Body Condition Score (BCS) and Body Weight of Nellore Brown Sheep at Various Reproductive Stages in Different Systems of Rearing.

Background: Body condition score in sheep was used to evaluate the adequacy of previous feed supply, decide potential feed requirements in the future, evaluate individual animal health status, decide animal condition during daily routine, welfare inspection and in meat production systems. Methods: 60 Nellore brown ewes from Livestock Research Station, Mamnoor, Warangal district was randomly allotted to three rearing systems i.e intensive (G1), semi-intensive (G2) and extensive (G3) system of each 20 animals. BCS and body weight of the sheep was recorded at various reproductive stages i.e. just before breeding of animals, during pregnancy and lactation period to assess the nutritional status and reproductive performance of the sheep. Result: The mean average body weight (kg) of pregnant ewes in G2 group had no significant (P<0.05) difference with G3 group. The average mean body weight (kg) of ewes in G1 (27.58±0.37 kg) group had significant (P<0.05) difference with G2 (25.50±0.32 kg) group during lactation period of 90 days. The total gain of BCS during pregnancy period in the G1, G2 and G3 groups were 0.63±0.06, 0.53±0.06 and 0.44±0.11, respectively. The overall mean BCS of the ewes 48hrs after lambing was higher in G1 (3.0±0.10) group followed by G2 (2.73±0.10) and G3 (2.38±0.08) group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]