Adult Goats Research Articles

High accumulation of lipofuscin is observed in preantral follicles of adult goat ovaries: Is it a senescence sign?

The aim of this study was to assess the ovarian follicles and cortex morphologically, as well as the presence of signs of senescence in the ovary of goat females of different ages: young female of two months (YF2m); six months (YF6m); adult female of two years (AF2y) and four years old or older (AF4+y). The follicles included in the ovarian cortex were evaluated for morphological normality, developmental category, and follicular density, as well as stromal cell density. Signs of senescence were evaluated by the presence of lipofuscin, β-galactosidase activity, and immunostaining for γH2AX. Animals in the YF2m group showed a higher (P < 0.05) percentage of morphologically normal follicles, while animals in the AF4+y group showed a lower percentage of primordial follicles and a higher (P < 0.05) percentage of developing follicles. The follicular and stromal cell density of the YF2m group was higher (P < 0.05) than in the AF2y and AF4+y groups. Regarding senescent markers, the presence of lipofuscin in the ovary of adult animals (AF2y and AF4+y) was higher (P < 0.05) than in young animals (YF2m and YF6m). On the other hand, β-galactosidase activity did not differ between groups, and immunolabeling for γH2AX was not observed in the ovaries of the experimental animals. In conclusion, the findings of the present study indicate that in goats, the reduction in the number of morphologically normal preantral follicles is already observed at six months of age and may not be related to cellular senescence.

Intravenous injection of fentanyl in adult awake goats increases arterial blood pressure and reduces heart rate without affecting metabolic rate or temperature

At high doses, synthetic opioids are thought to slow heart rate and reduce mean arterial blood pressures in humans and rodents and could create a life-threatening situation. Herein, we report dose-dependent effects of intravenous (IV) injection of fentanyl on systolic (SYS), diastolic (DIA), and mean (MAP) arterial blood pressure, heart rate (HR) metabolic rate and body temperatures in adult female goats (n=7). Variables were measured 30 min before, during and up to 90 min after IV injection of vehicle (saline) or 25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 mcg/kg fentanyl. Baseline averages for SYS, DIA, MAP was 102, 73, 83 mmHg, respectively, and HR was 84 beats/minute (bpm). There were no significant changes in these values over 90 minutes when saline was injected. Between 8 and 10 minutes after fentanyl injection, SYS, DIA, and MAP increased substantially from control by about 40, 25, and 30 mmHg, respectively. These increases did not appear dose independent, but by 90 minutes post-injection SYS, DIA, and MAP decreased toward control at the lowest dose (25 mcg/kg). The fentanyl induced arterial hypertension was partially compensated by a ~15 bpm decrease in heart rate which changed minimally between 10 and 90 minutes after fentanyl injection. The sustained increase in arterial blood pressure indicates a sustained excitatory effect of fentanyl consistent with the excitatory effect of fentanyl on tidal volume and respiratory muscle activity (see additional abstracts from our group). This excitatory effect is not due to changes in metabolic rate and/or body temperature as we found no consistent effect of fentanyl injections on these variables. This excitatory effect of fentanyl appears species-dependent as opioid agonists injected into rats and humans typically induces arterial hypotension. Species dependency of fentanyl may reflect species variation in effects of fentanyl on vagal nerve endings, brainstem control centers, and/or cardiac receptors (J. Car.Pharm, 1985), or alternatively may reflect differences in fentanyl metabolism whereby metabolites may have differential effects on blood pressure among these species. NIH DA050571 This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Physiological effects of fentanyl in goats: acute withdrawal and known and novel reversal agents

