Some reproductive traits in central Anatolian merino sheep under breeder conditions

In the presented study, the reproductive characteristics of birth and multiple birth rates, fecundity, fecundity at weaning, litter size and litter size at weaning of 21505 sheep between 2017 and 2020 were investigated in the Project of "Breeding of the Central Anatolian Merino Sheep in Karaman-I (70OAM2011-01)" carried out under the project "Nationwide Genetic Improvement of Small Ruminants in Farm Condition". In the study, overall birth and multiple birth rates, fecundity, fecundity at weaning, litter size and litter size at weaning were 86.9%, 28,99%, 1.12, 1.03, 1.30 and 1.19, respectively. In the study, birth rate was 85.3%, 88.0%, 86.8% and 87.5%, multiple birth rate was 26.47%, 29.84%, 34.66% and 26.59%, fecundity was 1.08, 1.14, 1, 15 and 1.11, fecundity at weaning was 0.98, 1.05, 1.07 and 1.02, litter size was 1.27, 1.29, 1.35 and 1.27, and litter size at weaning was 1.14, 1.20, 1.25 and 1.17 in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. In the study, the year effect was significant in terms of all the examined features (P<0.01). As a result, it has been concluded that an increase in fertility can be achieved over time with the breeding studies carried out in Central Anatolian Merino sheep, but the effect of the year is important.