STUDY ON MEAT/ MILK PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCES IN ROMANIAN RATCA SHEEP UNDER EXTENSIVE PRODUCTION

The aim of this work is to perform studies on the lactogenic potential of the Ratca sheep.In order to evaluate the potential of milk production for the Ratca breed, looking at the actual conditions of the permanent pastures andby keeping the sheeps under extensive conditions, the official performance recording for milk production was done for inCaras-Severin and Timis counties,. Moreover, in order to obtain the production data necessary for a comparative technical-economic study between the Ratca and Turcanasheep breeds, the Turcana sheeps were also included in this work. The lower productive level of the Ratca compared to the Turcana breed is one of the main factors that led to the abandonment of the Ratca by the breeders. The production of milk for the two breeds was an average of 68.23 ± 2.33 kg for the Ratca sheep and 76.81 ± 2.99 kg for the Turcana, the differences between the two breeds were quite significant.