On-station comparison study on growth performance of Red Maasai and Black Head Persian lambs in Northern Tanzania

E Hyera, J A Kajuna, A S Nguluma, L J Marwa, C J Niyoifasha, M E Mlimbe, A P Rugaimukamu, P M Latonga, P O Ochanga, E J M Shirima, M S H Mashingo¹ and Z C Nziku

Tanzania Livestock Research Institute, West Kilimanjaro Centre, P O Box 147, Sanya Juu, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
ehyera2004@yahoo.co.uk
¹ Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries (MLF), PO Box 9152, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of breed, sex, birth type, age of the dam and year of lambing on pre weaning growth traits of Red Maasai (RM) and Black Head Persian (BHP) lambs under semi-intensive breeding conditions. Performance of 595 lambs born between 2008 and 2017 was determined using General Linear Model procedures. The results of this study showed that BHP lambs were heavier than RM from birth to weaning ( p<0.05). BHP and RM lambs weighed 2.94 ± 0.08 kg and 2.83 ± 0.08 kg for weight at birth, respectively, and 12.4 ± 0.35 kg and 10.6 ± 0.34 kg for weight at weaning, respectively, while their average daily gain was 78.2 ± 2.61 g/day and 67.3 ± 2.53 g/day, respectively. Male lambs exhibited higher weights than females across all traits (p <0.05). Single births excelled twins in birth weight (p <0.05), but they did not differ in weaning weight and average daily gain (p>0.05). Lambs born to ewes aged six to eight years had higher weaning weight and average daily gain than lambs from ewes aged three to five years (p<0.05). Year of lambing had a great significant effect on pre weaning growth traits (p<0.05). BHP lambs had better body weights and pre-weaning average daily gain than the RM lambs. Therefore, BHP sheep can continue to be a source of genetic material for improving growth, birth and weaning weight of local sheep in semi-intensive and extensive production systems. The entire results construct awareness of factors influencing variation in growth traits and the appropriate management of sheep as an economical commodity.

Key words: pre-weaning growth, sheep breeds

Introduction

Tropical regions are composed of wide varieties of indigenous sheep breeds that are known to have sound adaptation to the arid and semi-arid conditions and traditional breeding scheme (Baker and Gray 2003). Sheep are mostly kept in low input production systems by the rural poor, including women headed households (ILRI 2011). Sheep contribute to the livelihoods of smallholders and the rural poor as immediate source of income, animal protein (meat), manure, raw materials (skins) and intangible benefits such as savings and insurance against emergencies in addition to other socio-economic functions and cultural sacrifices (Kosgey et al 2006; Adane and Girma 2008). In addition, sheep complement other livestock in the utilization of available feed resources and provide one of the useful means of utilizing vast steppe zones of natural grassland in marginal agricultural regions (Kosgey 2008).

Sheep population is estimated at 8 million that account for 14.9% of the main livestock population of Tanzania mainland (URT, 2015). Red Maasai (RM) and Black Head Persian (BHP) are the common sheep mostly found in Tanzania (Mtenga et al 2008). RM is an East African sheep breed, which has medium to large body size, large fat deposits in tail and hindquarters and common red-brown colour, though may also be pied. The breed is largely populated, widely distributed and famous for hardiness against gastrointestinal worms, trypanosomes, drought and heat (Zonabend et al 2014). It is treasured for high fertility, good reproduction and mothering ability. The breed was proven to increase in body size, grow faster and produce more milk under marginally better nutrition, disease control and selection (Kiriro 1994). For BHP, it is a direct descendant of the Somali sheep in Somalia. It is the most eminent exotic breed in the country (Nziku et al 2016). It has medium to large body size, rump tail with large fat deposits and common black neck and head with long pendulous ears and white body. The two colours are demarcated by a clear line. It is a polled breed with both sexes lacking horns. The breed is resilient to the arid and semi-arid tropical conditions mainly due large quantity of fat stored in the tail region. It is raised primarily for meat (Kruger 2009). BHP was proven to be superior in growth rate and carcass composition and has been used to upgrade local sheep (Mtenga et al 2008).

BHP was introduced to the West Kilimanjaro research station during 1960s (Das and Sendalo 1991). The breed is kept for research and multiplication. RM was introduced for conservation and improvement purpose in 2006. There has been little research work on comparison performance in growth traits in sheep farms in Tanzania (Tungu et al 2017). Comparison performance studies are needed to establish the level of some economically important traits of meat animals. The aim of this study was therefore to compare the effect of breed, sex, birth type, age of the dam and year of lambing on pre weaning growth traits of RM and BHP sheep.

Material and methods

Description of the study area

This study was conducted at the Tanzania Livestock Research Institute, West Kilimanjaro Centre in Northern Tanzania. The Centre lies at an approximately 3°S latitude and 39°E longitude, at an altitude of about 1270 meters above sea level. Usually, long rains occur throughout late March to May and short rains throughout November to December. Annual average precipitation lies between 450 – 700 mm, which is insufficient to support full re-growth of pastures and forages. Temperature lies between 11.7 ⁰C – 27.8 ⁰C. Dominant soils are dark brown and silt loam without any major deficiency other than organic matter reflected in its tremendously poor moisture retention. Cenchrus ciliaris is the most dominant grass species in the natural pastures.

