Features of the new breed of sheep in serbia called mis sheep 1. reproductive characteristics and body development

Abstract

This paper presents the results of reproductive characteristics and body development of the new breed of sheep in Serbia, called Mis sheep. Mis sheep as a type of sheep for meat, had been developed for the past 20 years at the Institute of Animal Husbandry, Belgrade-Zemun. Main method of development is complex combinatory three-breed crossing. As material, three breeds of sheep have been used in this project, namely: Pirot Pramenka, Merinolandschaf and Ile de France. Mis sheep is characterized by a strong constitution with emphasized carcass conformation and excellent meat traits. These are very persistent long-lived animals, well adjusted to conditions of the environment. Mis sheep are white without any spots. Sexual maturity is acquired at the age of 6-8 months, what includes them into the population of early maturing sheep. However, as well as in the case with other noble breeds their first fertilization should be at the age of 10 to 12 months. Mis sheep could be considered as sheep of higher fertility because from 100 sheep giving birth approximately 150 lambs are obtained. At the age of 90 days, the body weight of lambs is approximately 34.26 kg. At the age of 18 months, when sheep are already mature but not completely developed, the body weight is 71.63 kg. Finally, at the age over of 3 years, when they are completely developed, the average weight is 78.89 kg. The body weight of rams varies from 120-140 kg, although even in this case it depends on the production phase and use of male heads in breeding.