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APPENDIXES A AND B AWASSI CROSS-BREDS

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Appendixes A and B Awassi cross-breds

In several countries the Awassi has been crossed with other breeds of sheep. In some cases Awassi rams, more especially of the improved dairy type, have been mated with ewes of local unimproved breeds for the purpose of increasing the milk yields of their progeny. In others, rams of European origin have been used for cross-breeding with the Awassi to improve certain features in which the Awassi does not meet modern economic requirements.

Generally, cross-breeding with the Awassi has been conducted under experimental conditions. The tests have been of a variable nature and the data on the cross-breds have usually been restricted to the F₁ generation. East Friesian-Awassi cross-breds form an exception; these are being developed into a new type on which a considerable amount of material has been published.^*

Appendix A

Awassi x Baluchi

The cross-breeding of improved Awassi rams from Israel with local Baluchi ewes in the Qazvin area of Iran followed the same plan at the village level, in parallel with an intensively managed demonstration flock, as that of crossing the Awassi with the Shal (see p. 249).

In its purest form the Baluchi occurs in the region of Kalat and the Bolan Pass in Pakistan and in the area of Saravan in the southeastern corner of Iran. It is a large and very hardy sheep, capable of withstanding long periods of drought, yet also suitable for stall-feeding and fattening. The average live weight of adult rams is 44 kg and of ewes 33 kg; the withers height of rams is 65 cm and of ewes 62 cm. The head is large with a convex profile and long pendulous ears. The rams have large horns curving in an open spiral, while the ewes are either polled or have rudimentary scurs. The body is broad and fairly deep, the rump wide and drooping to the short broad fat tail from which a thin end hangs down to the hocks or the fetlocks. The udder is well shaped with large teats. The average milk yield during the lactation period is 1.5-2.0 kg a day. The fleece consists of long, coarse carpet wool with a strong admixture of hair. The annual fleece weight ranges from 1.5 to 2.0 kg. The fleece is yellowish-white with many black or brown patches. The oral part of the head is usually black (Epstein, 1970).

In the Qazvin area the Baluchi is not of a pure type, but seems to have been influenced by Ak-Karaman and Mor-Karaman sheep formerly introduced by immigrants from Turkey. In contrast with the original type, the Baluchi rams of the Qazvin area are usually polled. The average weight of 1 300 Baluchi ewes collected in the villages of the Qazvin area was 34 kg and after fattening in feed-lots, 55 kg (Wallach & Eyal, 1974).

Tables A-1 to A-5 give data recorded by Wallach and Eyal (1974) in Awassi, Baluchi and Awassi-Baluchi F₁ cross-breds.

———————
* Although not always representing the sire in the mating, the Awassi has been given precedence in the Appendixes in order to emphasize its importance in the cross.

TABLE A-1. Average body weights of Awassi, Baluchi and Awassi-Baluchi cross-bred ewes 3 days after lambing (kg)
Breed	1 year		2 years		3 years and older
	Number	Weight	Number	Weight	Number	Weight
Awassi	54	66.8	19	78.2	21	82.0
Baluchi	4	61.3	—	—	9	71.8
Cross-bred	10	60.0	13	74.3	5	72.3

TABLE A-2. Average body weights of Awassi, Baluchi and Awassi-Baluchi cross-bred ewes at the end of the lambing season (kg)
Breed	1 year			2 years			3 years and older
	No.	Days from lambing	Weight	No.	Days from lambing	Weight	No.	Days from lambing	Weight
Awassi	71	67	62.2	33	82	68.3	53	94	74.6
Baluchi	5	26	59.8	8	104	63.9	55	97	61.8
Cross-bred	10	49	59.1	10	81	63.3	14	98	63.6

TABLE A-3. Average fleece weights of adult Awassi, Baluchi and Awassi-Baluchi cross-bred ewes at Esmailabad Demonstration Farm, 1968 (kg)
Breed	Number of ewes	Fleece weight
Awassi	111	2.43
Baluchi	95	1.76
Cross-bred	17	2.39

TABLE A-4. Fate and disposal of Awassi, Baluchi and Awassi-Baluchi cross-bred ewes of different ages; average annual percentages for 4 years
Age (years)	bred	% mortality from		% culled because of				Total
		mastitis	other diseases	low milk yield	barrenness	disease	miscellaneous
1	Awassi	—	2.6	—	—	2.1	0.8	5.5
	Baluchi	—	2.1	2.1	—	6.3	4.2	14.7
	Cross-bred	—	—	—	—	6.0	—	6.0
2	Awassi	0.6	1.8	8.5	3.6	10.9	0.6	26.0
	Baluchi	—	—	25.0	—	3.6	—	28.6
	Cross-bred	—	3.2	3.2	—	9.7	—	16.1
3 and older	Awassi	0.5	3.8	18.1	2.7	5.5	0.5	31.1
	Baluchi	—	3.0	11.3	0.7	2.7	3.6	21.3
	Cross-bred	—	13.3	13.3	—	—	—	26.6
Note. Numbers of ewes in the flock at beginning of year given in Table A-5.

Tables A-6 to A-10 give the average growth from birth to weaning of single and twin, male and female Awassi, Baluchi and Awassi-Baluchi cross-bred lambs during four seasons (1967-70).

Table A-11 gives the average, minimum and maximum milk yields of Awassi, Baluchi (designated as local) and Awassi-Baluchi cross-bred ewes as recorded in the demonstration flock of the Qazvin Development Area in 1969 (QDA, 1970). Table A-12 presents average lactation periods for three age groups of the cross-breds.