Synthetic opioids alter several vital physiological functions and discontinuation of its use can cause acute withdrawal symptoms. In this and three adjoining posters we present data on the dose-dependent physiologic and behavioral effects of intravenous (IV) fentanyl in adult awake goats. Here, we tested two hypotheses: 1) that fentanyl will lead to acute, dose-dependent withdrawal symptoms, and 2) that co-administration of a known reversal agent (naloxone (NAL)) or novel respiratory stimulant (D-cysteine ethyl ester; D-CYSee) can mitigate the acute physiological and behavioral effects of fentanyl. Acute withdrawal was measured for 4 hrs. beginning 90 min post-injection of IV vehicle or fentanyl (n=5-7) using a wearable activity tracking device (Biopac) and subjective videographic observations. Animal movement (Vector Magnitude; g) was lowest with vehicle across all time points but was increased (p&lt;0.05) in a dose-dependent manner from 90-210 min after fentanyl administration. Additional behaviors such as pawing, vocalization, hyperphagia, itching and rearing also appeared dose-dependent and were increased from 90-210 min post-injection but waned across the 4h observation period (n=4). Based on the demonstrated efficacy of D-CYSee in reversing OIRD in rats (Getsy et al., 2022), we next tested if fentanyl-induced physiological dysfunction or withdrawal symptoms were mitigated by co-administration of either D-CYSee (500 μmol/kg) or NAL (0.06 mg/kg). Transient suppression of minute ventilation (V I ) and breathing frequency was followed by a secondary increase &gt;10 min after 50 μg/kg fentanyl, where co-administration of D-CYSee stimulated V I and NAL prevented the secondary increase in V I (n=5-6). Fentanyl alone moderately decreased HR where D-CYSee prevented this effect, whereas NAL exacerbated the fentanyl-induced bradycardia for up to 45 min. Mean, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were increased with fentanyl for &gt;90 min post-injection, where D-CYSee had no additional effect but NAL prevented the hypertension. Finally, NAL but not D-CYSee reversed sedation (n=7), but neither NAL or D-CYSee appeared to mitigate withdrawal behaviors. These preliminary data suggest that: 1) fentanyl causes withdrawal behaviors in goats, and 2) NAL and D-CYSee have differential effects on fentanyl-induced physiological dysfunction suggesting D-CYSee has a distinctly different mechanism of action as a potential OIRD countermeasure. Supported by NIH DA050571. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Dose-dependent effects of fentanyl on pulmonary ventilation and arterial blood gases in adult awake goats

Synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, typically suppress breathing frequency (f) and tidal volume (VT) in rodents but decrease and increase f and VT in humans, respectively. In this and the three adjoining posters we present data on the physiologic and behavioral dose-dependent effects of intravenous (IV) fentanyl in adult awake female goats. Here we tested the hypothesis that like humans, goats would show dose-dependent decreases in f and increases in VT and corresponding changes in blood gases and pH. Pulmonary ventilation (VI), f, VT and arterial blood gases were measured for 30 minutes (min) before, during and up to 90 min after IV injection (2 min) of 0, 25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 mcg/kg fentanyl. Ventilatory measures were expressed as a percent of control (room air breathing) in 30 sec intervals for 15 min pre- and post-injection and averaged over longer time intervals (5 or 15 min) thereafter. While we observed no changes in breathing measures over 30 min before and 90 min after saline injection, the responses to IV fentanyl were highly variable and individual- and dose-dependent. However, most goats showed transient decreases in f (20-30%) where the duration of f suppression was dose-dependent (2-10 min), whereas VT increased (25-50%) for 60 min or more without an apparent dose-dependence. As a result, VI was only transiently decreased (2-4 min) and instead was above control for up to 90 min post-injection. Arterial blood was drawn (~3 ml; 30 sec) in duplicate at ~15 and 25 min into the 30 min control period, and then individual samples were obtained continuously during and immediately following the injection and in duplicate at 10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 min post-injection. While some goats showed transient hypoventilation (decreased PaO2/O2 saturation) immediately after fentanyl injection, on average blood gas analyses suggested modest hyperventilation (decreased PaCO2/increased pH) 60-90 min post-injection consistent with the overall effects on VI. The calculated difference in the alveolar to arterial oxygen gradient (A-a gradient) was unaffected with saline or 25 mcg/kg fentanyl, but was increased with higher doses of fentanyl peaking 15-30 min after injection in a dose-dependent manner suggesting increased V/Q mismatch. We conclude that in awake goats, fentanyl has opposite effects on f and VT similar to that in humans. However, individual variation in timing and nature of the ventilatory responses to fentanyl over the dose range tested herein suggests that the compensatory f and VT changes allowed for the maintenance of arterial blood gas and pH status. NIH DA050571 This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Fentanyl induced disruption of the coordinated reciprocal activity of inspiratory and expiratory respiratory muscles

