Resumen

HINOJOSA-CUELLAR, José Alfonso; REGALADO-ARRAZOLA, Flor de María  y  OLIVA-HERNANDEZ, Jorge. Prenatal and preweaning growth of Pelibuey, Dorper, Katahdin lambs  and their cross in the south-east of Mexico. Rev. Cient. (Maracaibo) [online]. 2009, vol.19, n.5, pp.522-532. ISSN 0798-2259.

Data from 1097 lambs’ birth weights (BW), 543 lambs’ weaning weights (WW) and 543 preweaning daily gain weight (DGW) were analyzed in order to compare preweaning performance of three breeds Pelibuey (P), Dorper (D), Katahdin (K) and two crosses (PxD, PxK). The variables studied were from a sheep farm at Huimanguillo, Tabasco, México and were collected from January 2001 until April 2005. The traits included lambs’ birth weights, lambs’ weaning weights and preweaning daily gain weight. The final model which describes BW included the fixed effects of birth year (BY) (five classifications, 2001 to 2005), breed group (P, D, K, PxD and PxK) within the birth year BG(BY), birth type (BT) (single and twin), interaction BYxBT, lambs sex (female and male) (SX), birth season (S) (dry, rainfall and rainfall and winds). Weaning age (WA) and BW were as considered as a continuous independent variable. With the exception of S, all the main effects affected (P<0.01) BW, WW and DGW. The interaction BYxBT affected only BW (P<0.01). Lambs PxD showed higher WW (P<0.01) than Pelibuey bred in years 2001 and 2002. DGW was higher in this group than P group in year 2001. The rainfall season was the worst in WW, with 15.4 kg. Single lambs and male lambs had better performance than twin lambs and female lambs. Weaning age and birth weight affecting WW. Regression coefficients were 0.023 ± 0.005 and 1.023 ± 0.315, respectively. In conclusión that under the present conditions, in the preweaning period, the hybrid breed group seems to be less important than others factors (for example: the weaning age, birth season and birth weight) as determinants of the weight at weaning. The Dorper and Katahdin breeds offer a viable alternative, considering the weight of the lambs at weaning in order to include them in systems of production in a humid, hot climate, such as pure breds or a Dorper x Pelibuey crossbreed.

Palabras clave : Birth weight; preweaning daily gain weight; weaning weight; hair sheep; humid tropic.