Experimental animals

In total, 595 lambs of both sexes (301 males and 294 females) born between 2008 and 2017 during long rains season were used in the study. Amongst the lambs, 345 were RM and 250 were BHP. The lambs were reared in semi-intensive management system.

Animal management

The breeding season was from Mid-October to Mid-December and the lambing season lasted from March to May. Each breed was bred pure to determine their production potential. Mating was done at a ratio of 20 to 25 ewes to one ram and allowed to lamb on pasture grazing. Lambs were ear tagged for identification and weight recording was done within 24 hours of lambing and at weaning. The researched flocks were sheltered in wooden houses with raised floors (Plate 1) and kept in identical feeding conditions. Lambs were nursed by their dams and were provided ad libitum grazing of luscious pastures during the day for 8 hours from the age of one month. Water and mineral licks were provided for ad libitum consumption and animals were supplemented with concentrates during pasture shortage. Lambs were weaned when the median lamb age was approximately 112 days.

Plate 1. Lambs of indigenous and exotic sheep breeds reared in loose houses with raised wooden floor (A) Red Maasai (B) BHP

Data collection and statistical analysis

Traits studied were birth weight, pre weaning average daily gain and weaning weight. Both the birth and weaning weight of each lamb was measured using the Salter weighing scale, model 235 6S. Pre weaning average daily gain of lambs was determined as the difference between weight of lambs at weaning and their birth weight, divided by the weaning age (Number of days of the suckling period). Data on pre weaning growth performance were analyzed using the General Linear Model procedures of SAS version 9.1 for Windows (SAS, 2004). The following model equation was used for statistical analysis: Y_ijklm = µ + B_i + X_j + T_k + A₁ + Y_m + e_ijklm; Where Y _ijklm= observed value for the trait measured, µ= overall least squares mean for the trait measured, B_i = effect of the i ^th breed of the lamb (i: 1 = RM, 2 = BHP), Xj = effect the j^th sex of the lamb (j: 1 = male, 2 = female), T _k = effect of the k^th type of birth (k: 1 = single, 2 = twins), A₁ = effect of the lth age of the dam (l: 1 = below 3 years, 2 = 3 – 5 years, 3 = 6 – 8 years, 4 = ≥ 9 years), Y _m = effect of the m^th year of lambing (m: 1 = 2008, 2 = 2010, 3 = 2011,………, 9 = 2017) and e_ijklm = random error associated with the ijklm^th observations.

Results and discussion

The overall least-squares mean with standard error for the effect of breed on birth weight, weaning weight and pre weaning average daily gain of RM and BHP lambs are presented in Table 1. BHP lambs having 2.94 ± 0.08 kg birth weight, 12.4 ± 0.35 kg weaning and 78.2 ± 2.61 g/day average daily gain were observed to be significantly heavier than RM lambs from birth to weaning (p<0.05). Tungu et al (2017) observed no significant difference in birth weight between BHP and RM kids except in weight at weaning. In their study, both birth weight and weaning weight were higher compared to BHP and RM lambs in the current study. Besides, Sendalo et al (2010) reported a lower birth weight in BHP lambs compared to values observed for BHP and RM lambs in the present study. However, the weaning weight of BHP lambs reported during that period was higher compared to BHP and RM lambs. Also, the birth weight of BHP lambs observed in this study conforms to the value reported by Kiriro (1994) for RM lambs at Naivasha National Animal Husbandry research station in Kenya. But, the weaning weight is lower than the value reported for RM lambs at Naivasha. Moreover, Fasae et al (2012) in Nigeria reported lower birth weight for Yankasa and West African Dwarf lambs, and their crosses compared to BHP and RM lambs in this study. The weaning weight of Yankasa lambs, which were superior in growth traits, was lower than BHP but similar to RM lambs in the current study. Similar results were reported by Yacob (2008) for Afar and blackhead Somali lambs at Werer Agricultural Research Centre, Ethiopia. However, the average daily gain of Afar and blackhead Somali lambs was higher than the value obtained for BHP and RM lambs. In addition, Taye et al (2010) and Yiheyis (2012) in Ethiopia reported results for birth weight, weaning weight and average daily gain for Washera and Sekota lambs, respectively, ranging from higher to lower than values obtained for BHP and RM lambs in the present study. BHP flock used in this study was the descendants from the 1990s flock used by Sendalo et al (2010). Tungu et al (2017) carried out their study between 2011 and 2015 in the same farm. The variation of birth weight and weaning weight in these studies can be explained from variations in climate that influence pasture production and availability of forage resources and management problems primarily due to insufficient resources to deal with several husbandry practices like supplementary feeding especially during dry season (Rahimi et al 2014; Tungu et al 2017). Factors such as poor nutrition and disease incidences can obscure growth potential (Charles 2007).