Opioid induced respiratory depression (OIRD) occurs when respiratory pump and/or airway muscle activity are reduced ostensibly due to reduced output from the brainstem respiratory control system, resulting in central (CA) and/or obstructive apnea (OA) and reduced breathing frequency. Although less commonly reported in the literature, ORID may also result from an inappropriate activation of accessory muscles leading to the “Wooden Chest Syndrome” (WCS) -when airflow is limited due to simultaneous activation of inspiratory and expiratory pump and/or airway respiratory muscles to decrease chest wall compliance and inappropriately increase airway resistance. This phenomenon is difficult to directly study in humans, but here we present data from our large animal model (adult female goats). We tested the hypothesis that IV fentanyl would lead to transient dysfunction in respiratory accessory muscles indicative of WCS. We surgically instrumented goats (n=7) with electromyographic (EMG) wires in inspiratory (diaphragm; DIA) and expiratory (Transversus Abdominus; TA) pump muscles, as well as airway dilator (Thyropharyngeus; Thy) and constrictor (Genioglossus; GG) muscles. After &gt;2 weeks of surgical recovery, responses to saline or various doses of fentanyl citrate (25-125 mcg/kg; IV) were tested for 30 min before and up to 90 min after injection. As described in an adjacent poster, particularly over the first several minutes after fentanyl injection, CA and OA were observed in some goats. However, disruption of airflow was primarily associated with increased simultaneous activation of pump and airway inspiratory and expiratory muscles resembling WCS. For most muscles, the rate of rise in muscle activity (an index of firing intensity) increased within 2 minutes following fentanyl injection and remained significantly (P&lt;0.05) elevated up to 90 minutes. During WCS periods, airflow was oscillatory or interrupted suggesting transient closure of the airway. In addition, there were time- and dose-dependent effects on frequency, duration, and total activity of the pump and airway muscles. By 60 minutes post-injection, there were periods of transient return of muscle activity and airflow to at or below baseline values. There was no significant effect of saline on muscle activity. Overall, these data suggest that following fentanyl injection in awake goats, there was an increase in firing of pump and airway muscles which ultimately disrupts the coordinated reciprocal activity of inspiratory and expiratory muscles and contributes to OIRD. Supported by NIH DA050571 This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Efecto del color de capa y piel en la longevidad e índices etnológicos y funcionales del ganado caprino local

The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of variation in number and diversity of colors, coat pattern, and skin color and its effect on longevity and etnological indices in local goats from Northern Mexico. Two hundred fifty-one adult goats were chosen. The aforementioned variables were recorded in addition to age, live weight (LW), body condition (BC), and fifteen zoometric traits. Seventeen indices were calculated. The group with two colors was different (P&lt;0.05) in age and BC. Skin color was different in LW and BC (P&lt;0.05). BC was higher in white coat mottled animals (P&lt;0.05). The one-color group presented the highest Facial Index. Flat-coated Animals had higher Index of horns. Cephalic, pelvic, facial, compactness, relative chest depth, substernal slenderness, and relative shortness indices were different in coat color. It is concluded that this population was phaneroptically heterogeneous and the number, diversity of colors, coat pattern, and skin color influence the longevity and ethnological and functional indices.

Physiological Responses to Trauma-Haemorrhage (T/H) in Relation to Gender (Sex) in Adult Nubian Goats (Capra hircus)

Physiological Responses to Trauma-Haemorrhage (T/H) in Relation to Gender (Sex) in Adult Nubian Goats (Capra hircus)

A large-scale study on the seroprevalence of small ruminant lentiviral infection in the Polish goat population

