Evaluation of some reproductive traits, growth, and survival in native Dağlıç sheep

The aim of this study was to determine the fertility, survival rate, and growth of Dağlıç sheep and the environ- mental factors that affect these characteristics, using the records of 14,695 head of sheep and 43,915 lambs from 2011 through 2021 in Afyonkarahisar Province, Türkiye. Lambing rates and litter size for the Dağlıç sheep were determined to be 84.83% and 1.04, respectively. Gradual increases in these characteristics were observed throughout the years studied, and the lambing rate reached the highest values (94.30%) in 2019-2020. The average survival rates at weaning were 92.19%. The fluctuations in fertility parameters and survival from year to year were also significant (P<0.05). The overall mean values of birth weight, weight at 3 months, daily weight gain, weight at weaning, weight at 6 and 12 months were 3.23; 17.83; 0.168; 22.44; 30.50 and 36.64 kg, respectively. The effects of herd, birth month, breeding season, sex of the lamb, type of birth, age of the dam, and weaning age on growth traits were statistical- ly significant (P˂0.05). It was concluded that growth traits were affected by different environmental factors, and selection programs must be organised considering these factors. Fertility, survival rate and growth traits increased progressively over the years.