This study was carried out to investigate the fertility traits, survival rate and growth characteristics of Karayaka and Bafra (Chios x Karayaka B1) genotypes. Karayaka and Bafra genotypes are raised in the Black Sea region of Turkey. In the study, fertility results for Karayaka and Bafra were determined to be 92.3 and 93.7% for birth rates, and 1.08 and 1.78 for litter size, respectively. The survival rates of Karayaka and Bafra lambs at weaning (90 days) were 93.6 and 91.9%, respectively. The least squares means obtained for Karayaka and Bafra lambs were 3.1 and 3.7 kg for birth weight, 19.5 and 22.5 kg for weaning weight and 29.6 and 32.6 kg for 180 days weight (P < 0.001), respectively. The results showed that the litter size and growth of lambs in the Bafra genotype were better than in the Karayaka, while the survival rate of Karayaka lambs was better than in the Bafra genotype.

This study was carried out to investigate the fertility traits, survival rate and growth characteristics of Karayaka and Bafra (Chios x Karayaka B1) genotypes. Karayaka and Bafra genotypes are raised in the Black Sea region of Turkey. In the study, fertility results for Karayaka and Bafra were determined to be 92.3 and 93.7% for birth rates, and 1.08 and 1.78 for litter size, respectively. The survival rates of Karayaka and Bafra lambs at weaning (90 days) were 93.6 and 91.9%, respectively. The least squares means obtained for Karayaka and Bafra lambs were 3.1 and 3.7 kg for birth weight, 19.5 and 22.5 kg for weaning weight and 29.6 and 32.6 kg for 180 days weight (P < 0.001), respectively. The results showed that the litter size and growth of lambs in the Bafra genotype were better than in the Karayaka, while the survival rate of Karayaka lambs was better than in the Bafra genotype.