ChileanJAR

Perinatal death losses in lambs, occurring at the Hidango Field Station, during 1978 and 1979 were analized, in order to stablish a relation between birth weight and mortality. Also, 92 lambs were necropsied in 1978 to investigate the main causes of death. In 1978, death losses were lighter at birth (P < 0.05) and rate of survival was inversely associated to birth weight. The main cause of death was thestarvation-exposition complex. In 1979, birth weights rose, but survival rate only increased in twins. Birth weights of dead lambs were also higher and the differences with those surviving was significative only for single females and twin males (P < 0.05).