Production of Milchschaf sheep in a grazing dairy system

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate production and milkability of 148 Milchschaf ewes on pastures, mated in March, shorn prepartum, the lambs weanned at 10 kg and thereafter twice a day milking for 100 days. Bodyweight and body condition were determined as well as reproduc­tive performance, milk production an composition, soma­tic cell count (RCS) and prevalence of clinical mastitis. Milkability was evaluated in 10 ewes, the following frac­tions were volumetrically measured and sampled: machi­ne milk without stripping (LM), machine milk after stri­pping (LAM), residual hand milked (LRM), residual after injection of oxytocin (LR). At mating bodyweight was 54.55±6.39 kg, body condition score was 2.59±0.44, both diminished during milking period (P<0.01). Fertility was 94.6%, prolificity 115.0% and lambing percentage was 108.8%. Milk yield adjusted to 100díaswas 64.17±16.06, age of ewe and number of weaned lambs per ewe were significantly related to milk yield (P<0.01). Milk compo­sition was (%): fat 5.43±0.55, protein 4.67±0.37 and lac­tose 4.39±0.23. Average RCS was 360.000/mL; clinical mastitis prevalence was 13.3%. LM was 52.96% of total milk in the udder, LAM was 17.52%, LRM was 8.72% and LR was 20.8%. It is concluded that reproductive traits and dairy milk yield of Milchschaf on pastures are lower than European results; milkability is similar to dairy bre­eds.