A large-scale study was carried out in a Polish goat population in 2014-2022 to determine the herd-level (between-herd) and within-herd seroprevalence of small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) infection. A total of 8354 adult goats (aged >1 year) from 165 herds located in various regions of Poland were serologically tested using a commercial ELISA. One hundred twenty eight herds were randomly selected while 37 were enrolled based on convenience non-random sampling. At least 1 seropositive result was obtained in 103 / 165 herds. For all these herds the probability that they were truly positive (herd-level positive predictive value) was calculated. It was ≥90% in 91 seropositive herds and 73% to <90% in 12 herds in which only 1-4 goats were seropositive (22 goats in total). The seropositive goats in the latter herds were retested using a different commercial ELISA and 14 goats (9 males and 5 females) from 9 herds were confirmed to be seropositive (serial testing). The true herd-level seroprevalence was estimated at 61% (95% confidence interval [CI 95%]: 53%-68%). It differed significantly between herd size classes (p=0.003): the highest prevalences were found in the medium (51 - 100 adult goats) and large herds (>100 adult goats) - 72% (CI 95%: 56-84%) and 86% (CI 95%: 67%-95%), respectively, while prevalences in very small (≤20 adult goats) and small herds (21 - 50 adult goats) were 46% (CI 95%: 34%-59%) and 57% (CI 95%: 43%-70%), respectively. The true herd-level seroprevalence differed significantly also between geographical regions of Poland (p=0.003), with the highest values in the north-western and the lowest in the southern region of the country. The true within-herd seroprevalence estimated using a Bayesian approach ranged from 0.7% to 100% with the median (IQR) of 42% (17%-84%), and did not vary significantly between herd size classes (p=0.393) or geographical regions of Poland (p=0.570). Concluding, SRLV infection is widespread in the Polish goat population, the north-western region of Poland is most extensively infected, and herds counting >50 adult goats are more often infected.

Hematological Parameters in Hair Goats During and out of Breeding Season Hair Goats Seasonal Hematological Parameters

Background: The hair goat of Anatolia is a breed that has adapted to rugged and mountainous areas and is known to be very resistant to diseases. As the world faces the problem of climate change, we believe that knowing the hematological characteristics of hair goats will provide great benefits for goat breeding. Objectives: This study was performed to determine possible differences in the blood parameters of adult (male and female) hair goats during and out of the breeding season. Methods: For this purpose, blood samples were taken from clinically healthy adult male and female hair goats (n=36, 3-4 years old) in the spring and autumn seasons. Regarding the whole blood, white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), mean red blood cell volume (MCV), mean red blood cell hemoglobin (MCH), average red blood cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) values were determined. Results: In the study, MCV values in males were not significantly (P≥0.05) different between spring and autumn, while all other parameters showed significant differences (P≤0.05). In females, WBC, RBC, Hb, Hct, and RDW blood values were higher in the autumn (estrus period) than in the spring (anestrus period), and the differences were found to be significant (P≤0.05). Comparing males and females between the estrus and anestrus seasons, WBC and MCHC were found to be significantly different (P≤0.05) between males and females in May. In contrast, the difference between other parameters was not significant. In October (estrus season), the MCV value was not significantly different between males and females; however, all other parameters were significantly different (P≤0.05). Conclusion: As a result, there were significant differences in hematological parameters of hair goats based on gender and the breeding season.

Clinical haematobiochemical parameters during experimental lead poisoning in goats: effects of methanol extract of Tiger nuts

The effects of methanol extract of tiger nut on haematobiochemical parameters during experimental lead poisoning in Red Sokoto goats were investigated. The seeds of tiger nuts were extracted with 90% methanol. Phytochemical analyses were carried out using standard procedures. A total of twenty-four adult Red Sokoto goats of both sexes were separated randomly into four groups for acute and chronic studies. Three goats in both acute and chronic studies were housed per group. In the acute and chronic studies DW groups was administered an equivalent amount of distilled water (400 and 200 ml/kg). Group II was only administered lead acetate (400 and 200 mg/kg). Group III was administered with methanol extract of tiger nuts (400 and 200 mg/kg) combined with lead acetate (400 and 200 mg/kg) respectively. Group IV was administered with tiger nuts (400 and 200 mg/kg) only for a period of 2 and then 20 weeks for acute and chronic phases respectively. Haematobiochemical parameters were determined. The lead acetate and lead acetate combined with methanol extract of tiger nut in acute and chronic groups showed microcytic normocytic and microcytic hypochromic anaemia respectively with the latter suggestive that with chronicity, an enzymatic inhibition of haemoglobin synthesis led to iron deficiency. Alterations in serum biochemical enzymes and other parameters indicative of hepato-renal injury were observed and ameliorated by methanol extract from tiger nuts

Transcriptome-Wide Study Revealed That N6-Methyladenosine Participates in Regulation Meat Production in Goats.

