Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
KAFKAS UNIVERSITESI VETERINER FAKULTESI DERGISI, cilt.15, ss.705-708, 2009 (SCI-Expanded)
This study was conducted to determine weight losses, subsequent recovery, and transportation costs in yearling lambs transported for 5, 10 and 24 h. Sixty-three, shorn, male, yearling Akkaraman lambs were used and assigned into 4 groups, namely; control group (un-transported), Group I (transported for 5 h), Group II (transported for 10 h) and Group III (transported for 24 h). Transported lambs (16x3=48 lambs) in groups I, II, and III were loaded on a lorry at a density of 0.35 m(2)/head, while control group (15 lambs) were kept with the same density in the barn. After each journey, a slight but not significant live weight loss was observed in the transported lambs compared to lambs in control group (P>0.05). The live weight losses were determined between 3.4%-6.5% in transported lambs and 3.0%-6.2% in control group. Lambs in control group and 5 hour-transported lambs reached pre-transport live weight after 72 h. After 5, 10 and 24 h transportation the difference between total transportation costs of control and transported lambs was calculated as 7.0 US$/head, 12.7 US$/head and 20.2 US$/head, respectively. In conclusion, removal of feed could be explain as the more important reason of live weight losses during road transportation, compared to weight losses due to transportation stress. Additionally, 5, 10 and 24 hours transportation of lambs may suggest that they can be sold for 7 US$/head, 12.7 US$/head and 20.2 US$/head more, respectively.