TABLE A-5. Reproductive performance of Awassi, Baluchi and Awassi-Baluchi cross-bred ewes of different ages for 4 years
Age (years)	Breed	No. of ewes		Lambs born	Lambs per ewe (%)
		In flock	Lambed		In flock	Lambing
1	Awassi	234	100	102	0.44	1.02
	Baluchi	50	19	22	0.44	1.16
	Cross-bred	50	15	16	0.32	1.07
2	Awassi	165	141	151	0.92	1.07
	Baluchi	28	28	30	1.07	1.07
	Cross-bred	31	27	31	1.00	1.15
3 and older	Awassi	182	173	217	1.19	1.25
	Baluchi	301	277	328	1.09	1.18
	Cross-bred	15	14	20	1.33	1.43

TABLE A-6. Average growth of single male and female Awassi, Baluchi and Awassi-Baluchi cross-bred lambs from birth to weaning
Sex and breed	No.	Birth weight (kg)	Weaning weight (kg)	Age at weaning (days)	Daily weight gain (9)
Male
Awassi	144	5.1	29.1	89	269
Baluchi	64	4.6	29.2	90	277
Cross-bred	52	4.8	30.9	92	284
Female
Awassi	135	4.8	25.9	90	235
Baluchi	67	4.5	25.4	90	231
Cross-bred	39	4.7	25.6	89	231

TABLE A-7. Average growth of twin male and female Awassi, Baluchi and Awassi-Baluchi cross-bred lambs from birth to weaning
Sex and breed	No.	Birth weight (kg)	Weaning weight (kg)	Age at weaning (days)	Daily weight gain (g)
Male
Awassi	36	4.3	30.3	92	282
Baluchi	21	3.9	25.9	90	244
Cross-bred	22	4.5	27.6	89	260
Female
Awassi	50	4.2	23.9	88	224
Baluchi	28	3.6	23.5	92	217
Cross-bred	28	3.6	24.2	96	214

Awassi x Barki

At the Ras El-Hekma Desert Research Station in the western coastal desert of Egypt, Syrian Awassi and Hungarian Merino rams have been crossed with Barki ewes with the aim of improving the productivity of the Barki (Fig. A-1). The semi-nomadic bedouin of this region depend mainly on sheep and goats for their income, but the mutton and wool production of the local Barki sheep is unsatisfactory.

The Barki, also called Arab, Bedouin, Libyan or Dernawi, is a very hardy fat-tailed breed, well adapted to desert conditions. It is rather short-legged, narrow and flat-sided. The average withers height is 65 cm, the average weight of rams 60 kg and of ewes 45 kg. Adult rams carry heavy horns curved around semi-pendulous ears; the ewes are polled. The fleece consists of carpet wool with over 8 percent kemp and a staple length of about 8 cm. The weight of the fleece is approximately 1.8 kg. The colour is white, the white extending to the poll and upper part of the forehead, while the remaining part of the head is either black, brown or red. The fat tail is flat; the thin twisted terminal section extends to the hocks or fetlocks. The fecundity of the ewes is low, the twinning rate rarely exceeding 5 percent (Epstein, 1970; 1971).

TABLE A-10. Average annual milk yields in 2-4 years of three age groups of Awassi, Baluchi and Awassi-Baluchi cross-bred ewes (kg)
Age (years)	Awassi		Baluchi		Cross-bred
	No.	Yield	No.	Yield	No.	Yield
1	95	222.5	14	70.4	13	121.6
2	129	267.8	26	146.2	28	186.7
3 and older	164	297.6	264	142.5	14	211.0

TABLE A-11. Average, minimum and maximum milk yields of Awassi, Baluchi and Awassi-Baluchi cross-bred ewes
Breed	Age	Number of ewes	Milk yield (kg)
			Average	Minimum	Maximum
Awassi	Yearlings	11	289	199	394
	Adult ewes	67	333	139	593
Baluchi	Yearlings	18	148	71	233
	Adult ewes	48	189	76	309
Cross-bred	Yearlings	16	200	134	280

TABLE A-12. Average lactation lengths in 2-4 years of three age groups of Awassi, Baluchi and Awassi-Baluchi cross-bred ewes
Age (years)	Awassi		Baluchi		Cross-bred
	Number	Days	Number	Days	Number	Days
1	99	214.9	14	146.7	13	154.5
2	129	219.3	26	199.1	24	204.5
3 and older	157	219.8	260	190.5	29	206.0

Figure A-1 Barki ram and ewe

Reciprocal first crosses between Barki and Awassi, a few back-crosses to Awassi, and also a small number of three-breed-cross lambs from mating Awassi rams to Merino-Barki cross-bred ewes have been studied by Fahmy et al. (1968) (Table A-13). The breeding animals were kept in fenced yards provided with ample shade. In winter they were pastured for four to five months, the grazing being supplemented by a pelleted concentrate ration of 750 g a day and an unlimited quantity of wheat or barley straw. In summer they received about 500 g of Egyptian clover in addition to the above concentrate and straw rations. The lambs were weaned at an approximate age of 130 days, their feeding during the post-weaning period consisting of straw and 250-500 g of pelleted concentrates.

The cross-bred lambs developed well until weaning but were unsatisfactory at yearling age. They were almost exactly intermediate between the pure-bred Awassi and Barki parental stocks for all characteristics except fleece weight in which they showed a decrease. The percentage increase over, or decrease from, the expected mean of the parents was as follows: birth weight -2, weaning weight 0, yearling weight 0, daily pre-weaning weight gain 1, daily post-weaning weight gain -2, and greasy fleece weight-14.

Fahmy et al. (1968) suggest that the lack of superiority of the cross-breds over the mean of the parental breeds may be attributable to the insignificant genetic difference between the geographically near and physically similar Barki and Awassi. It is notable that in all characteristics studied these cross-breds were much inferior to Merino-Barki cross-breds.

In view of the special demand in Egypt for yearling rams raised on the range and fattened near the large consumption centres, Galal et al. (1976) compared the feed-lot performance and mutton yields of 11 male Awassi-Barki F₁ cross-bred rams with those of nine Syrian Awassi and 11 Barki pure-bred rams of similar age and rearing. At the commencement of the fattening period of nine weeks, the animals were about 15 months old. Weights were taken at the beginning and end of fattening, and body measurements on the day of slaughter. The average daily weight gains and total digestible nutrient requirements (TDN) for each 1-kg gain were also recorded (Table A-14).

Contrary to the Awassi-Barki cross-breds' lack of superiority to the mean of the parental breeds in the growth test, in the fattening trial heterosis of the cross-breds was highly conspicuous. The cross-breds were superior to the pure-bred rams in initial live weight and daily weight gain. Their economic gains were larger than those of the pure-bred Awassi and Barki rams. The Barki had the shortest body length from withers to tail, the shallowest depth of chest and the narrowest width, but in heart girth it exceeded the Awassi. In all these measurements the cross-bred rams surpassed the pure-breds (Table A-15).

