Production characteristics of Akkaraman, Sakız X Akkaraman (F1) crossbred lambs

69 7. SUMMARY PRODUCTION CHARACTERISTICS OF AKKARAMAN, SAKIZ X AKKARAMAN (Fl) CROSSBRED LAMBS The aim of this study was to investigate the growth, survival ability, fattening and carcass characteristics and body size of Akkaraman and Sakız x Akkaraman (Fl) crossbred lambs. The data obtained from 34 Akkaraman and 32 Sakız x Akkaraman crossbred lambs in suckling period, and also from 11 purebred and 12 crossbred ram lambs in fattening period were used in the study. Lambs were fed, in accordance with the recommendation of the deparment of Animal Nutrition with alfalfa hay and concentrates in the suckling period, and were fed with alfalfa hay and concentrates ad libitum in the fattening period. All the ram lambs with the live weight, of 20 kg were fattened in the same pen until they reached 45 kg live weight and afterwards they were slaughtered to investigate the characteristics of the carcass. Factors that influenced the growth of the lambs in the suckling period were analysed by the Least Squares method, and t test was used to compare the fattening and carcass characteristics with body size. The average birth weight was 3.73 and 3.78 kg, the weaning weight was 20.23 and 19.03 kg, the daily live weight gain from birth to the weaning was 157 and 145 g and the survival ability at weaning (105th day of age) was 68.96 and 78.57 % in the purebred and crossbred lambs, respectively. The fattening and carcass characteristics of the lambs at 45 kg slaughter weight were summarised in the Table 7.170 Table: 7.1. The Fattening and Carcass Characteristics Of the Lambs at 45 kg Slaughter Weight. *(P<0.05), **(P<0.01): significantly higher than other bred.