Effect of udder morphology on milk yield and suckling behaviour of patanwadi lambs

A study was conducted to determine the relationship between udder traits, milk yield and lamb suckling behaviour in Patanwadi lambs (n=30) during August to October 2019. The mean body condition score was significantly (p<0.05) less at 40 and 60 days of lactation The average udder tissue content score, udder circumference, udder depth and udder width showed significant (p<0.05) difference between 1st (4.37±0.14, 41.80±0.87cm, 16.90±0.53 cm and 14.93±0.28 cm) and 60th (3.23±0.10, 35.47±0.73 cm, 14.33±0.33 cm and 13.43±0.27 cm) days of lactation. The total sucking duration, sucking frequency, sucking bout, suckling bout frequency, mean bout duration and hindering attempts by dam significantly (p<0.01) decreased from 1st (5.24±0.22, 4.49±0.20/min, 9.16±0.39, 2.62±0.14/min, 45.27±2.09 sec and 1.30±0.31no) to 60th (1.60±0.11, 1.59±0.11/min, 3.67±0.17, 0.94±0.07/min, 18.01±1.61sec and 7.33±0.31) day of lactation while number of sucking attempts non-significantly decreased during the same period. The average daily milk yield of sheep significantly (p<0.01) decreased from 897±35.47g in 1st day to 686±33.56g in 60th day of lactation. The total sucking duration, sucking number and frequency, sucking bout number and frequency and mean bout duration were significantly (p<0.05) correlated with milk yield, udder tissue content and overall shape or suspension of udder. It was inferred that udder conformation and morphology affect suckling behaviour of lambs, dams having symmetrical, wider and capacious udders with clear demarcation between left and right mammary quarters favoured longer sucking durations with a greater number and longer sucking bouts in lambs.