Molecular Characterization of Keratin Associated Protein (KAP11.1) Gene for Wool Quality in Rambouillet Sheep

IntroductionLarge animal models are utilized for preclinical neuroendovascular research, and aid in the characterization and de‐risking of novel therapeutic approaches. To date, only a single prior study has been published providing a detailed account of an ovine model (Corriedale sheep) for cerebral venous access. The generalizability of these experiments has not yet been validated externally. In an effort to replicate these findings and de‐risk a novel, non‐surgical trans‐dural venous sinus approach to the cerebrum, cerebral venous access was attempted in 3 sheep specimens using transcranial and endovascular approaches. We report our experience validating this large animal model for translational and preclinical research.Methods3 animal experiments were performed at the UCLA TRIC laboratory between 02/2022 and 10/2022. The sheep were anesthesitized and handled under approval of the Animal Research Committee at UCLA (protocol ARC 2020‐19). The neck and groin areas were shaved and aseptically prepped. MRI Brain and MR Brain venogram imaging was performed on a 3T Siemens Magnetom MRI. Femoral artery and external jugular vein access were obtained using the Seldinger technique under ultrasound guidance and did not require a surgical cut down. Two Suffolk and one Rambouillet sheep were used (average weight 60 kg and 40 kg, respectively). The animals were transferred to the catheter laboratory and image guidance was performed with a monoplane Siemens Artis Zeego. A transcranial approach to the dorsal sagittal sinus was attempted in one Suffolk sheep specimen utilizing a Hubly Drill and a micro‐puncture kit. An endovascular approach to the dorsal sagittal sinus was attempted in second Suffolk sheep specimen using a 25 cm, 8 Fr Pinnacle Sheath via the external jugular vein followed by a 132 cm Catalyst 5 catheter, 0.027" Medtronic Marksman, Stryker SL‐10 and Offset microcatheters assembled over 0.014" Synchro Standard and exchange‐length Choice PT microguidewires. In a third experiment, an endovascular approach to the dorsal sagittal sinus was attempted in a Rambouillet sheep specimen using a 95 cm TracStar, 115 cm Catalyst 5 catheter, and 0.027" Medtronic Marksman microcatheter assembled over 0.014" Synchro Standard and exchange‐length Boston Scientific (BS) Choice PT microguidewires. The 0.027" Marksman microcatheter was subsequently exchanged for a 2.7 French BS Stingray LP coronary CTO re‐entry microcatheter in the Rambouillet sheep, which was tracked to the anterior third of the dorsal sagittal sinus over the exchange length wire.ResultsA transcranial approach to the dorsal sagittal sinus was complicated by misaligned needle trajectories resulting in brain parenchymal damage. The external jugular vein was the conduit for accessing the first and second emissary veins of the retroauricular foramen (figure 2). Access to the temporal and then transverse sinuses was possible from either of the aforementioned emissary veins. Interestingly, the morphology of the dorsal sagittal sinus was bifid and each vessel channel measured between 1.65 – 1.7 mm in diameter (figure 1). Access to the temporal sinus from an endovascular approach was possible with all microcatheters. However, access with a 0.027" microcatheter beyond the torcular herophili and into the dorsal sagittal sinus was only possible in the Rambouillet sheep despite its smaller body size. Intermediate catheters (>4 Fr) could not be advanced beyond the skull base in none of the sheep breeds. Lastly, microcatheter advancement into the cerebral hemispheric space across a transdural venous sinus puncture access point deliberately created by wire perforation was feasible from the Stingray re‐entry system after exchanging for a 0.017" microcatheter. A coil (Stryker Target) was deployed extravascularly from the 0.017" microcatheter for post‐mortem characterization (figure 3).ConclusionOne of three experiments met criteria for success. Due to reliance on a monoplane projection, a transcranial approach failed as an access route to the dorsal sagittal sinus resulting in iatrogenic parenchymal damage. Despite the larger body size, the second Suffolk sheep dural venous sinus system could not be catheterized beyond the skull base, likely due to the small caliber or focal stenosis of the temporal or transverse sinuses. The Rambouillet sheep breed proved to be a more adequate specimen for cerebral venous—specifically dorsal sagittal sinus—access with larger bore microcatheters. Based on this experience, careful selection of an appropriate sheep breed is necessary for modeling endovascular cerebral venous access and assessing novel procedures.

