Livestock Studies
2020, Vol 60, Num, 2 (Pages: 46-53)
Use of multiple regression modeling for the evaluation of lactation characteristics of Awassi sheep
2 Ankara University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Husbandry and Animal Nutrition, Ankara, Turkey DOI : 10.46897/livestockstudies.846408 - This study was conducted to identify the best model characterizing the lactation curves of Awassi sheep, and to calculate the estimated lactation milk yield (ELMY) per sheep based on the model parameters. The study also investigated the factors affecting the observed lactation milk yield (OLMY) and ELMY, as well as the identified model parameters. OLMY was 111.47±3.504 kg, with a lactation period of 133.70±1.714. In an analysis of the HO, R2 and r parameters together, the fourth-order Legendre polynomial (LEG4) model was found to best predict the lactation curves of the Awassi sheep in the present study. Keywords : Awassi sheep, Lactation curve, LEG4, Milk yield