Biological Evaluation of Barki Sheep under Two Different Breeding Seasons

The present study was conducted to investigate the impact of breeding season on the productivity and profitability of Barki flock. Simulation technique was used based on technical coefficients derived from statistical analysis of the basic data. Basic data utilized in this study were obtained from the accumulated records collected over 34 successive breeding seasons from 1972 to 2005 of Barki sheep flock raised at Maryout Research Station. Biological criteria considered were number of ewes lambed per ewe joined, (EL/EJ), number of lambs born per ewe joined (LB/EJ), number of lambs weaned per ewe joined (LW/EJ), kilogram weaned per ewe joined (KGW/EJ). Deterministic technical coefficients were used to create two simulated flocks of two different breeding seasons. Economical indicators were gross margin (GM) per flock and per ewe, marginal rate of return (MRR), cost of one kg of meat produced and benefit/cost ratio (B/C). The overall least squares means for EL/EJ, LB/EJ, LW/EJ and KGW/EJ were 78 %, 80 %, 61 % and 11.9 kg, respectively. Analysis of variance showed that autumn breeding season flock was significantly higher than summer breeding season flock in all studied traits. Flock applying autumn breeding season achieved higher gross margin per flock, per ewe, B/C and lower variable cost per one kg of meat produced than flock applying summer breeding season ( LE 47703 vs. LE 30699), (LE 95.5 vs. LE 61.8), (1.35 vs. 1.25) and (LE 14.6 vs. LE 15.8), respectively. While, MRR was LE 2.40.