Rambouillet sheep are commonly raised in extensive grazing systems in the US, mainly for wool and meat production. Genomic evaluations in US sheep breeds, including Rambouillet, are still incipient. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility of performing genomic prediction of breeding values for various traits in Rambouillet sheep based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) or haplotypes (fitted as pseudo‐SNP) under a single‐step GBLUP approach. A total of 28,834 records for birth weight (BWT), 23,306 for postweaning weight (PWT), 5,832 for yearling weight (YWT), 9,880 for yearling fibre diameter (YFD), 11,872 for yearling greasy fleece weight (YGFW), and 15,984 for number of lambs born (NLB) were used in this study. Seven hundred forty‐one individuals were genotyped using a moderate (50 K; n = 677) or high (600 K; n = 64) density SNP panel, in which 32 K SNP in common between the two SNP panels (after genotypic quality control) were used for further analyses. Single‐step genomic predictions using SNP (H‐BLUP) or haplotypes (HAP‐BLUP) from blocks with different linkage disequilibrium (LD) thresholds (0.15, 0.35, 0.50, 0.65, and 0.80) were evaluated. We also considered different blending parameters when constructing the genomic relationship matrix used to predict the genomic‐enhanced estimated breeding values (GEBV), with alpha equal to 0.95 or 0.50. The GEBV were compared to the estimated breeding values (EBV) obtained from traditional pedigree‐based evaluations (A‐BLUP). The mean theoretical accuracy ranged from 0.499 (A‐BLUP for PWT) to 0.795 (HAP‐BLUP using haplotypes from blocks with LD threshold of 0.35 and alpha equal to 0.95 for YFD). The prediction accuracies ranged from 0.143 (A‐BLUP for PWT) to 0.330 (A‐BLUP for YGFW) while the prediction bias ranged from −0.104 (H‐BLUP for PWT) to 0.087 (HAP‐BLUP using haplotypes from blocks with LD threshold of 0.15 and alpha equal to 0.95 for YGFW). The GEBV dispersion ranged from 0.428 (A‐BLUP for PWT) to 1.035 (A‐BLUP for YGFW). Similar results were observed for H‐BLUP or HAP‐BLUP, independently of the LD threshold to create the haplotypes, alpha value, or trait analysed. Using genomic information (fitting individual SNP or haplotypes) provided similar or higher prediction and theoretical accuracies and reduced the dispersion of the GEBV for body weight, wool, and reproductive traits in Rambouillet sheep. However, there were no clear improvements in the prediction bias when compared to pedigree‐based predictions. The next step will be to enlarge the training populations for this breed to increase the benefits of genomic predictions.

Genetic variability analysis of 26 sheep breeds in the Czech Republic

Carcass grades, rack composition and tenderness of sheep and goats as influenced by market class and breed

Pakistan has about 28 sheep breeds with a total population of 30.9 million heads found in the country. Sheep are kept primarily for mutton production but wool and skin are secondary products. Wool, which is produced in the country, is of coarse type and it is used for carpet and carpet by-products. To upgrade the local sheep in Swat valley, Rambouillet sheep were imported from USA. Out of which, Pure Rambouillet rams were distributed among the sheep farmers in Swat valley. As a result of crossbreeding, about 90% of the sheep population became crossbred. To see the impact of crossbreeding under field conditions, the basic performance data of production traits were collected and analyzed statistically. The mature body weight of sheep were increased significantly (p<0.01) from 26.32+ 0.62kg to 31.52+ 0.27kg. The fertility rate difference between the two groups was not significant (80% Vs 85%). The lamb survival rate was significantly higher 93% in crossbreed whereas it was 84% in local sheep. Wool production and quality was significantly improved about 116%. The significant (p<0.01) difference was observed in wool production which increased from 0.8 kg to 1.8kg per annum in local vs. crossbred. The quality of wool was improved from 30.32µ to 23.10µ in local and crossbred sheep, respectively.