In mammals, skeletal muscle development is a complex biological process regulated by many factors. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification plays an important role in many biological processes. However, the regulation of m6A on skeletal muscle growth and development in adult goats remains unclear. In this study, Duan goats (DA) and Nubia goats (NBY), both female and 12 months old, were selected as the research objects, and m6A-Seq and RNA-Seq were mainly used to detect the difference of m6A modification and gene expression during the development of the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle in the two breeds. The results showed that compared with DA, the meat production performance of NBY was better than that of DA, and the modification level of m6A was higher than that of DA in LD. The m6A-Seq of LD indicated m6A peaks were mainly enriched in the coding sequence (CDS) and stop codon. A total of 161 differentially methylated genes (DMGs) and 1294 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in two breeds. GO and KEGG analysis showed that DMGs were closely related to cellular metabolism, and most of DMGs were enriched in pathways related to energy metabolism, muscle growth and development, mainly MAPK signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway and CGMP-PKG signaling pathway. The DEGs were significantly enriched in actin binding, calcium ion binding, angiogenesis, and other biological processes, and most of them were enriched in PI3K-Akt and CGMP-PKG signaling pathways. Combined analysis of m6A-Seq and RNA-Seq data revealed a negative correlation between differentially methylated m6A levels and mRNA abundance, and mRNA expression of the gene with m6A peak near 3'UTR will decrease. In addition, 11 DMGs regulating cell differentiation, muscle growth and development were identified. This study displayed the m6A profiles and distribution patterns in the goat transcriptome, determined the potential role of m6A modification in muscle growth and provided a new reference for the further study of goat skeletal muscle development.

Goat MyoD1: mRNA expression, InDel and CNV detection and their associations with growth traits

The Myogenic differentiation 1 (MyoD1) gene is a crucial regulator of muscle formation and differentiation. However, there are few studies on the mRNA expression pattern of the goat MyoD1 gene and its effect on goat growth and development. To address this, we investigated the mRNA expression of the MyoD1 gene in several tissues of fetal and adult goats, containing heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney and skeletal muscle. The results focused on the expression of the MyoD1 gene in skeletal muscle of fetal goats was much higher than adult goats, suggesting its important role in skeletal muscle formation and development. Following, a total of 619 Shaanbei White Cashmere goats (SBWCs) were used to monitor the InDel (Insertion/Deletion) and CNV (Copy Number Variation) variations of the MyoD1 gene. Three InDel loci were identified, and there was no significant correlation with goat growth traits. Furthermore, a CNV locus containing the MyoD1 gene exon with three types (Loss type, Normal type, Gain type) were identified. The association analysis results showed that the CNV locus was significantly associated with body weight, height at hip cross, heart girth and hip width in SBWCs (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the Gain type of CNV exhibited the best growth traits and good consistency among three types in goats, suggesting its potential as a DNA marker for marker-assisted breeding of goats. Overall, our study provided a scientific basis for breeding goats with better growth and development traits.

Geometric Morphometric Analysis of Skull in Honamli, Hair, Kilis and Saanen Goat Using Dorsal Landmarks

The aim of the study was to analyze the dorsal aspect of the skulls of Honamli, Hair, Kilis and Saanen goats by geometric morphometric method. A total of 48 adult goat skulls, 6 male and 6 female, were used for each breed. After the skulls were photographed dorsally, 10 homologous landmarks were marked. As a result of our study, the degree of dorsal separation of the skulls according to sex was found to be limited. Nevertheless, significant separation was seen in the Honamli skulls of females and in the Honamli and Saanen skulls of males. This information may serve as a reference for the skull remains of ruminants.

