Abstract
BackgroundThe rates of congenital disorders in Swiss sheep were determined by a questionnaire which was sent to 3,183 members of the Swiss Sheep Breeders’ Association.FindingsA total of 993 questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 31.2%. Of these, 862 questionnaires originated from farms keeping one of the predominant Swiss sheep breeds: Swiss White Alpine sheep, Brown-Headed Meat sheep, Swiss Black Brown Mountain sheep and Valais Blacknose sheep. During a 10-year-period, entropion was reported in 33.6% of the farms, brachygnathia inferior in 29.5%, abdominal/umbilical hernia in 15.9%, cryptorchidism in 10.5% and torticollis in 10.5%. The most significant difference between the four breeds (P < 0.001) occurred for entropion in Swiss White Alpine sheep and Brown-Headed Meat sheep, brachygnathia inferior in Swiss Black Brown Mountain sheep, and scrotal/inguinal hernia in Valais Blacknose sheep. The Swiss White Alpine breed showed a significantly higher animal prevalence of entropion (6.2% in 2011 and 5.5% in 2012) than other breeds (P < 0.001).ConclusionsThese findings indicate a breed-specific necessity for action, particularly regarding Swiss animal welfare legislation, especially entropion in Swiss White Alpine sheep is concerned. In general, careful selection of breeding stock is to be recommended.
Highlights
The rates of congenital disorders in Swiss sheep were determined by a questionnaire which was sent to 3,183 members of the Swiss Sheep Breeders’ Association
This study presents the results of a questionnaire on congenital disorders sent to all members of the Swiss sheep breeders’ association and attempts to estimate the occurrence of congenital disorders in the four main Swiss sheep breeds
Before the questionnaire was sent to the breeders, they were informed about the common congenital disorders in a short article in a journal sent to all breeders and by oral presentations
Summary
The rates of congenital disorders in Swiss sheep were determined by a questionnaire which was sent to 3,183 members of the Swiss Sheep Breeders’ Association. Modern sheep production is primarily focused on economically important traits like meat and milk. The accompanying increase in co-ancestry and inbreeding leads to the emergence of recessive genetic defects, which may cause significant economic and animal welfare concerns. The occurrence of undesirable traits recognized as inherited disorders in sheep has been reported [5,6,7,8]. A continuously updated database reports a total of 215 inherited ovine defects, disorders, predispositions to disease, production traits and coat colors [11]. A recent review gives an overview of predominantly recessive inherited ovine genetic traits, for which causal gene variants are known and where gene testing can be used to eliminate these undesirable mutations [12]
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