ALTERNATIVE USE OF KARAKUL SHEEP FOR PELT AND LAMB PRODUCTION IN BOTSWANA .1. REPRODUCTION AND GROWTH-PERFORMANCE

Performance data of 9800 Karakul, Namaqua Africander, Blackhead Persian sheep and their various crosses were collected from July 1986 to September 1987 in the Southern Kalahari desert of Botswana. Karakul lambs may be used either for pelt (Persian lamb) or for meat production. The purpose of this study was to assess the overall productivity of Karakul sheep and their crosses with local mutton breeds for producing both pelts and lambs for meat. Annual number of lambings per ewe averaged 1.39, litter size 1.007. In flocks with predominantly Karakul breeding 43% of Karakul lambs were slaughtered for pelt production. Body weight of ewes in the first month post-partum was 40.8 kg, lamb weight at 150 d was 27.4 kg. Neither genotype nor management class had a significant influence on the annual number of lambings per ewe, or body weight of ewe and lamb. Season of birth, lambs being pelted or reared, and flock-within-management class had significant effects on these traits. During the study period, 13.2% of lambs were recorded as having died, 6.4% were home slaughtered, 18.0% sold and 8.0% of all disposals could not be traced; for adult sheep, the corresponding rates were 4.3%, 3.7%, 12.5% and 5.6%, respectively. Average flock productivity was estimated to be 27.7 kg lamb per ewe and year, 0.67 kg lamb per kg ewe and year, and 1.71 kg lamb per kg 0.75 ewe and year.