Individual Genomic Loci and mRNA Levels of Immune Biomarkers Associated with Pneumonia Susceptibility in Baladi Goats

The effectiveness of breeding for inherent disease resistance in animals could be considerably increased by identifying the genes and mutations that cause diversity in disease resistance. One hundred and twenty adult female Baladi goats (sixty pneumonic and sixty apparently healthy) were used in this study. DNA and RNA were extracted from blood samples collected from the jugular vein of each goat. SLC11A1, CD-14, CCL2, TLR1, TLR7, TLR8, TLR9, β defensin, SP110, SPP1, BP1, A2M, ADORA3, CARD15, IRF3, and SCART1 SNPs that have been previously found to be associated with pneumonia resistance/susceptibility were identified via PCR-DNA sequencing. The pneumonic and healthy goats differed significantly, according to a Chi-square analysis of the discovered SNPs. The mRNA levels of the studied immune markers were noticeably greater in the pneumonic goats than in the healthy ones. The findings could support the significance of the use of immune gene expression profiles and nucleotide variations as biomarkers for the susceptibility/resistance to pneumonia and provide a practical management technique for Baladi goats. These results also suggest a potential strategy for lowering pneumonia in goats by employing genetic markers linked to an animal's ability to fend off infection in selective breeding.

Lactate transport and metabolism in rumen epithelial cells in SARA condition

Lactate, a main product of rumen microbial fermentation from dietary starch, has been recognised as an important mediator of rumen microbiota regulation in rumen acidosis. However, the mechanism of lactate transport and metabolism in the rumen remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the significance of the absorption, transport, and metabolism of lactic acid in the pH and LPS-induced subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) model of rumen epithelial cells (RECs). In the current study, RECs were obtained from two adult Saanen goats (44.5 ± 4.6 kg BW) and using Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and low pH to co-stimulate RECs to construct a microenvironment under SARA conditions, to further analyse the lactate transport and metabolism by RECs. The results showed that the LPS and low pH could significantly reduce cell viability by 29.36% (p < 0.05), induce inflammation in RECs, destroy tight junctions between RECs, and increase cell permeability. In addition, stimulation leads to changes in cellular metabolic activity and inhibits the expression of lactate transporters (p < 0.05), promoting an increased risk of lactate accumulation in the intracellular and intestinal lumen. This study hopefully provides a better understanding of lactate metabolic regulation and new perspectives for the nutritional prevention and treatment of SARA. HIGHLIGHTS Lactic acid is an important fermentation product in the rumen of ruminants, and its transport and metabolic regulation mechanisms are still unclear. To understand transport uptake in the rumen epithelium, a SARA model was therefore used. Low pH and high LPS trigger epithelial inflammation, increasing the risk of lactic acid entering the bloodstream.

Effects of inoculation with active microorganisms derived from adult goats on growth performance, gut microbiota and serum metabolome in newborn lambs.

This study evaluated the effects of inoculation with adult goat ruminal fluid on growth, health, gut microbiota and serum metabolism in lambs during the first 15 days of life. Twenty four Youzhou dark newborn lambs were selected and randomly distributed across 3 treatments (n = 8/group): autoclaved goat milk inoculated with 20 mL sterilized normal saline (CON), autoclaved goat milk inoculated with 20 mL fresh ruminal fluid (RF) and autoclaved goat milk inoculated with 20 mL autoclaved ruminal fluid (ARF). Results showed that RF inoculation was more effective at promoting recovery of body weight. Compared with CON, greater serum concentrations of ALP, CHOL, HDL and LAC in the RF group suggested a better health status in lambs. The relative abundance of Akkermansia and Escherichia-Shigella in gut was lower in the RF group, whereas the relative abundance of Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group tended to increase. Metabolomics analysis shown that RF stimulated the metabolism of bile acids, small peptides, fatty acids and Trimethylamine-N-Oxide, which were found the correlation relationship with gut microorganisms. Overall, our study demonstrated that ruminal fluid inoculation with active microorganisms had a beneficial impact on growth, health and overall metabolism partly through modulating the gut microbial community.

Melatonin Promotes the Development of Secondary Hair Follicles in Adult Cashmere Goats by Activating the Keap1-Nrf2 Signaling Pathway and Inhibiting the Inflammatory Transcription Factors NFκB and AP-1.

