engleski

Comparison of the Exterior Characteristic of the Endangered Sheep Breeds in Montenegro and Republic of Croatia

The aim of the study was to determine the exterior characteristics of the endangered autochthonous sheep breeds in Montenegro and Croatia. The study was conducted in Montenegro on 38 heads of Zeta zuja breed and in Croatia on 40 heads of Dubrovnik sheep breed. Both breeds are reared in the areas of Mediterranean climate condition, Zeta zuja near Podgorica (Zeta-Bjelopavlici plain), while Dubrovnik sheep in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County. Body measures of sheep (height of withers – HW, chest circumference – CC, body length – BL, chest width – CW, chest depth – CD, height of rump – HR, pelvis width – PW and bone circumference – BC) were determined by the Lydthin’s stick or stock tape, and body weight by balance. Also, indices of body development in both breeds were calculated. The results of height of withers (63.10 cm and 63.15 cm), height of rump (65.04 cm and 65.37 cm) were similar in both breeds (P>0.05), while body weight of Zeta žuja (37.10 kg) and Dubrovnik sheep (46.50 kg), body length (59.41 and 65.0 8cm) and pelvis width (15.0 and 18.3 cm) were significantly different (P<0.01). Value of body format index of Zeta zuja (94%) indicates its high format, while for Dubrovnik sheep (103%) square to long format. According to the results of body development investigated breeds are small to medium developed breeds. As indigenous and endangered, these breeds have to be preserved and by better nutrition and selection their production performances have to be improved.

sheep ; endangered breeds ; exterior characteristic

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