In dressing percentage based on the warm carcass weight, the Awassi rams, owing to their heavy fat tails, exceeded both the Barki and Awassi-Barki rams. But the cross-breds surpassed the purebred Awassi and Barki rams in the dressing percentage of the carcass without the fat tail (Galal et al., 1976).

All edible inner organs were heavier in the Awassi-Barki cross-breds than in the pure-breds. In total quantity of separable tail, kidney and caul fat, the cross-bred rams — with 3.3 kg — held an intermediate position between the Awassi (4.4 kg) and Barki (2.2 kg).

The carcass dimensions of the Awassi-Barki cross-bred rams exceeded those of the pure-bred Awassi and Barki rams.

TABLE A-13. Average weights and weight gains of Awassi-Barki F1 cross-bred lambs and F2 lambs by Awassi rams out of Awassi-Barki F1 cross-bred ewes
Weight	Awassi-Barki		Awassi-Barki back-cross to Awassi
	Number	Weight	Number	Weight
Birth weight (kg)	270	3.52	12	3.91
Weaning weight (kg)	185	18.59	8	16.13
Yearling weight (kg)	76	32.36	—	—
Daily pre-weaning weight gain (g)	185	125	8	110
Daily post-weaning weight gain (g)	76	53	—	—
Greasy fleece weight (kg)	82	3.24	—	—

Awassi x Chios

In Cyprus, Awassi rams of the improved dairy type were crossed with Chios ewes in the same tests and under the same conditions under which the performance of Awassi x Cyprus Fat-tailed cross-breds was studied in 1969/70 and 1970/71-1971/72 ( Tables A-16 to A-18) (Cyprus ARI, 1972; 1973; 1975).

The least squares means for breed effects on live weights and post-weaning daily gains of purebred Chios and Awassi and cross-bred Chios-Awassi lambs, studied by Mavrogenis and Louca (1979), show that the cross-breds had a faster growth rate and were heavier at 140 days than the pure-bred lambs ( Table A-19).

A comparison of the lactation yield and milk constituents of Awassi-Chios cross-breds with those of pure-bred Awassi and Chios ewes under different feeding-management systems showed that the cross-breds, although inferior to the parent breeds' milk in fat percentage, greatly exceeded both parent stocks in total quantities of milk, fat and protein, indicating a high degree of heterosis ( Table A-20) (Cyprus ARI, 1979).

TABLE A-17. Mean birth weights and weight gains of male and female Awassi, Chios and cross-bred lambs, 1969/70
Sex and breed	No. of lambs	Birth weight (kg)	Weaning age (days)	Weaning weight (kg)	140-day weight (kg)	Mean daily weight gain (g)
Male
Awassi	32	5.3	44.6	15.7	35.9	219
Chios	17	4.5	44.9	12.7	32.3	199
Cross-bred	27	4.6	45.7	15.2	38.6	243
Female
Awassi	22	5.0	42.0	14.8	33.6	204
Chios	41	4.4	45.9	13.9	30.2	182
Cross-bred	27	4.3	45.6	13.2	31.4	194

TABLE A-18. Mean birth weights and weight gains of single and twin Awassi, Chios and cross-bred lambs, 1970/71-1971/72
Breed	Birth	No. of lambs	Birth weight (kg)	140-day weight (kg)	Mean daily weight gain (g)
Awassi	Single	90	5.06	29.6	175
	Twin	30	4.44	27.7	166
Chios	Single	62	4.75	32.5	198
	Twin	195	3.87	28.3	175
Cross-bred	Single	46	5.02	31.5	189
	Twin	122	3.84	28.0	173

TABLE A-19. Least squares means for breed effects on live weights and post-weaning daily gains of Chios, Awassi and Chios-Awassi cross-bred lambs
Breed	No. of lambs	Weaning weight (kg)	140-day weight (kg)	Daily weight gain (g)
Chios	401	11.4	33.7	217
Awassi	103	12.4	35.0	222
Chios x Awassi	25	11.4	35.6	236
Chios x Awassi-Chios	57	12.1	36.2	228

TABLE A-20. Comparison of lactation yield and milk constituents of Awassi-Chios cross-breds with those of purebred Awassi and Chios ewes
Breed	No	Milk yield per lactation (kg)	Length of lactation (days)	Fat		Protein		Average daily milk yield (kg)
				%	Kg	%	Kg
Awassi	212	141	150	6.7	9.5	6.0	8.5	0.94
Chios	263	137	143	6.5	8.9	6.1	8.4	0.95
Awassi-Chios	82	171	146	6.1	10.5	6.0	10.2	1.17

Awassi x Cyprus Fat-tailed

In Cyprus, Awassi rams of the improved dairy type, imported from Israel, were crossed with Cyprus Fat-tailed ewes (Figs A-2 and A-3) during the period 1969/70-1971/72 in order to compare the performance of the cross-bred progeny with that of the pure-bred parent stocks (Table A-21). The feeding and management of the lambs were similar for the three groups. In 1969/70 the performance of male and female lambs was recorded separately, while no distinction in birth weights and weight gains was made between single and twin lambs (Table A-22). In the test period, 1970/71-1971/72, the performance of single and twin lambs was recorded separately, while the sex of the lambs was ignored (Table A-23) (Cyprus ARI, 1972; 1973; 1975).

The least squares means for breed effects on live weights and post-weaning daily gains of purebred Cyprus Fat-tailed and Awassi and cross-bred Awassi-Cyprus lambs, studied by Mavrogenis and Louca (1979), show that the cross-breds had a faster growth rate and were heavier at 140 days than the pure-bred lambs (Table A-24).

Table A-25 gives the results of comparison of the quantity and constituents of the milk of Awassi-Cyprus Fat-tailed cross-bred ewes with those of the pure-bred parent stocks under intensive, semi-intensive and extensive feeding-management systems (Cyprus ARI, 1979).

While the percentages of fat and protein in the milk of the cross-bred ewes were lower than the mean of the parent breeds in the same trial, the quantities of milk, fat and protein for each lactation were considerably higher than the averages of the pure-bred ewes.

