Efficiency of fattening lambs from Bulgarian dairy synthetic population and its F1 crosses with meat sheep breeds

Evgenia Achkakanova, Stanimira Slavova, Petia Slavova, Yovka Popova, Georgi Kalaydzhiev, Stayka Laleva, Nikolay Ivanov

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to estimate economic efficiency of fattening to a different live weight of lambs from Bulgarian Dairy Synthetic Population and its F1 crosses with meat sheep breeds. The experiment was conducted at the sheep farm of the Agricultural Institute in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. Subject of the study was a total of 27 lambs of which: 9 lambs of Bulgarian Dairy Synthetic Population (SPBM) and 18 lambs crosses of SPBM ewes with Mouton Sharollais and Ile de France rams. After weaning, three groups of lambs were formed by the method of analogues with 9 animals each: first group – SPBM lambs, second – F1 lambs of SPBM ewes and Ile de France rams, and third – F1 lambs of SPBM ewes and Mouton Sharollais rams. When reaching a 22-23 kg before-slaughter live weight, 3 male lambs of the three groups were slaughtered to determine the parameters of the carcass and quality of meat. The study continued and the remaining lambs were reared as described, until a preslaughter live weight of 34-35 kg was achieved. For the economic analysis of the obtained results, the “Benefit-cost analysis” method was applied, and the synthetic indicator “rate of profitability” was used for determination of economic efficiency. Revenues and costs were evaluated at current market prices. It has been found that: revenues of fattening at both levels of slaughter were at the highest in F1 lambs crosses of SPBM ewes and Ile de France rams, followed by SPBM lambs; the highest production costs for fattening were reported for SPBM lambs, followed by the Mouton Sharollais crosses; the highest economic efficiency was calculated for the fattening of the F1 Ile de France lambs crosses, followed by the F1 Mouton Sharollais crosses, and the lowest – in lambs of Bulgarian Dairy Synthetic Population.

Keywords: costs; economic efficiency; fattening; inputs; lambs; slaughter

Date published: 2019-09-05