Lifetime Reproductive and Lamb Crop Yields of Fat-tailed Naeemi and Imported Border Leicester Merino Ewes in Intensive System of Production

The lamb mortality was 10% with no significant differences between breeds. The parity significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected all reproductive traits in both the BLM and the N ewes, except the litter size in N, which was unaffected by parity. The N showed maximum reproduction at second parity (1.08 lambs/ewes) and BLM at third parity (1.63 lambs per ewe). While the lambs from BLM ewes' first parity showed the highest mortality (21%), lambs from fifth parity showed the lowest mortality (4.5%). The weight of lambs born and weaned was significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) in autumn-mated than summer-mated BLM ewes. For BLM ewes, mortality was significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) in summer-born lambs than the lambs born in autumn, winter or spring. This study has demonstrated a moderate lifetime productivity of local N ewes and marked superiority of BLM to N for ewe reproduction and lamb crop yields under the intensive management system.