author(s)
M Sundaramoorthy, N Kumaravelu, Thanga Thamilvanan and A Serma Saravana Pandian

abstract
A study on the production and reproduction performance of Pattanamadu sheep was conducted in the breeding tract of Tamil Nadu, India. Two district Ramanathapuram (3 blocks -Mudukulathur, Kamuthi and Paramakudi) and Virudhunagar (2 blocks - Aruppukottai and Thiruchuli) and 6 villages from each block and 2 flocks from each villagewere selected randomly. A total number of 60 flocks were included in this study. Data were collected by personal interview method with the help of pretested interview schedule. The flock size of Pattanamadu sheep in the study area is 77.33±1.15, 133.67±3.99 and 243.00±20.21 in small, medium and large flocks, respectively. The study revealed that the pooled Mean ± SE (kg) body weight at birth, three month, six month, nine month, one year age, two teeth, four teeth, six teeth and eight teeth were 3.16 ± 0.01, 14.77 ± 0.11, 21.56 ± 0.24, 31.33 ± 0.36, 38.90 ± 0.17, 38.97 ± 0.17, 43.89 ± 0.19, 45.98 ± 0.17 and 50.67 ± 0.16, respectively. Average age at first mating-male (months), age at first mating-female (months), Age at first lambing (months), lambing percentage (%), twinning percentage (%), tupping percentage (%) in small, medium and large flocks were 19.89, 21.63 and 21.78; 12.59, 13.01 and 13.65; 18.01, 19.08 and 19.39; 92.95, 93.01 and 92.31; 1.92, 1.75 and 1.69 and 99.38, 98.14 and 97.12, respectively. Highly significant differences (P≤0.01) were noticed for all the reproductive performance except for the twinning percentage. Adoption of scientific methods in sheep management and by following suggestion of veterinarians regarding ram rotation, maintaining of Ram: Ewe ratio, flushing of ewes before main breeding season and health care would increase production and reproduction performance in Pattanam adu sheep thereby increasing the economic status of the shepherds.