Figure A-2. Cyprus Fat-tailed ewe. (Photograph by Dr S. Economides)

Figure A-3. Cyprus Fat-tailed sheep (after shearing) showing caudal conformation. (Photograph by Dr S. Economides)

TABLE A-21. Numbers of births and lambs of Awassi, Cyprus Fat-tailed and cross-bred sheep, 1969/70-1971/72
Breed	Number of lambings	Number of lambs	Number of lambs per lambing
Awassi	182	200	1.10
Cyprus Fat-tailed	220	235	1.07
Cross-bred	84	98	1.17

TABLE A-22. Mean birth weights and weight gains of male and female Awassi, Cyprus Fat-tailed and cross-bred lambs, 1969/70
Sex and breed	No. of lambs	Birth weight (kg)	Weaning age (days)	Weaning weight (kg)	140-day weight (kg)	Mean daily weight gain (g)
Male
Awassi	32	5.3	44.6	15.7	35.9	219
Cyprus Fat-tailed	21	4.7	46.7	13.7	30.8	186
Cross-bred	5	5.1	45.4	13.0	28.7	168
Female
Awassi	22	5.0	42.0	14.8	33.6	204
Cyprus Fat-tailed	18	4.3	46.8	13.2	25.1	144
Cross-bred	5	4.6	47.6	14.2	29.8	183

TABLE A-23. Mean birth weights and weight gains of single and twin Awassi, Cyprus Fat-tailed and cross-bred lambs, 1970/71-1971/72
Breed	Birth	No. of lambs	Birth weight (kg)	140-day weight (kg)	Mean daily weight gain (g)
Awassi	Single	90	5.06	29.58	179
	Twin	30	4.44	27.67	165
Cyprus Fat-tailed	Single	115	4.70	25.75	150
	Twin	25	4.20	23.75	140
Cross-bred	Single	58	5.18	28.64	168
	Twin	21	3.85	25.07	147

TABLE A-24. Least squares means for breed effects on live weights and post-weaning daily gains of Cyprus Fat-tailed, Awassi and Awassi-Cyprus Fat-tailed cross-bred lambs
Breed	No. of lambs	Weaning weight (kg)	140-day weight (kg)	Daily weight gain (g)
Cyprus Fat-tailed	23	9.8	28.5	185
Awassi	103	12.4	35.0	222
Awassi x Cyprus	22	11.1	35.8	239
Awassi x Awassi-Cyprus	18	12.2	38.2	243

TABLE A-25. Comparison of milk of Awassi-Cyprus Fat-tailed cross-bred ewes with milk of pure-bred parent stocks
Breed	No.	Average milk yield per lactation (kg)	Average length of lactation (days)	Fat		Protein		Average daily milkyield (kg)
				%	Kg	%	Kg
Awassi	212	141	150	6.7	9.5	6.0	8.5	0.94
Cyprus Fat-tailed	60	65	106	7.1	4.6	6.0	3.9	0.61
Awassi-Cyprus Fat-tailed	35	122	134	6.7	8.2	6.5	7.9	0.91

Awassi x Finnish Landrace

Cross-breeding experiments with local Awassi ewes and imported Finnish Landrace and Romanov rams have been conducted in Israel for the purpose of increasing fecundity and the number of lambs marketed yearly for each ewe, traits in which the pure-bred Awassi is unsatisfactory.

In an experiment carried out by Goot et al. (1976), Awassi ewes were inseminated with semen from Finnish Landrace rams which have difficulty in serving fat-tailed ewes. The ewes were fed concentrates and wheat straw, while their cross-bred lambs had free access to a concentrate mixture until weaning at a weight of approximately 12 kg. Tables A-26 and A-27 give the data recorded.

Further cross-breeding trials with Finnish Landrace rams and Awassi ewes for increased meat production were conducted by Goot et al. (1978) in 1976/77 and 1977/78. The average length of the gestation period of 36 Awassi ewes inseminated with Finnish Landrace semen was 149.2 days, and of two- to four-year-old Finnish Landrace-Awassi F₁ cross-bred ewes inseminated with Finnish Landrace semen, 148.0 days. (See Table A-28.)

In early sexual maturity and prolificacy, Finnish Landrace-Awassi females of the first cross-bred generation or back-crosses to Finnish Landrace rams were superior to Awassi ewe hoggets. Eighty-three percent of the F₁ cross-breds and 58 percent of the back-cross ewes lambed as yearlings versus 30 percent of the pure-bred Awassi females. The percentage of multiple births was only 3 percent in the Awassi, but 28 percent in Finnish Landrace-Awassi F₁ cross-breds and 50 percent in those derived from back-crosses to Finnish Landrace rams. (See Table A-29.)

For all the reproductive traits tested, two- to three-year-old Finnish Landrace-Awassi F₁ cross-bred ewes greatly excelled hormone-treated Awassi ewes of the same age. The average number of lambs born to each cross-bred ewe put to the ram was 1.52 versus 0.95 in the Awassi. Again, the percentage of multiple births in the lambings of the F₁ cross-breds was 59 and in the Awassi ewes 10.5. The lambs born to Finnish Landrace-Awassi F₁ cross-bred yearling ewes, inseminated with Finnish Landrace semen, were smaller at birth and at 150 days of age, and showed lower daily pre-weaning weight gains than those out of adult ewes, as shown by the comparison in Table A-32 of data from Tables A-30 and A-31 (see also Tables A-33 and A-34).

TABLE A-26. Fecundity of Awassi and Finnish Landrace-Awassi cross-bred ewes (number of ewes and percentage of lambings)
Breed	1 year of age			2 years of age
	Number		Lambing %	Number		Lambing %
Awassi	142		33	96		86
Finn-Awassi F1 cross-bred	43		81	8		75
Percentage of twin lambings
Awassi		2			9
Finn-Awassi F1 cross-bred		20			67
Number of lambs per ewe put to the ram Awassi		0.3			0.9
Finn-Awassi F1 cross-bred		1.0			1.3

TABLE A-27. Average weight and growth rate of Awassi and Finnish Landrace-Awassi cross-bred lambs
Breed	Birth weight		Daily pre-weaning weight gain (g)	Daily post-weaning weight gain (g)	150-day weight (kg)
	No. of lambs	Kg
Awassi	38	4.5	211	230	39
Finn-Awassi F1 cross-bred	132	4.1	227	273	42

