Milk yield of some Croatian sheep breeds

Među najvažnije pasmine ovaca koje se u Hrvatskoj koriste za proizvodnju mlijeka spadaju paška, bračka, creska i istarska ovca, travnička pramenka, različiti križanci te, u posljednje vrijeme, istočnofrizijska ovca. Svrha ovog istraživanja je utvrditi utjecaj pasmine na dužinu laktacije i ukupnu proizvodnju mlijeka u laktaciji kao i prosječne udjele masti i bjelančevina, bitnih sastojaka u proizvodnji sira. Najdužu laktaciju (213 dana) imala je istočnofrizijska ovca, dok su najveću ukupnu proizvodnju mlijeka u laktaciji (294 kg), te najveću proizvodnju mliječne masti (13,38 kg) i bjelančevina (11,88 kg), imale križanke (creska ovca x istočnofrizijska x awassi). Međutim, najveći udjeli mliječne masti (8,12 te 7,81%) i bjelančevina (6,36 te 6,26%) utvrđeni su u mlijeku istarskih te paških ovaca. Najduže razdoblje mužnje (145 dana) i najkraće razdoblje sisanja (28 dana) utvrđeno je u paških ovaca, dok je najduže razdoblje sisanja utvrđeno u istarske (78 dana) i istočnofrizijske (74 dana) ovce. Najmanje mlijeka u sisnom razdoblju (17,46 kg ili 13,38%) posisala je paška janjad, a najviše istočnofrizijska (111,18 kg ili 39,39%) i istarska (94,3 kg ili 42,95%) janjad.Among the most important breeds of sheep, used for the milk production in Croatia, are the sheep from Pag, Brač, Cres, Istrian and Travnik΄s sheep, different crossbreeds and, recently, East Friesian sheep. The aim of the research was to determine the genotype effect on lactation period, milk yield and protein and fat content, which are important in cheese making. The longest lactation period (213 days) had East Friesian sheep, while the highest total milk production (294 kg) and the highest production of milk fat (13.38 kg) and proteins (11.88 kg) had crossbreeds (Cres sheep x East Friesian x Awassi). However, the highest content of milk fat (8.12 and 7.81%) and proteins (6.36 and 6.26%) were established in Istrian and Pag sheep milk. The longest milking period (145 days) and the shortest suckling period (28 days) was found in Pag sheep, while the longest suckling period was found in Istra (78 days) and East Friesian (74 days) sheep. The least milk in suckling period (17.46 kg or 13.38%) was sucked by lambs of Pag sheep, and the most by East Friesian (111.18 kg or 39.39%) and Istra sheep lambs (94.3 kg or 42.95%)