Effect of Initial Live Weights on Fattening Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Anatolian Merino Male Lambs I. Fattening Performance

This study was carried out to determine the effect of different initial live weighs on fattening performance of Anatolian Merino male lambs. For this aim, three groups whose initial live weights were 25, 30 and 35 kg were formed and approximately three months aged seven lambs were contained in each group. Body measurements were determined weekly for a fattening period lasted 63 days. In the end of the study, mean total live weight gains of the groups were 19.29, 19.43 and 20.43kg, daily live weight gains were 306, 308 and 324g, daily concentrate feed intake were 1.464, 1.620 and 1.663 kg and feed conversion ratios were 4.78, 5.25 and 5.13 respectively, The differences among groups in terms of daily live weight gain and feed conversion ratio were not statistically significant, but the differences for daily feed intake were significant (P 0.05). As a result, initial live weight differences among groups maintained for the whole fattening period.