The current study was carried out on a number of sheep and goats farms during the period extended from January 2016 till the end of December 2017 in order to estimate the prevalence of subclinical mastitis in small ruminants and highlight the role of Staphylococcus species in inducing such infection. For this aim, about 940 milk samples collected from sheep and goats' farms (455 samples/ sheep and 485 samples/ goats) were subjected to California Mastitis test (CMT) to detect the prevalence of subclinical mastitis, then positive CMT samples in addition to; 100 bedding samples (50 samples / each species) collected from different sites of animal's yards particularly from wetted areas with high moisture and organic matter load and 100 water samples collected from different sites of animal's yards (50 samples / each species) were subjected to the ordinary bacterial culturing steps for isolation and identification of Staphylococcus species. The results revealed prevalence of subclinical mastitis estimated by 32.96% and 30.92% in sheep and Goat farms, respectively. The total prevalence of Staphylococci in Sheep farms was 27.2% where S. aureus accounted for 12.4% and Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CNS) represented the highest percentage (14.8%). The highest isolation rate recorded in bedding samples (34.0%) followed by milk samples (26.0%) and water samples (24.0%), while in goats farms the prevalence of Staphylococci species was 32.0% (16.8% S. aureus and 15.2% CNS) with highest rate of isolation from bedding samples (36.0%) followed by milk samples (34.0%) then water samples (22.0%). In addition, the isolated Staphylococcus strains where tested for their sensitivity to certain commercial antibiotics using disc diffusion method. The results revealed complete resistant of isolated S. aureus to Enrofloxacin (5 µg) and Oxytetracycline (30 µg) and moderate sensitivity to Amoxicillin (10 µg) and Erythromycin (15 µg). While CNS showed complete resistant to Flumequine (30 µg), Doxycycline (30 µg) and Sulpha.-Trimethoprim (25 µg), in contrary, they were highly sensitive to Amoxicillin (10 µg) and Erythromycin (15 µg) antibiotics. At last, molecular detection of clfA gene specific for coagulase positive Staphylococci were performed.

SUMMARY Blood samples from 2,310 mature sheep in 3 Idaho range flocks were examined by agar gel immunodiffusion to determine the prevalence of ovine progressive pneumonia. The prevalence ranged from 58% for all ages combined in one flock to 90% of cull ewes in another flock. Age-specific prevalence rates increased from 16% in yearlings to 83% in ewes ≥ 7 years old. Rambouillet sheep had a significantly (P < 0.01) lower prevalence than sheep of 5 other breeds, whereas one-half Finnsheep crosses had a significantly (P < 0.01) higher prevalence than sheep of other breeds. Within breed and age, there was no significant difference in reproductive performance between seropositive and seronegative ewes.

The population of sheep and goats has significantly decreased during the last few years. The aim of this study is to identify opportunities for an improvement of the support of this part of livestock farming.A questionnaire was developed in cooperation with the Hessian Sheep Breeders' Association and the Hessian Goat Breeders' Association to record the situation of sheep and goat farming in Hesse. The survey was made publicly available online and sent to livestock farmers in written form.112 sheep farmers and 66 goat farmers participated in the survey. Most small ruminants are kept on small farms (median herd size sheep: 35.5 animals (deviation±74.8); median herd size goats: 14.5 animals (deviation±25.4)). The majority of farms keep the animals as a hobby or as a side business. It is noticeable that numerous breeds that are kept face the threat of extinction. A significant proportion of farms wants to increase their number of animals (sheep farmers 23.4%; goat farmers: 28%). The three most important uses are the production of meat, landscape management as well as the sale of the animals. Milk and wool production only play a minor role. Direct marketing of products is the most important sales channel. The most common obstacles in marketing are the lack of regional slaughter and marketing possibilities as well as marketing problems.Based on the survey of sheep and goat farmers, obstacles and opportunities for the targeted promotion of small ruminant husbandry were identified.The survey of sheep and goat farmers shows that hobby farming plays a major role for these animal species. This creates a new field of activity for veterinarians, in which the treatment individual animals is the focus of interest.

Toxoplasmosis is a protozoan disease that is caused by Toxoplasma gondii in livestock and humans. Due to its medical and veterinary importance, it is essential to study the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection among humans and animals in various parts of the world. The major objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence and spatial distribution of toxoplasmosis in small ruminants (sheep and goats) of north-eastern region, Pakistan. A total of 1,000 animals comprising of sheep (n=470) and goats (n=530) were examined for T. gondii infection by using ELISA. An epidemiological data was collected in the form of questionnaire. A surface has been generated by using method of interpolation in Arc GIS with the help of IDW (inverse distance weight). The results showed higher seroprevalence of T. gondii in goats (42.8%) as compared to sheep (26.2%). The seroprevalence was higher in females as compared to males in all examined ruminants. Similarly, there is a wide variation in the seroprevalence of T. gondii in different breeds of sheep and goats showing higher seroprevalence in Teddy (52.8%) and Damani breed (34.5%) of goat and sheep’s, respectively. The geographical and spatial distribution of T. gondii shows that it is widely distributed in different parts of the north-eastern region of Pakistan. Our results suggest widespread environmental contamination with T. gondii oocysts. It suggests us that small ruminants could be a potentially important source of T. gondii infection if their infected meat is consumed undercooked.

