EFFECT OF THE SUCKLING PERIOD DURATION OF LAMBS ON THE MILK PRODUCTION OF EWES

Abstract

The article presents the results of the influence of the duration of the
suckling period on the milk production of sheep of the Kazakh fat-tailed semicoarse-
wool breed. As a result of the study, it was found that the milk
productivity of sheep of the Kazakh fat-tailed semi-coarse-wool breed reaches
105-115 kg of milk per lactation. The average live weight of buck lambs and
ewe-lambs obtained from ewes of the Kazakh fat-tailed semi-coarse-wool breed
of III and IV lactation at birth, respectively, was 4.89 and 5.02 kg, and for ewelambs
4.36 and 4.73 kg. And by the time of weaning from mothers, at 90 days of
age, the average live weight of buck lambs and ewe-lambs was 32.62-34.42 kg
and 29.24-30.56 kg, respectively. Based on the results of studying the physical
and chemical properties of milk, it was found that the mass fraction of fat in
sheep's milk averages 6.10%, protein 4.46% and lactose 4.22%. The average
density of milk at the beginning of the experiment is 1.0365 g/cm3, and by the
end of lactation it slightly decreased and amounted to 1.0347 g/cm3. The acidity
level of milk, both at the beginning and at the end of the experiment, remained
within 22.2-23.6 °T, and the titratable acidity ranged from 22-28 °T, that is, these
indicators met the requirements of regulatory documents. The pH level in milk
was in the range of 6.50 - 6.55, which also meets the requirements.