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Environmental and genetic factors affecting milk yield and quality in three Italian sheep breeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2016

Maria Selvaggi ,
Angela Gabriella D'Alessandro  and
Cataldo Dario
Maria Selvaggi*
Affiliation:
Department of DETO, Section of Veterinary Science and Animal Production, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Valenzano, Italy
Angela Gabriella D'Alessandro
Affiliation:
Department of Agro-Environmental and Territorial Sciences, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
Cataldo Dario
Affiliation:
Department of DETO, Section of Veterinary Science and Animal Production, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Valenzano, Italy
*
*For correspondence; e-mail: maria.selvaggi@uniba.it
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Abstract

The aims of the study described in the Research Communication were to determine the level of influence of some environmental factors on milk yield and quality traits, including lactose, and lactation length in ewes belonging to three different Italian breeds and to estimate the heritability for the same traits. A total of 2138 lactation records obtained from 535 ewes belonging to three different Italian breeds (Comisana, Leccese, and Sarda) were used. Breed significantly affected all of the considered traits. Moreover, year of lambing affected milk yield and lactation length without influence on milk quality traits. Parity affected significantly only the milk yield, whereas type of birth showed its effect on milk yield, fat, protein, and lactose yield. On the whole, the presently reported heritability estimates are within the range of those already obtained in other dairy breeds by other authors, with values for lactation length being very low in all the investigated populations. Considering the heritability estimates for lactose content and yield, to the best of our knowledge, there is a lack of information on these parameters in ovine species and this is the first report on heritability of lactose content and yield in dairy sheep breeds. Our results suggest that genetic variability for milk traits other than lactation length is adequate for selection indicating a good response to selection in these breeds.

Keywords

HeritabilityItalian dairy sheepmilk productionlactose
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Dairy Research , Volume 84 , Issue 1 , February 2017 , pp. 27 - 31
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 2016 

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