EFFECT OF SOME FACTORS ON HEAD AND TAIL MEASUREMENTS OF MALYA BREED LAMBS

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine effects of some factors (birth weight, birth type, sex of lamb and maternal age) on
head and tail measurements of Malya lambs (11/16 Akkaraman x 5/16 Deutsches Merinofleischschaf) reared at Malya state
farm in Middle Anatolia region conditions of Turkey. The data were measured between birth and 12 months age for lambs.
Least squares means for head length, head circumference, head width, distance between ears, ear length, ear width, tail width,
distance tail-tarsal, and tail length at birth were 12.71±0.24 cm, 25.97± 0.32 cm, 8.51±0.16 cm, 10.64±0.19 cm, 8.75±0.17 cm,
5.13±0.14 cm, 6.03±0.14 cm, 11.18±0.29 cm, 14.64±0.27 cm, respectively. Effects of birth weight on head length (P<0.001),
head circumference (P<0.001), ear length (P<0.01), and tail length at birth (P<0.05) were statistically significant.
Least squares means for head length, head circumference, head width, distance between ears, ear length, ear width, tail
width, distance tail-tarsal, and tail length at 12 moths age were 30.08±0.43 cm, 45.97±0.42 cm, 12.90±0.22 cm, 18.92±0.34
cm, 15.34±0.28 cm, 8.42±0.15 cm, 18.31±0.76 cm, 14.32±0.71 cm, 26.32±0.83 cm, respectively.
Positive effect of high birth weight on head and tail measurements has continued until weaning. Although differences
between male and female in terms of head structure at birth were statistically non-significant, male lambs have bigger, wider
and longer head structure in all growth periods after birth. Effect of maternal age on head and tail measurements was nonsignificant in all growth periods except for tail length at birth. Although statistically generally non-significant, it can be said
that single lambs have bigger head and tail measurements than twins at all growth periods.