Veterinary Archives, Vol. 89 No. 4, 2019.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.24099/vet.arhiv.0559
The effect of concentrates on production traits, biochemical parameters and thyroid hormones concentration in Dubrovnik sheep fed forage based-diets
Zvonko Antunović
; Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Ivica Marić
; Croatian Agricultural Agency, Zagreb, Croatia
Željka Klir
orcid.org/0000-0003-4078-6864
; Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Boro Mioč
; Department of Animal Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Josip Novoselec
; Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Abstract
The research was carried out on 20 Dubrovnik sheep, divided into two groups. During the day, ewes and lambs were out in pasture and in the evening, after returning to the barn, ewes of group I were fed with only hay, and group II, besides hay, received 200 g corn and 100 g wheat bran. Body measurement, assessment of body condition, weighing and blood sampling were carried out in highly pregnant and lactating ewes. The addition of concentrate feed to the ewes´ diets was justified because it improved the ewes´ production traits (higher body weight, lower ewe weight loss per lamb, better body development indices). The significantly higher concentrations of cholesterol, beta-hydroxybutirate and thyroxine hormone in the blood of group II show that metabolic profile indicators may be considered as a good criterion for assessing their nutritional status. The research showed that the genetic potential of Dubrovnik sheep has not been fully exploited so that improved nutrition may significantly improve the ewes´ production traits, which should guarantee the survival of this, the most endangered native Croatian breed of sheep.
Keywords
Dubrovnik sheep; concentrates; forage; biochemical parameters; thyroid hormones
Hrčak ID:
225747
URI
Publication date:
30.9.2019.
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