Productive and breeding qualities of coarse-wool Buubei sheep

Abstract

Sheep farming in the Republic of Buryatia is an important branch of livestock production and is a source of wool, astrakhan fur, sheepskins, meat, fat, and milk. Between 1991 and 2007, the indigenous Buryat coarse-wool sheep breed, known as Buubei, was reintroduced from Inner Mongolia of the People’s Republic of China. The research findings on the productivity and breeding qualities of indigenous coarse-wool Buryat sheep in the Republic of Buryatia are discussed. The research targets were coarse-wool Buubei sheep from the breeding farms of the OOO Shibertui (Bichurskiy District) and the SPK Uldurga Eravninskiy District). The study assessed sheep population dynamics, appraisal, live weight, wool production, and reproductive performance. It was found that Buubei sheep on both farms are characterized by stable herd numbers, high proportion of elite and class I animals, and good live weight and reproductive performance. The average live weight of stud rams ranged from 73.0 to 83.0 kg, and that of ewes - from 53.0 to 54.4 kg, exceeding the minimum breed standard by 9.2 to 27.7% and 4.0 to 8.8%, respectively. Lamb crop per 100 ewes ranged from 98.4 to 103.0%. Washed wool clip per one shorn ewe ranged from 0.9 to 1.3 kg, with scoured wool yield of 67 to 70%. It was found that coarse-wool Buubei sheep in the Republic of Buryatia were characterized by stable and high productivity and breeding qualities, demonstrated good adaptation to ecological and forage conditions of breeding, and were competitive for the development of mutton sheep farming in the region.