The objectives of the current research were: (i) to determine the allele and genotype frequencies of the LGB gene in the sheep and goat breeds reared in Eastern Europe; (ii) to implement a comparative study in order to evaluate the milk production potential and efficiency of the main sheep and goat dairy breeds reared in Romania; (iii) to test the genetic basis and feasibility of introducing the molecular-marker assisted selection for this trait into future breeding schemes designed for small ruminants. Totally 731 purebred unrelated sheep (Turcana: 111, Racka: 98, Tsigai: 79, Karakul of Botosani: 60, Transylvanian Merino: 77) and goats (Carpatina: 82, Banat’s White: 73, Saanen: 74, French Alpine: 77) were sampled and genotyped for the earlier detected alleles. The frequencies of A (0.44–0.53) and B (0.42–0.51) alleles of LGB gene were generally equal, while the C allele incidence was significantly lower for all sheep breeds studied. A relatively low or missing incidence of the C allele and no BC genotype were detected in the studied sheep breeds. All studied sheep breeds were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. Gene homozygosity was lower than gene heterozygosity, with the effective allele numbers ranging from 2.00 (Transylvanian Merino) to 2.23 (Tsigai). Two alleles (A and B) and two genotypes (AA and AB) were detected in the four goat breeds studied. Allele A was the most frequent allele found in all breeds (0.57–0.68), while AB genotype had the highest frequency. Gene homozygosity was higher than gene heterozygosity, while the effective allele numbers varied between 1.76 (Banat’s White) and 1.96 (Carpatina). The frequency of alleles and genotypes was similar to that reported in other Eastern sheep and goat breeds, however polymorphism has not been studied yet among these breeds in such a high number in Romania. An association study between single nucleotide polymorphisms and milk production traits should follow.

The article examines the ways of development and specialization of animal husbandry in a particular region, namely the northern part of Bukovina, over a fairly long period from the formation of East Slavic tribal reigns to the Ancient Rus state and the Mongol-Tatar invasion. The development of animal husbandry, the species composition of the herd of domestic animals, depending on the influence of the physical-geographical, natural-climatic and socio-economic conditions of the region is analyzed based on osteoarchaeological material. Such material from the settlements of the study area makes it possible to state the presence of several types of economic specialization of animal husbandry and conclude their quantitative ratio in the study area. So in the Middle Dniester, pig breeding prevailed, followed by sheep breeding and raising cattle (the first type of animal husbandry). On the left bank of the Prut River, with its turf-podzolic loams, preference was given to the breeding of big cattle — small ruminants — pigs (the second species). The third species is presented in the following sequence: cattle — pig breeding — sheep breeding. Hunting products played an important role in the diet of the local population. The species composition of wild game animals, hunting methods, and tools used in this process are analyzed. The study showed a fairly high level of development of animal husbandry and hunting among the local population.

A study was conducted at Kafta Humera and Tanqua Abergelle Districts from April to June, 2011 to assess the prevalence of subclinical mastitis in lactating small ruminants and identify bacterial causative agents. A total of 390 lactating animals comprising 255 goats and 135 sheep were randomly selected from population and screened for evidence of subclinical mastitis. The overall prevalence of subclinical mastitis was found to be 18.03% (46/255) and 28.14% (38/135) in goats and sheep, respectively. California mastitis test (CMT) positive milk samples were subjected to bacteriological examination and the following bacteria were isolated; coagulase negative Staphylococcus (44.7%), Staphylococcus aureus (27.7%), Escherchia coli (17.0%) and streptococci (10.63%). Risk factors; species (p = 0.021), study site (p < 0.001), sheep breed (p = 0.018) and goat breed (p = 0.009) showed statistically significant association with the occurrence of subclinical mastitis in small dairy ruminants. However, there was no statistically significant association between risk factors such as Age (p = 0.779), parity (p = 0.201) and stage of lactation (p = 0.952). Therefore, it can be concluded that mastitis is a significant disease in small ruminants that affects their productivity and measures need to be taken to control the disease.

