PLACENTAL EFFICIENCY AND MORPHOLOGY IN EWES AS INFLUENCED BY GENETIC GROUP, AGE, WEIGHT AND LITTER CHARACTERISTICS

Abstract

The effects of breed, age, weight of ewes, litter size, litter weight and sex of lamb on placental characteristics
and placental efficiency were studied in the present study to establish the fact that they determine the birth
weight. Average placental weight was recorded as 307.66 0 14.24 g. Ewes with good body weight at breeding
had significantly heavier placenta. Twin bearing ewes, ewes with male lambs and higher litter weight had higher
placental weight. Weight of placenta had a positive correlation with length and width of placenta and also with the
number of big and small cotyledons. Among the three genetic groups studied Dorset X Nilagiri cross bred ewes
had longer placenta with bigger cotyledons and more number of cotyledons than Nilagiri and Sandyno ewes. Litter
size and sex of lamb had significant effect on the placental length. Ewes with twins and ewes with male lambs
had higher placental length, bigger cotyledons and more number of cotyledons. Average placental efficiency was
10.7200.20 g. Litter weight at birth and placental weight had significant effect on placental efficiency and were
significantly higher in twin bearing ewes than single lambs.