Test day milk, composition and udder morphology at West Balkan Mountain sheep and their F1 crosses with Chios breed.

RAICHEVA, E., T. IVANOVA and E. KIPRIOTIS, 2009. Test day milk, composition and udder morphology at West Balkan mountain sheep and their F 1 crosses with Chios breed. Bulg. J. Agric.Sci., 15: 93-99 The aim of the present study was to compare the test day milk, composition and udder morphology at West Balkan Mountain sheep and their F 1 crosses with Chios breed. An experiment was carried out in 2005 in the Experimental base of the Institute of Animal Science – Kostinbrod, Bulgaria in order to obtain F 1 crosses from West Balkan Mountain ewes and Chios. The investigation was carried out with 16 ewes from West Balkan Mountain breed (control group) and 9 F 1 Chios crosses (experimental group) on first test day milk at first lactation. The comparative study of animal production from the two groups includes the follows traits: test day milk and its composition, laboratory yield of cheese and udder morphology. The effect of crossing on the variation of the studied traits and their statistical parameters was evaluated by least square method (ANOVA – single factor). At the present study it is observed a tendency for higher value of test day milk with 25% in F 1 crosses of Chios in comparison with West Balkan Mountain ewes. The content of total solids, % (16.38%), solids non fat, % (11.61%), fat, % (4.77%) was significantly higher in F 1 crosses of Chios (P<0.05, P<0.01) compared to West Balkan Mountain – (14.89%, 10.93%, 3.93%). The daily yield of fat and daily yield of total solids were significantly higher in Chios’ crosses compared to West Balkan Mountain ewes (P<0.05). It is observed a tendency for higher value of the individual laboratory yield of cheese for Chios’ crosses (2.139 g) with compare to West Balkan Mountain ewes (1.971 g). In F 1 crosses of Chios the udder have significantly the bigger length, width and depth (P<0.01, P<0.001).