The objectives of this work were as follows: (i) the evaluation of the prevalence of detection of genetic material of Coxiella burnetii in the bulk tank milk of sheep and goat farms in Greece and (ii) the investigation of variables related to the management applied in farms as possible predictors for this. The presence of C. burnetii genetic material was studied in the bulk tank milk of 325 sheep and 119 goat farms throughout the country. For qualitative and quantitative identification of the genetic material of the pathogen, a commercially available real-time PCR was used. In total, 45 parameters were assessed for potential association with the detection of the pathogen: these referred to the management system, infrastructure, health management, animals, production characteristics, and human resources on the farms. Genetic material of the pathogen was detected in bulk tank milk samples from nine sheep (2.8%) and six goat (5.0%) farms. Genetic material was at significantly higher median concentrations in samples from goat farms than from sheep farms, 1,078,096 (min: 181,121, max: 2,331,386) versus 15,728 (min: 507, max: 505,852) GE mL-1, respectively. For sheep farms, the intensive or semi-intensive management system applied in farms (p = 0.003), and for goat farms, the intensive or semi-intensive management system applied in farms (p = 0.0007) and the smaller number of annual veterinary visits to farms (p = 0.044) emerged as significant predictors. Among sheep farms managed under the intensive or semi-intensive system, the lack of accessory barns on farms (p = 0.024) emerged as a significant predictor; no significant predictor could be found among goat farms under such management systems. There was no significant difference in production outcomes between farms in which C. burnetii was or was not detected in the bulk tank milk; also, there was no association between the detection of C. burnetii and the annual incidence rate of cases of abortion on the farms. The results suggest that the risk of transfer of C. burnetii to dairy products from sheep and goat milk appears to be small, but not negligible, which indicates that the pasteurization of milk from small ruminants must be carried out consistently and correctly to ensure the safety of the product.

Simple SummaryToxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are among the major abortifacient pathogens in sheep and goats. Environmental risk factors may contribute to the spread of both protozoans among sheep and goats. In this study, the spatial analysis provided additional information useful to study the patterns of distribution and spread of diseases, increasing the comprehension of the association between disease processes and explanatory environmental variables. The research aimed to explore whether geographical or environmental factors could influence the infections by T. gondii and N. caninum in sheep and goats in northern Italy and identify areas at risk of infection. A heterogenic distribution of seroprevalence both pathogens was highlighted in the study area with areas at high or low risk according to the protozoan. Particularly, annual temperature, rainfall, and their association enhanced the risk of T. gondii and N. caninum infection among sheep. Otherwise, the risk for goats to acquire those infections did not depend on environmental or geographical features, but instead on factors associated with individual characteristics or farm management. The results observed in this study suggest spatial analysis is a useful tool to implement control measures to prevent these important protozoan diseases for small ruminant breeding.The objectives of this study were: (i) To investigate possible geographical or environmental factors influencing the infections by Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in sheep and goats in northern Italy; (ii) to identify areas at risk of infection to set up preventive measures. Forty-three sheep and goat farms were included. Their locations were plotted and associated with T. gondii and N. caninum seroprevalence, then the distribution of farms’ prevalence was evaluated by spatial analysis. Significant clusters for both low and high prevalence were obtained, and a generalized linear model with ordinal logistic regression was implemented to verify if spatial clustering could be due to climate factors (temperature, rainfall, and their interaction). Clusters of high (80.0%) and low prevalence (28.12%) resulted for T. gondii seroprevalence in sheep farms. No significant clusters resulted for goat farms. Clusters of high (38.68%) and low prevalence (21.23%) resulted for N. caninum seroprevalence in sheep farms. One high-prevalence cluster (15.62%) resulted for goat farms. For goats, spatial analysis and analysis on climatic data showed the absence of environmental significant risk factors associated with T. gondii or N. caninum infection. On the contrary, for sheep, annual temperature, rainfall, and their association affected the risk of T. gondii and N. caninum infection. Particularly, high temperatures and abundant rainfalls were related to T. gondii seroprevalence, while low temperatures and scarce rainfalls were related to N. caninum seroprevalence.

Livestock contributes to global warming through greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Reducing these emissions is an ongoing challenge for the small ruminant sector. Despite its significant role in national economies, limited studies on the carbon footprint (CF) of dairy small ruminants in Mediterranean countries exist. The study aimed to achieve the following: (a) estimate the GHG emissions of eleven semi-extensive sheep and goat farms in a mountainous region of southern Greece, using the Tier 1 and Tier 2 methodologies; (b) compare the outcomes of both methods; and (c) calculate farms’ CF, as a means of their environmental impact evaluation. All on-farm activities (except machinery or medicine use) related to sheep or goat production were considered to estimate GHG emissions. The results show differences between Tier 1 and Tier 2 estimates, reflecting the simplified computational approach of Tier 1. The average CF values estimated via Tier 1 for goat and sheep farms were 2.12 and 2.87 kg CO2-eq./kg FPCM, respectively. Using Tier 2, these values increased to 2.73 and 3.99 kg CO2-eq./kg FPCM. To mitigate environmental impact, farms could enhance productivity by improving herd management and feeding strategies.