ABSTRACT
The sheep industry in Venezuela is in the developmental stage. During the past two decades, the national herd has increased rapidly, reaching a total population of about 294,000 in 1978. The city of Maracay is located in north-central Venezuela, approximately 90 km west of Caracas. The climate at the experiment station is characterized by distinct wet-dry seasons and little fluctuation in temperature. Four parameters—reproduction, size, growth rates, and mortality rates— to compare the performance of hair sheep and their crosses. Ewes are traditionally bred first at one year of age, largely because of the established practice of lambing during the dry season. Average lamb birth weights for purebred breeds ranged from 2.49 to 2.78 kg during the period 1968–1972. West African lambs had the highest weight followed in descending order by Criollo, Barbados Blackbelly, and Blackhead Persian lambs. Type of birth consistently has been shown to affect birth weights.
