Effects of Using Dorper, Hampshire Down, Bluefaced Leicester and German Blackheaded Rams as Terminal Sires in Extensive Low-Input Production Systems

The current study was conducted to evaluate Dorper, Hampshire Down, Bluefaced Leicester and German Blackheaded breeds as terminal sires in an extensive low-input production system under European temperate conditions, when crossed with native Turcana breed as a maternal genotype. The project breeding herd consisted of 300 multiparous purebred Turcana ewes, managed under extensive low-input production system. Six breeding herds were set-up, with randomly selected ewes (50/group) being exposed to Dorper, Hampshire Down, Bluefaced Leicester, German Blackheaded and Turcana (control group) rams. Lambs birth weight was higher (p≤0.01) in F1 Hampshire Down x Turcana and F1 German Blackheaded x Turcana crossbreds compared to control group. Lamb survival from birth to weaning was the lowest (88.4±3.30%) for the Dorper sired lambs, and the highest (94.0±1.84%) in the Bluefaced Leicester sired lambs (p≤0.01). Hampshire Down and German Blackheaded sired lambs had similar survival rates as the purebreds Turcana lambs (p>0.05). Body weight of lambs at the age of 8 months was significantly higher (p≤0.001) in Dorper (41.3±0.51), Bluefaced Leicester (41.2±0.34) and German Blackheaded (42.4±0.58) sired genotypes, while the Hampshire Down half-breeds (39.3±0.65) had intermediate body weights (p≤0.01) compared to the controls (34.6±0.49).