HISTORY AND METHODS OF CHERNOZEMELSKY MERINO SHEEP BREED DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The aim of the research was to study the selective breeding methods which were used
in the development of the Chernozemelsky Merino breed and the productivity of the current
herd of sheep. The breed was developed in the breeding farm “Chernozemelsky” located in
the eastern natural economic zone of the Republic of Kalmykia in the territory of the PeriCaspian Lowland between 1984 and 2016. The breed development included two stages. During the first stage, the Australian Merino sheep were crossbred with the Kalmyk breed type
ewes of the Grozny breed to produce crossbred progeny from ½ to ⅛ of the Australian merino
blood and the back crossing of half-blooded and ¼-blooded ewes with the Kalmyk breed type
rams of the Grozny breed. The second stage was characterized by the obtaining sheep of the
desired type with simultaneous combination of the inherent and productive qualities of animals. Modern sheep of Chernozemelsky Merino breed belong to the wool production type.
They have heavy fleece, quite thick coat. The average diameter of wool fiber of the rams is
22-25 microns, ewes – 21-24 microns, replacement rams – 19-22 microns. The length of wool
on the side of the stud rams is 10.6 cm, ewes – 9.4 cm replacement rams – 11.5 cm, yearling
ewes – 11.6 cm. The average shearing of pure wool is 2.75 kg on average for the herd with
54-57% of wool yield. The live weight of adult stud rams is 85-97 kg, yearling rams – 55-63
kg, ewes – 51-55 kg, yearling ewes – 38-43 kg. There are five lines in the structure of the
breed. It was concluded that the animals had excellent fattening qualities, high wool productivity and fertility in combination with well-expressed traits of earliness and meatness in conditions of year-round grazing system.