The experimental work of this study was carried out on Ossimi and Chios-Ossimi crossbred ewes with Ossimi and Finland rams and there progeny. These sheep belonged to the herd raised in the Experimental Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture at Moshtohor, Banha University.
Twenty Ossimi and seven Chios-Ossimi crossbred ewes were allowed for the reproductive traits studied (number of services per conception NSC; gestation length GL; number of lambs born per ewe lambed NB; kilograms born per ewe lambed KB; number of lambs weaned per ewe lambed NW; kilograms weaned per ewe lambed KW and lambing interval LI) and weekly and total milk production during 16 weeks of lactation.
Nine 1/2Ossimi-1/2Finland, nine 3/4Ossimi-1/4Chios and nine 1/4 Ossimi-1/4 Chios-1/2Finland crossbred male lambs (resulting from mating between Ossimi and Chios-Ossimi crossbred ewes with Ossimi and Finland rams) produced during the period of the study were fattened for three months. Feeding started when male lambs reached four, seven and ten months of age. Lambs of feeding groups were assigned form all the weaned lambs at random. Wheat straw and Egyptian clover were offered ad libitum while the concentrate mixture was allowed according to National Research Council N.R.C. (1985) recommendation based on the animal live body weight. Body dimensions measured were body length, height at withers, heart girth, chest width, chest depth and width at hind quarter. At the end of the feeding period nine male lambs from each one of the feeding groups (i.e. four, seven and ten months of age) were slaughtered for carcass evaluation. Blood samples were taken monthly when the lambs reached four, seven and ten months of age.
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