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Kerala Veterinary and Animal Science University, Mannuthy, Thrissur, INDIA

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EFFECT OF DAM-LAMB RELATIONSHIP ON BODY WEIGHT GAIN OF CORRIEDALE LAMBS DURING PRE-WEANING PERIOD

H.M. Khan, A.S. Bhat, P.K. Singh, R. Islam, T.K. Sarkar

Affiliations

¹Sheep Breeding Farm, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (K) Shuhama (Alusteng), Srinagar - 190 006, (J &K), India

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Cite article:- Khan H.M., Bhat A.S., Singh P.K., Islam R., Sarkar T.K. (2025). EFFECT OF DAM-LAMB RELATIONSHIP ON BODY WEIGHT GAIN OF CORRIEDALE LAMBS DURING PRE-WEANING PERIOD. Indian Journal of Animal Research. 40(1): 82 - 84. doi: .

ABSTRACT

Twenty eight (28) healthy pure bred Corriedale lambs of 15 days age were randomly selected
and divided into two equal groups of 14 lambs each (A and B) with average body weight of 4.13±0.25
and 4.13±0.14 kg, respectively. Group A lambs were allowed to graze on sub-alpine pasture of the
farm land separately without their dam whereas group B lambs were allowed to graze along-with
their dams in same area. The group A were allowed to suckle their dams only on their return from
grazing area for three months period. The lambs in each group were provided with concentrate
mixture as per their requirement. The body weight of under trial lambs was recorded at weekly
interval. The results indicated significantly (P0.05) higher daily body weight gain group B tha
group A, thereby, achieving 3.99 kg more body weight during 45 days trial. Mortality in group A
and B was 7.12% and 0%, respectively. The better performance was also reflected during post
weaning period, wherein, the 6 month body weight was 16.22 and 19.96 kg in group A and B,
respectively. Wool yield was 900 and 1125 g in group A and B, respectively. The study indicated
favourable effect of lamb-dam association on growth of lambs during pre-weaning suckling period.

KEYWORDS

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