Male lambs exhibited higher weights than females across all traits (Table 2). This finding conforms to the report for various breeds of sheep by Abegaz et al (2005), Gardner et al (2007), Rashidi et al (2008), Mohammadi et al (2010), Fasae et al (2012), Rahimi et al (2014) and Tungu et al (2017). The higher birth weight in male lambs than in females is due to higher prenatal growth under the influence of male sex hormones with anabolic effect (Fasae et al 2012). In relation to genetic potential, differences in sex chromosomes, location of genes linked to growth, physiological characteristics and dissimilarities in endocrine system such as the type and amount of hormone secretion especially sex hormone lead to difference in physical growth (Mohammadi et al 2010). Also, in relation to the endocrine system, estrogen hormone has limited influence on the growth of long bones in female sex (Rashidi et al 2008). The higher average daily gain in male lambs is a natural phenomenon, which indicates that the male sex is more quickly adaptable to the environment (Zhang et al 2009).

In this study, single births excelled twins in birth weight (p <0.05), but they did not differ significantly in weaning weight and average daily gain (Table 3). This result corresponds with the observation of Petrović et al (2009) and Yiheyis (2012). In another studies (Saghi et al 2007; Fasae et al 2012), birth weight for singles and twins were similar while weaning weight of single lambs was higher than that of twins. Other scholars (Kuchtik et al 2011; Rahimi et al 2014; Mellado et al 2016) reported a higher growth performance of single lambs compared to twins across all traits, which are common observations in animals. The finite capacity of the maternal uterine space during pregnancy for twin lambs, the diminished nutrition supply via blood vessels during prenatal life due to the relative decrease of caruncles attached to each fetus and nutrition of dam, especially during the last third of pregnancy period are the phenomena that might explain the above mentioned lighter birth weight in twin lambs (Gardner et al 2007; Zahraddeen et al 2008).

The results of this study showed that age of the dam had no significant influence on birth weight of lambs (Table 4). However, lambs born to ewes aged six to eight years had significantly higher weaning weight and average daily gain than lambs from ewes aged three to five years (p <0.05). Mellado et al (2016) observed that lambs from young ewes had lighter birth weight, weaning weight and average daily gain compared to lambs from older ewes. Also, Rahimi et al (2014) observed that age of the dam was significant at all ages of weight recording. It is well known that maiden ewes tend to produce smaller lambs since they are not at their mature weight, hence complement their growth in addition to fetal growth thus increasing metabolic strain that affects lamb weight (Mellado et al 2016). Also, poor mothering ability of the younger ewes such as lower capacity of milking contributes to lighter lambs at all ages of weight recording (Rashidi et al 2008; Mohammadi et al 2010). The above observations on the influence of age of the dam in the current study might be due to variations in management and alterations in rainfall that affect the availability of pasture forage resources (Rahimi et al 2014).

Year of lambing had a great significant effect on pre weaning growth traits (Table 5). The birth weight of lambs was lower in 2008 (2.50 ± 0.09 kg) than in the other years while the higher birth weight was obtained in 2012 (3.59 ± 0.09 kg). Lambs born in 2016 had the lowest weaning weight (8.08 ± 0.59 kg) and average daily gain (55.2 ± 4.43 kg) compared to lambs born in the other years; whereas lambs born in 2011 had the highest weaning weight (14.7 ± 0.45 kg) and average daily gain (94.2 ± 3.38 kg). Lower birth weight of lambs born in 2008 might be due to severe drought observed in 2007/2008 (Keyyu 2014). Severely restricted nutrition at the farm prior to and during pregnancy might have caused loss of dams’ body weight, induced retardation of fetal growth due to placental insufficiency and reduced birth weight in lambs (Greenwood et al 2010). Variations between years might be partly due to climatic variations, management conditions and differences in sample size (Mellado et al 2016).

Conclusion

• The results of the present study reveal an optimistic indication concerning the potential of BHP and RM sheep breeds for meat production.
  
  
• Both BHP and RM have the potential for breed improvement and multiplication for market demand.
  
  
•  BHP lambs had better body weights and pre-weaning average daily gain than the RM lambs. Thus, BHP sheep can continue to be a source of genetic material for improving growth, birth and weaning weight of local sheep in semi-intensive and extensive production systems.
  
  
• Significant effects on pre-weaning growth traits were found to be sex, birth type and year of lambing.
  
  
• These results have useful implications for increased awareness of factors that significantly influence variation in growth traits and the appropriate management of sheep as an economical commodity.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest regarding the work presented in this article.

Acknowledgement

The authors are very grateful to the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries of the Government of Tanzania due to its financial support for the accomplishment of this study. Authors also express heartfelt appreciation to supporting staff of the West Kilimanjaro Livestock Research Centre for their tireless participation in herd management.

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Received 26 June 2018; Accepted 23 July 2018; Published 3 September 2018

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