Comparative economic returns from artificial insemination and natural service in purebred fat tailed and crossbred Romanov flock

The objective of this study, was to compare the economic benefits of Laparoscopic Artificial Insemination (LAI) aimed at crossbreeding the native Turkish Fat-Tailed (TNF) sheep with Romanov rams. Net present values of meat income over breeding costs of LAI products and service under Turkish economic and flock management conditions were determined. Data was collected from LAI (n = 240) and traditional natural breeding (n = 240) programs to compare the growing and reproductive performance of crossbred lambs, produced by crossing Romanov sires with TNF dams, relative to purebred TNF lambs. For the TNF flock, using AI service resulted in very positive economic returns (1.6 times greater gross return) in flock situations by higher weaning weight and survival rates for lambs in the first year of the study. In the subsequent year, gross return was 10 times greater for Romanov F1 ewe lambs by higher percentage of animal (60 vs. 25%) lambed at 12 months of age and increased prolificacy (1.8 vs. 1.1). In conclusion, laparoscopic artificial insemination to maximize production (e.g., lamb growth and survival, early sexual maturity) can be benefited to TNF sheep raised in eastern Turkey. Producers have implemented crossbreeding programs in an effort to capitalize on heterosis and crossbreeding will almost certainly need to be a bigger part of the LAI due to fat tail of the native sheep breed.