TABLE A-28. Reproductive performance of Awassi and Finnish Landrace-Awassi F1 and F2 cross-bred yearling ewes
Breed	No. of ewes put to the ram	Lambing (%)	Lambs per ewe put to the ram (%)	Multiple births per lambing (%)	Mean lambing age (days)	Mean 3rd day post-partum weight (kg)
Awassi	253	30	29	3	457	49
F1 cross-bred	77	83	99	28	404	53
F2 back-cross	24	58	88	50	397	52

TABLE A-29. Reproductive performance of 2- and 3-year-old hormone-treated Awassi and Finnish Landrace-Awassi F1 cross-bred ewes
Breed	Age (years)	No. of ewes put to the ram	Lambing (%)	Lambs per ewe put to the ram (%)	Multiple births per lambing (%)	Mean 3rd day post-partum weight (kg)
Awassi	2	96	85	93	9	57.0
Cross-bred	2	56	91	146	59	58.7
Awassi	3	90	87	98	12	58.2
Cross-bred	3	35	97	162	59	58.9

TABLE A-30. Average body weights and daily weight gains of Finnish Landrace-Awassi cross-bred lambs by Finnish rams out of F1 cross-bred yearling ewes
Sex	Birth	Birth weight		Weaning weight		Weaning age (days)	Daily pre-weaning weight gain (g)	Daily post-weaning weight qain		150-day weight
		Number	kg	Number	kg			Number	kg	Number	kg
Male	Single	10	3.9	10	14.8	57.1	188	9	228	6	38.1
	Twin	16	2.9	7	12.6	56.0	167	7	252	4	37.9
Female	Single	16	3.7	16	14.8	58.2	190	12	270	9	39.8
	Twin	9	3.3	4	11.4	63.0	116	2	267	2	32.0

TABLE A-31. Body weights and daily weight gains of Awassi and Finnish Landrace-Awassi F1 and F2 cross-bred lambs out of adult ewes
Sex	Birth	Breed	Birth weight (kg)	Weaning weight (kg)	Weaning age (days)	Daily pre-weaning weight gain (g)	Daily 21-day post-weaning weight gain (g)	150-day weight (kg)
		Awassi	5.1	18.8	57.4	241	260	44.4
Male	Single	F1 cross-bred	5.2	21.5	62.0	256	321	48.7
		F2 cross-bred	4.4	17.7	48.7	277	275	44.2
		Awassi	5.8	16.8	54.0	224	219	37.8
Female	Single	F1 cross-bred	5.0	21.0	62.9	239	242	42.2
		F2 cross-bred	4.1	14.7	51.5	204	254	38.7
		Awassi	4.4	15.4	54.2	194	240	43.7
Male	Twin	F1 cross-bred	3.6	16.4	65.2	202	317	44.4
		F2 cross-bred	3.5	14.8	53.8	208	285	41.2
		Awassi	3.7	13.4	51.3	177	293	44.5
Female	Twin	F1 cross-bred	3.5	16.4	59.2	222	259	39.4
		F2 cross-bred	3.2	14.2	60.3	192	235	35.6

In two further fattening trials on an all-concentrate diet lasting 84 and 56 days, there were no statistically significant differences in daily gain, feed intake and feed conversion between Finnish Landrace-Awassi F₁ and F₂, East Friesian-Awassi Finnish Landrace-Awassi, East Friesian-Awassi Finnish Landrace-Mutton Merino, and Australian Suffolk Finnish Landrace-Awassi cross-breds. The performance of the progeny of Finnish Landrace-Awassi rams was similar to those sired by East Friesian-Awassi rams. The pre-fattening conditions of the lambs until weaning at 61-68 days, although involving significant differences in type of birth, birth weight, weaning age and initial weight, did not affect the daily gain during the trials (Goot et al., 1982).

The carcass weight and composition of a male cross-bred lamb by a Finnish Landrace ram out of a Finnish Landrace-Awassi F₁ cross-bred ewe, which was fed, without roughage, on an unlimited quantity of concentrates until slaughter at the age of 177 days, were as shown in Table A-35 (Goot et al.,1978)

TABLE A-32. Birth weights and pre-weaning and post-weaning weight gains of cross-bred lambs by Finnish Landrace rams out of Finnish Landrace-Awassi F1 cross-bred ewes
Age of dam	Sex of lamb	Birth	Birth weight (kg)	Daily pre-weaning weight gain (g)	Daily 8-week post-weaning weight gain (g)
Yearling	Male	Single	3.9	188	228
		Twin	2.9	167	252
Adult	Male	Single	4.4	277	275
		Twin	3.5	208	285
Yearling	Female	Single	3.7	190	270
		Twin	3.3	116	267
Adult	Female	Single	4.1	204	255
		Twin	3.2	192	235

Nearly all improved Awassi sheep of Israel are of haemoglobin type B (see p. 40), whereas imported Finnish Landrace rams have a high frequency of A. In 49 Finnish Landrace-Awassi F₁ cross-breds, Gootwein and Goot (1979) found the haemoglobin types in three successive years given in Table A-36.

Awassi x Hungarian Combing Wool Merino, French Merino and German Mutton Merino

The cross-breeding of Merino rams and Awassi ewes has been carried out in the range of the Awassi mainly on an experimental basis for the purpose of improving the quantity and quality of lamb, mutton and wool.

