EFFECT OF DIFFERENT BODY CONDITION SCORE ON THE REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF AWASSI SHEEP Dissertation Zur Erlangug des akademischen Grades Doktor rerum agriculturarum (Dr. rer. agr.) eingereicht an der Landwirtschaftlich- Gärtnerischen Fakultät der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Von Dipl. Ing. Agr. Mona Georges Abboud geb. am 27.01.1976 in Machghara- Lebanon unter dem Präsident der Humboldt-Universität Prof. Dr. Christoph Markschies und dem Dekan der landwirtschaflich-Gärtnerischen Fakultät Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Otto Kaufmann Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Kurt J. Peters Prof. Dr. Karl Zessin Tag der Disputation, 4. July 2007 For those who by their education, love and encouragement have been made from me what I am today To the candle of given and sacrifice my father, Georges To the angel of love and tenderness my mother, Marcelle To my three sisters that have a great part in my success, Sandra, May and Rola To my lovely person and my soul mate, Youssef To my little angel Lea To all of them I dedicate my work Mona Abboud II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my deepest respect and most sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Prof. Dr. K.J. Peters, for his guidance and encouragement at all stages of my work. His constructive criticism and comments from the initial conception to the end of this work is highly appreciated. I am thankful for his scientific guidance, his critical comments and his encouragement during my work. I am greatly indebted to his assistance and understanding during my study period. My deep gratitude also goes to Prof. Dr. Karl Zessin for accepting to evaluate my thesis and sit in the examination committee. I thank also all the members of the examination committee and Prof. Dr. Michael Böhme for accepting to chair the committee. I am thankful to my Lebanese supervisor Prof. Dr. Saab Abi Saab for his scientific guidance, his constructive support, scientific and pedagogic encouragement during the development of my master research project. I am very grateful to the Humboldt University of Berlin, Department of Animal Breeding in the Tropics and Subtropics for accepting me as a PhD student. I am also indebted to the European Association for Animal Production (EAAP) and the commission of sheep and goat for evaluating the first paper from my thesis as the best paper. I am very grateful to the volunteer farmers for providing me the experimental animals. My most sincere thanks and appreciation are also due to the staff of the Milk Collecting Center At Kherbit – Rouha, Rachaya, Small Holder livestock Rehabilitation Project for helping me in the data collection process. My heart felts thanks also go to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal department for helping me in my work. I am also very grateful to Dr. Mustapha Mroueh for his guidance and support in the early stage of my application at Humboldt University at Berlin. My deep appreciation also goes to Charles Sassine who has supported me during my presence in Berlin. I am also grateful to my all my friends and colleagues in Berlin and Lebanon for their support and encouragement during my stay abroad and for their help in providing me whatever I needed. Finally a very special appreciation and thanks to my heart and life Youssef III Sassine who have helped me from the first step by presenting my documents until the end of my work, for his moral support and encouragement, my deep gratitude, thanks and appreciation goes also to my parents Georges and Marcelle and my three sisters Sandra, May and Rola for their love, moral and financial support during all my work, for their patience and understanding throughout. May God bless all of them. IV TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.........................................................................................III TABLE OF CONTENTS..............................................................................................V LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................................IX LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................... XII LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS...................................................................................XIV 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................1 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE ......................................................................6 2.1 Approaches to animal genetic resource evaluation......................................6 2.2 Economic sustainability of sheep production in Near East and Lebanon....8 2.3 Importance of Awassi sheep breed in Lebanon ...........................................9 2.4 Ecosystems pertaining to sheep production in Lebanon............................11 2.5 Constraints facing sheep production in Near East and Lebanon ...............13 2.6 Production system and management..........................................................14 2.7 Performance characteristics of Awassi sheep............................................15 2.7.1 Phenotypic characteristics..........................................................................15 2.7.2 Growth performance of Awassi sheep.......................................................16 2.7.3 Carcass characteristics and fatty acids composition of sheep meat...........17 2.7.4 Reproductive performance of Awassi sheep..............................................20 2.7.5 Milk production.........................................................................................20 2.8 Systematic factors affecting performance traits.........................................21 2.8.1 Genetic make up ........................................................................................21 2.8.2 Environmental factors................................................................................22 2.8.3 Growth and weight.....................................................................................23 2.8.3.1 Weight changes in Awassi sheep...............................................................23 2.8.4 Fat reserves................................................................................................24 2.8.4.1 Effects of age and weight...........................................................................24 2.8.4.2 Effects of sex and physiological state of the animals ................................25 2.8.4.3 Effects of nutrition .....................................................................................26 2.9 Importance of fat tail in Awassi sheep.......................................................29 2.10 Interaction between nutrition, fat reserves and fertility of the ewes..........30 3 MATERIAL AND METHODS.................................................................33 3.1 First experiment .........................................................................................33 3.1.1 Experimental location and climate.............................................................33 3.1.2 Composition of pasture..............................................................................33 V 3.1.3 Experimental sheep breed and their management .....................................34 3.1.4 Experimental design and data collection for the first experiment .............35 3.1.5 Grazing and feeding management .............................................................36 3.1.5.1 Supplementary feeding and health care .....................................................37 3.1.6 Performance data collection.......................................................................38 3.1.6.1 Body weight and linear body measurements .............................................38 3.1.6.2 Tail measurements .....................................................................................38 3.1.6.3 Body condition score of ewes....................................................................39 3.1.7 Reproduction parameters ...........................................................................40 3.1.7.1 Detection of heat........................................................................................41 3.1.7.2 Pregnancy diagnosis...................................................................................41 3.1.8 Methods of statistical analysis ...................................................................42 3.2 Second experiment.....................................................................................42 3.2.1 Experimental location and climate.............................................................42 3.2.2 Composition of pasture..............................................................................44 3.2.3 Experimental sheep breed and their management .....................................44 3.2.4 Experimental design and data collection for the second experiment.........45 3.2.5 Grazing and feeding management .............................................................46 3.2.5.1 Supplementary feeding and health care .....................................................47 3.2.6 Performance data collection.......................................................................47 3.2.6.1 Body weight measurements .......................................................................47 3.2.6.2 Tail measurements .....................................................................................47 3.2.6.3 Body condition score of ewes....................................................................48 3.2.7 Reproduction parameters ...........................................................................48