Original scientific paper
EXTERIOR CHARACTERISTICS OF TSIGAI SHEEP
Josip Vrdoljak
Vesna Pavić
; Agronomski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
B. Mioč
; Agronomski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Z. Barać
I . Vnučec
Z. Prpić
Abstract
The aim of this research was to determine exterior characteristics of Tsigai ewes and rams, using a commission evaluation and body measurements. Thus, totally 315 Tsigai sheep were picked out from 3 flocks in the area of Slavonski Brod and divided into age groups according to the teeth: 36 ewe hoggets about 16 months old; 48 young sheep between 2 and 3.5 years old; 219 adult ewes older than 3.5 years; and 6 adult rams. Data were analyzed using procedure MEANS of SAS statistical package. The average height of crest of adult Tsigai sheep was 75.95 cm, the length of the trunk 85.80 cm, the width of the chest was 22.52 cm, the depth of the chest 32.94 cm, the circumference of the chest 98.42 cm, the circumference of the leg 9.51 cm and the average body weight was 67.85 kg. Ewe hoggets had 89.16% of adult sheep's height of withers, 88.24% of adult sheep's length of the trunk and 78.07% of their final body weight. On average, rams had 27% greater mean body weight than ewes. According to all determined body measurements, except the width of the chest, rams were more developed than ewes. According to investigated exterior characteristics, Tsigai sheep is quite different and more developed than other Croatian autochthonous sheep breeds, except Istrian sheep.
Keywords
Tsigai sheep; exterior; body measurements; trunk conformation
Hrčak ID:
103452
URI
Publication date:
22.10.2007.
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