TABLE A-35. Carcass weight and composition of a male cross-bred lamb
Carcass weight (kg) and dressing percentage						Carcass composition (%)
Slaughter weight					41.0	Muscle					54.9
Hot carcass weight					21.4	Carcass fat					27.7
Cold carcass weight					20.9	Subcutaneous fat		11.1
Dressing percentage					53.0	Intermuscular fat		16.6
						Bone					14.4
						Waste					2.9
						Dissection loss					0.1
	Weight of body parts (g)
	Tail				372	Liver		705
	Head with horns				2 120	Lungs with trachea		625
	Unshorn skin				4 120	Spleen		55
	Blood				1 720	Heart		160
	Full stomach				3 005	Pericardium		120
	Empty stomach				1 172	Kidneys		120
	Kidney fat				390
	Caul fat				880
	Gut fat				140
Weight and composition of carcass joints
Joint		Weight (kg)	Bone (%)	Muscle (%)		Subcutaneous fat (%)	Intermuscular fat (%)		Total fat (%)	Waste and dissection loss (%)
Neck		2.225	13.3	49.2		8.2	21.8		30.0	7.5
Thorax		5.203	17.7	44.6		6.4	27.4		33.8	3.9
Shoulder		2.165	14.8	61.8		13.2	11.1		24.3	0.9
Loin		2.150	10.7	52.2		15.7	18.4		34.1	3.0
Psoas muscles		0.264	—	82.2		—	16.7		16.7	1.1
Pelvis		2.280	12.6	50.1		21.1	14.9		36.0	1.3
Leg		2.235	14.4	65.2		9.1	6.8		15.9	4.5

TABLE A-36. Frequencies of haemoglobin types A and B in Finnish Land-race-Awassi cross-breds
Year of birth	AA	AB	BB	Gene frequency of A
1973/74		3	3	0.25
1974/75		20	5	0.45
1975/76	1	17		0.53

At the Ras El-Hekma Desert Research Station in the western coastal Egyptian desert, a small number of Awassi rams of Syrian derivation were crossed with F₁ cross-bred ewes descended from Hungarian Combing Wool Merino rams and Barki ewes. Fahmy et al. (1968) recorded the birth weight and weight gains of the cross-bred lambs in comparison with those of the three parental breeds involved (Table A-37).

In Lebanon, at the experimental farm of the American University of Beirut, a limited number of matings between French Merino rams and Awassi ewes were arranged over a period of four years mainly for the purpose of reducing the fat tail in slaughter lambs.

The weight of the tail as a percentage of the carcass weight was 8.95 in pure-bred male Awassi lambs, 3.84 in Merino-Awassi F₁ cross-breds, and 2.26 in back-crosses to Merino rams (Table A-38).

TABLE A-37. Average weights and weight gains of cross-bred Awassi-Merino-Barki and pure-bred Awassi, Hungarian Combing Wool Merino and Barki lambs
Weight		Awassi-Merino-Barki		Awassi		Merino		Barki
		No.	Weight	No.	Weight	No.	Weight	No.	Weight
Birth-weight	(kg)	25	3.64	140	3.78	614	3.28	996	3.41
Weaning weight	(kg)	20	16.92	97	18.86	278	16.02	796	18.37
Yearling weight	(kg)	17	31.98	44	31.60	177	27.80	439	33.40
Daily pre-weaning weight gain	(g)	20	112	97	122	278	111	796	125
Daily post-weaning weight gain	(g)	17	54	44	51	177	42	439	57

TABLE A-38. Average weight of fat tail in male Awassi and Merino-Awassi cross-bred lambs
Breed composition	No. of lambs	Age (days)	Live weight (kg)	Carcass weight (kg)	Dressing percentage	Tail weight (kg)	Tail weight as % of carcass weight
Awassi	9	137	37.267	17.427	46.76	1.560	8.95
Merino-Awassi F1 cross-bred	4	122	38.896	20.697	53.21	0.794	3.84
Back-cross to Merino	2	96	32.432	17.577	54.20	0.397	2.26

TABLE A-39. Iodine numbers of fat from different body parts of Awassi lambs, Merino-Awassi F1 cross-breds, and back-crosses to Merino
Breed composition	No. of lambs	Age (days)	Fat source and iodine number
			Back	Tail	Mesenteric	Kidney
Awassi	10	150	44.74	51.44	38.12	37.64
Merino-Awassi F1 cross-bred	3	137	47.11	53.25	41.11	42.11
Back-cross to Merino	3	123	51.05	54.07	45.37	46.35

If tail weight in the carcass of Awassi lambs was taken as 100, it decreased roughly in proportion to the share of Awassi blood in the lambs; in those with 50 percent Awassi blood, the percentage of the tail weight in the carcass was 42.90, and in lambs with a share of 25 percent Awassi blood 25.25. From these results McLeroy, Ananian and Kurdian (1959) concluded that a limited number of genes acting in an additive manner were involved in fat-tail weight. They suggested further that the sigmoid curvature in the coccygeal vertebrae of Awassi sheep represented a simple homozygous recessive condition.

Fat samples taken from various parts of the body of Awassi lambs, Merino-Awassi F₁ cross-breds, and back-crosses to Merino showed an increasing iodine number as the share of Merino in the breeding increased (Table A-39). The iodine number, that is, the grams of iodine absorbed by 100 g of fat, is a measure of the degree of the unsaturation of fatty acids contained in the fat, and of the hardness and melting point of the fat. Generally, the internal fats are harder than the external ones. McLeroy, Ananian and Kurdian (1959) suggest that the relatively low iodine numbers of the fat of Awassi lambs may provide an indication of the nature of the agreeable flavour of Awassi lamb and mutton.

Cross-breeding experiments with German Mutton Merino rams and Awassi ewes have been conducted in Israel on a moderate scale with the aim of improving fat lamb production in which the Mutton Merino is superior to the Awassi.

In an experiment to ascertain the optimal plane of nutrition and slaughter weight, 45 male Mutton Merino-Awassi F₁ cross-bred lambs of an average initial weight of 49 kg were divided into three groups of 15 each and fattened on three different planes of nutrition for 5½ months, at the end of which they weighed 77, 85 and 86 kg, respectively, on average. The mean daily weight gains of the three groups during the fattening period were 181, 232 and 243 g. A fourth group of 15 lambs commenced the same fattening period at an average weight of 62 kg and ended it at 95 kg, the daily weight gains during the trial period averaging 215 g. Folman et al. (1966) concluded that Mutton Merino-Awassi cross-bred lambs could be fattened up to a weight of 85 kg without a decrease in the rate of weight gain and with only a slight reduction in the conversion rate of the feed toward the end of the fattening period.

In another experiment conducted by Folman, Eyal and Benjamin (1967), 48 male Mutton Merino-Awassi F₁ cross-bred lambs were divided into four equal groups with average initial weights ranging from 39.2 to 41.3 kg and were fed on different high to very high planes of nutrition. At the end of the fattening period of seven months, the average weights of the lambs in the four groups amounted to 80.7-83.3 kg, the daily weight gains during this period varying between 204 and 233 g. In this trial both the rate of weight gain and feed conversion decreased toward the end of the fattening period.

