EFFECT OF BODY CONDITION SCORE AND WEANING AGE IN SOME PRODUCTIVE TRAITS OF AWASSI SHEEP

To study the impact of the body condition score (BCS) of ewes on body weight (BW) and body weight gain (BWG) of ewes and lambs and the effect of weaning age on BW and BWG of lambs, thirty Awassi ewes (2–3 years old) with their borne male lambs were used in the study. Ewes condition-scored and assigned to three groups, 1st, 2nd and 3rd groups were with BCS 2.5, 3 and 3.5 respectively. Lambs weaned neither 60 or 90 days (5 lambs for each), the study lasted 90 days. The analyzed data showed significant (P≤0.05) differences in high BCS ewes; also, lambs BW increased significantly by 3 and 3.5 compared with 2.5 BCS at the 4th, 6th, and 8th weeks of the study. Total BWG was higher significantly for BCS- 3 and 3.5 ewe’s lambs. While body weight increased significantly for BCS- 3 and 3.5 ewe lambs at the 10th and 12th weeks of study. Ewes were significantly heavier whose weaned her lambs at 60 days, while lambs weaned at 90 days had higher BW at the 10th and 12th weeks of the study. BWG was better significantly (P≤0.05) for BCS- 2.5 and 3 in lambs at 12th week. In conclusion, this means that BCS-3 lambs had a higher BW, while 2.5 and 3 BCS lambs had a better BWG at the end of the study.