that found in the present study [31], [32], [33].…”

İvesi koyunlarında bazı vücut ölçüleri yardımıyla canlı ağırlığın tahmin edilmesinde kullanılabilecek rekursif bir path modeli

“…Awassi is a multipurpose fat-tailed sheep breed with high adaptability and is one of the most widespread breeds in the Middle East and Southwest Asia (3,25). The Awassi breed has been raised in South-eastern Anatolia, Syria, Iraq, Israel.…”

Evaluation of Awassi sheep genotypes for growth, milk production and milk composition

“…Indigenous to West Asia, Awassi sheep excel in milk and meat production, and are an important component in the livelihoods of many resource-poor farmers across the Middle East (Talafha & Ababneh, 2011). Moreover, Awassi sheep have been exported from their original home tract in east of the Mediterranean to more than 30 countries in all continents (Galal et al, 2008).…”