From the second trial series Goot, Folman and Eyal (1967) selected 21 lambs to determine the loss in weight in transit from farm to slaughterhouse and during 18 hours of abstention from feed and water. In addition, the carcass weight and the weights of different parts and organs of the lambs were recorded immediately after slaughter (for comparison with male Awassi lambs used in the same experiment, see p. 191) (Tables A-40 and A-41 and Fig. A-4). The mean shrinkage in transit from farm to slaughterhouse and the weight loss during 18 hours without feed and water amounted to 5.6 kg, or 7.3 percent.

TABLE A-40. Mean live and carcass weights of 21 male Awassi-Mutton Merino cross-bred lambs (kg)
Age (days)	Live weight			Warm carcass weight	Carcass yield (%)
	On farm	Before slaughter (in wool)	Before slaughter (shorn)
226	77.2	71.6	70.3	38.8	54.1

TABLE A-41. Mean weights of inner organs, kidney and caul fat, and tail of 21 male Awassi-Mutton Merino crossbred lambs (kg)
Live weight	Liver, lungs and heart	Kidneys	Kidney fat	Caul fat	Total kidney and caul fat	Fat tail
71.6	2.5	0.159	1.7	4.0	5.7	2.0

The average fleece weight of the 21 lambs examined by Goot, Folman and Eyal was 1.3 kg, or 1.8 percent, of the weight of the unshorn lambs. The cold carcass weight was estimated at 2 percent less than the warm carcass weight. The slaughter yield without inner organs and fat tail amounted to 54.1 percent; the addition of the edible inner organs increased it to 57.8 percent, and of the inner organs and fat tail to 60.5 percent.

The three heaviest lambs were selected for an analysis of their carcass composition, for which one-half of each carcass was used. The average live weight of these lambs on the farm of origin was 80.3 kg; shearing and shrinkage in transit and during the period of abstention from feed and water prior to slaughter reduced it to 74.2 kg. (See Tables A-42 to A-44.) The ratio of subcutaneous to intermuscular fat in the trunks of the Awassi-Mutton Merino cross-bred lambs was 50:50.

The amount of intramuscular fat, which exists in addition to the subcutaneous and intermuscular fat, can only be determined by chemical analysis. Tables A-45 and A-46 give the chemical composition of the 'eye muscles' and energy value of muscle and fat of heavy male Awassi-Mutton Merino cross-bred lambs.

In two male lambs sired by Mutton Merino rams out of Finnish Landrace-Awassi cross-bred ewes, Goot et al. (1978) recorded a mean birth weight of 3.8 kg, a daily weight gain from birth to slaughter at six months of 204 g, and during a fattening period of 98 days, 263 g. These gains were regarded as unsatisfactory. Table A-47 gives the weights of the carcasses and some body parts of the two lambs.

The carcasses of the cross-bred lambs were shorter than those of the male Awassi lambs of similar age and rearing. As compared with Awassi analogues, the weight of the tail of the cross-breds was reduced by 4.283 kg, or over 96 percent. The cold carcass weight was 11 percent and the weight of the muscle 2 percent higher, whereas that of the total carcass fat was 4.25 percent lower. While in the Awassi carcasses the ratio of subcutaneous to intermuscular fat was as 1:0.66, in those of the crossbred lambs it was as 1:1.99. In the carcasses of the cross-breds the loin, pelvis and leg were leaner and the neck was fatter than in those of the Awassi lambs (Goot et al., 1978).

Figure A-4. Weight of kidney and caul fat and fat tail in relation to live weight of Awassi-Mutton Merino cross-bred lambs. (Source: Goot, Folman & Eyal, 1967)

TABLE A-42. Mean percentages of bone, muscle and fat tissue in the carcasses of three male Awassi-Mutton Merino cross-bred lambs Carcass weight (kg) 39.3 Carcass yield 53.0 Bone 10.0 Muscle 45.3 Fat 42.8 Weight loss 1.9

TABLE A-43. Mean weight and percentage of various carcass parts of three male Awassi-Mutton Merino cross-bred lambs   Kg % Forequarters 21.92 55.76 Hindquarters 17.39 44.24 Neck 4.75 12.09 Breast 10.02 25.49 Shoulders 7.15 18.18 Loin 4.95 12.59 Psoas muscles 0.47 1.19 Pelvis 4.23 10.76 Thighs 7.73 19.70 Total 39.30 100.00

TABLE A-45. Chemical composition of 'eye muscles' of male Awassi-Mutton Merino cross-bred lambs (%)   Mean Range Dried matter 28.0 26.4-29.4 Protein 21.6 21.1-22.0 Fat 5.6 3.7- 7.0 Ash 0.9 0.9- 1.0 Source: Goot, Folman & Eyal, 1967

TABLE A-46. Energy value of muscle and fat of heavy Awassi-Mutton Merino cross-bred lambs Weight of carcass (kg) 39.30 Weight of muscle (kg) 17.81 Weight of fat (kg) 16.84 Muscle, calories 27 000-43 000 Fat, calories 127 000 Energy value of protein content (%) 11-12 Energy value of fat content (%) 88-89 Source: Goot, Folman & Eyal, 1967

TABLE A-47. Mean weights of carcasses and body parts of two male lambs (kg)
Mean carcass weight and dressing percentage				Mean carcass composition (%)
Slaughter weight			41.0	Muscle		53.1
Hot carcass weight			21.0	Carcass fat		29.8
Cold carcass weight			20.5	Subcutaneous fat		9.9
Dressing percentage			51.5	Intermuscular fat		19.9
				Bone		15.3
				Waste		1.4
				Dissection loss		0.4
Mean weight of different body parts (g)
Tail			152	Liver		656
Head with horns			2 130	Lungs with trachea		700
Unshorn skin			4 225	Spleen		143
Blood			1 800	Heart		176
Full stomach			4 250	Pericardium		102
Empty stomach			2 058	Kidneys		123
Kidney fat			282
Caul fat			815
Gut fat			332
Mean weight and composition of different carcass joints
Joint (kg)	Weight	Bone (%)	Muscle (%)	Subcutaneous fat (%)	Intermuscular fat (%)	Total fat (%)	Waste and dissection loss (%)
Neck	1.923	16.6	46.4	4.5	27.3	31.8	5.2
Thorax	4.964	18.3	44.3	7.6	28.6	36.2	1.2
Shoulder	2.025	15.9	54.3	10.0	19.5	29.5	0.3
Loin	2.036	10.4	54.2	15.4	18.7	34.1	1.3
Psoas muscles	0.240	—	81.2	—	15.8	15.8	3.0
Pelvis	2.605	11.8	46.8	20.2	18.5	38.7	2.7
Leg	2.225	15.8	67.3	6.8	8.7	15.5	1.4

TABLE A-48. Fibre length and diameter of wool from 4- and 12-month-old Awassi, Kurdi, Awassi-Kurdi and Kurdi-Awassi sheep
Breed	Weaning age			1 year of age
	No. of samples	Fibre length (cm)	Diameter (H)	No. of samples	Fibre length (cm)	Diameter
Awassi	49	6.48	32.76	32	12.78	35.74
Kurdi	12	6.92	34.22	7	14.83	40.69
Awassi-Kurdi cross-bred	25	6.51	37.23	11	13.42	37.72
Kurdi-Awassi cross-bred	25	6.38	37.08	18	13.73	39.35

TABLE A-49. Mean percentages of fibre types in Awassi, Kurdi, Awassi-Kurdi and Kurdi-Awassi wool
Breed	Fine fibres	Coarse fibres	Heterotypes	Kemp
Awassi	57.1	42.4	1.2	0.13
Kurdi	34.8	61.4	2.0	0.87
Awassi-Kurdi cross-bred	49.8	47.5	1.7	0.80
Kurdi-Awassi cross-bred	54.9	43.6	1.5	0.22

A flock of about 40 adult mouflon rams and ewes is kept in semicaptivity at the forestry station of Stavros Psokas. As the animals are extremely timid, their domestication is considered to be a most difficult task. It was therefore decided to develop a domesticated flock from a cross of mouflon rams and domestic ewes, followed by crossing back to the mouflon. Natural mating was unsuccessful; hence fresh undiluted semen of mouflon rams, collected by electro-ejaculation, was used for the insemination of Awassi, Chios and a few Finnish Landrace ewes. Of these, only two Awassi ewes held to the service, and one male and one female hybrid were born after gestation periods of 150 and 151 days, respectively, the male lamb weighing 4.7 kg and the female 3.7 kg at birth. In comparison, the birth weight of contemporary single male Awassi lambs at the same station averaged 5.6 kg and of single females 5.3 kg. At five weeks the male hybrid reached a weight of 12 kg, compared with an average weight of 14.6 kg for single male Awassi lambs under the same conditions.

The appearance of the hybrids is startingly unlike their Awassi dams. In the shape of the head and ears, the hairy coat and length and weight of the tail, they resemble their mouflon sire. In contrast with the typical Awassi tail, the tail of the hybrid is thin and short, reaching a length of 10 cm at the age of ten weeks.

The aim is to obtain at least 30 hybrids in order to estimate the meat quality of the males with special reference to its suitablity for the tourist trade (FAO, 1974).

TABLE A-53. Reproductive performance of 14 Roma-nov-Awassi F1 cross-bred yearling ewes   Number % Lambings 10 71 Lambs from ewes put to the ram 16 114 Multiple births per lambings 5 50 Lambing age (days) 384

TABLE A-55. Mortality among 50 Romanov-Awassi F1 cross-bred lambs from birth to 150 days (%) Age (days) Mortality 0-7 10 8-70 10 71-150 4 Total 24

TABLE B-21. Persistency in lactation of 2-tooth Awassi and Awassi-East Friesian cross-bred ewes Breed Lactation month 1-5 6 7 8 Awassi 100 100 91 55 F1 cross-bred 100 100 69 39 F2 cross-bred 100 80 80 30 ¾ Awassi 100 100 78 33 ¾ East Friesian 100 100 77 38

TABLE B-22. Average length of lactation period of Awassi and Awassi-East Friesian F1 cross-bred ewes at different ages in farm flocks (days) Breed Age (years) Average 1 2 3 4 Awassi 177 206 208 193 196 F1 cross-bred 169 200 202 197 192

TABLE B-26. Mean live and carcass weights of 16 male Awassi-East Friesian cross-bred lambs (kg) Age (days) 304 Live weight     On farm 74.6   Before slaughter (in wool) 69.8   Before slaughter (shorn) 68.1 Warm carcass weight 36.6 Carcass yield (%) 53.7

TABLE B-27. Mean weights of inner organs, kidney and caul fat, and tail of 16 male Awassi-East Friesian cross-bred lambs (kg) Live weight 69.8 Liver, lungs and heart 2.5 Kidneys 0.174 Kidney fat 1.4 Caul fat 3.9 Total kidney and caul fat 5.3 Fat tail 1.1

TABLE B-28. Mean percentages of bone, muscle and fat tissue in the carcasses of three male Awassi-East Friesian cross-bred lambs Carcass weight (kg) 37.8 Carcass yield 52.0 Bone 12.7 Muscle 52.5 Fat 32.7 Weight loss 2.1

TABLE B-29. Mean weight and percentage of various carcass parts of three male Awassi-East Friesian cross-bred lambs Forequarters Kg % 21.78 57.59 Hindquarters 16.04 42.41 Neck 5.31 14.04 Breast 9.42 24.91 Shoulders 7.05 18.64 Loin 4.23 11.19 Psoas muscles 0.43 1.13 Pelvis 3.87 10.23 Thighs 7.51 19.86 Total 37.82 100.00

TABLE B-31. Chemical composition of 'eye-muscles' of three male Awassi-East Friesian cross-bred lambs (%)   Mean Range Dried matter 26.2 25.4-27.9 Protein 21.1 20.6-21.7 Fat 3.4 3.2- 3.6 Ash 0.9 0.9-1.0

TABLE B-32. Energy value of muscle and fat of three heavy Awassi-East Friesian cross-bred lambs Weight of carcass (kg) 37.82 Weight of muscle (kg) 19.80 Weight of fat (kg) 12.37 Muscle, calories 30 000-48 000 Fat, calories 93 000 Energy value of protein content (%) 14-17 Energy value of fat content (%) 83-86