Exogenous melatonin (MT) has been used to promote the growth of secondary hair follicles and improve cashmere fiber quality, but the specific cellular-level mechanisms involved are unclear. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of MT on the development of secondary hair follicles and on cashmere fiber quality in cashmere goats. The results showed that MT improved secondary follicle numbers and function as well as enhanced cashmere fiber quality and yield. The MT-treated goat groups had high secondary-to-primary ratios (S:P) for hair follicles, greater in the elderly group (p < 0.05). Antioxidant capacities of secondary hair follicles improved fiber quality and yield in comparison with control groups (p < 0.05/0.01). Levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS, RNS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were lowered (p < 0.05/0.01) by MT. There was significant upregulation of antioxidant genes (for SOD-3; GPX-1; NFE2L2) and the protein of nuclear factor (Nrf2), and downregulation of the Keap1 protein. There were significant differences in the expression of genes for secretory senescence-associated phenotype (SASP) cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, MMP-9, MMP-27, CCL-21, CXCL-12, CXCL-14, TIMP-1,2,3) plus their protein of key transcription factors, nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1), in comparison with the controls. We concluded that MT could enhance antioxidant capacity and reduce ROS and RNS levels of secondary hair follicles through the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway in adult cashmere goats. Furthermore, MT reduced the expression of the SASP cytokines genes by inhibiting the protein of NFκB and AP-1 in the secondary hair follicles in older cashmere goats, thus delaying skin aging, improving follicle survival, and increasing the number of secondary hair follicles. Collectively, these effects of exogenous MT enhanced the quality and yield of cashmere fibers, especially at 5-7 years old.

Dairy production in the indigenous Arbia goat breed and growth performance of their kids in Algeria

Knowledge of dairy potential is essential to create products that fully express their genetic potential. This study was carried out on 94 Arbia adult goats and 65 kids (n=195) (February – May 2022) in the wilayas of Souk-Ahras and Tebessa with the aim of estimating the dairy potential of the breed, and the daily gains (ADG) between birth and 90 days of age. The data revealed that daily milk production (n=94) was 0.89±0.85 litres per day. Milk quality was characterised by an average composition of 3.2% fat, 13.46% total protein, 17.28 % total dry extract, 0.78% salt, pH 7.08±0.01, acidity 17.7°D, density 1032 and protein/fat ratio 4.29. Regarding growth performance, the average birth weight was W0 = 1.80±0.61 kg, while the average at 90 days was W90 = 10.05±2.02 kg, which corresponds to an overall daily weight gain of ADG0-90 = 91.66 g/day. The study showed that birth weight was not affected by sex (P&amp;gt;0.05), though males grew faster after weaning (P&amp;lt;0.05), and the performance aspect carried out by some physicochemical characteristics of milk was affected by area (P&amp;lt;0.05). The study results indicated that the local breed goat had good production dairy performance and goat kids demonstrated acceptable potential for meat production under the semi-arid Algerian environmental conditions. Therefore, it would be suitable to check for the presence of lactogenic plants on the pastures of these breeders to enhance production.

Farmers' Views and Tools Compared with Laboratory Evaluations of Parasites of Meat Goats in French West Indies.

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) are a major health problem in tropical goat husbandry. The control of GIN has been nearly exclusively reliant on the use of anthelmintic treatments. Their wide use has provoked the appearance and diffusion of anthelmintic resistance. Therefore, there is a need to use anthelmintics only when they are really needed. This strategy of targeted selective treatment (TST) has been recommended. The selection of animals to be treated has been based either on the objective measures of GIN intensity (fecal nematode egg counts) performed in the laboratory or on indirect assessment such as anemia (FAMACHA©), diarrhea score or weight gains, particularly in sheep. The roughness of hair has also been proposed in goats. These indicators can be handled by the farmer. Their opinion on the importance of GINs, and the indicators that they are ready to accept and use have very rarely been studied. Goat for meat production is important in the French West Indies (especially in Guadeloupe) and GIN infection may significantly alter this production. Eighteen farmers participated in semi-directive interviews in order to appreciate their relation to goat GIN infection and the solutions they considered. Seventeen farms were investigated for fecal nematode egg counts, FAMACHA©, body score, and roughness of hair. The average infection by GINs was high (average fecal egg count 1562 and standard deviation 2028) with a wide range from one farm to another (from 0 to 25,000 eggs of GIN per gram of feces). The Haemonchus genera was predominant (54%), followed by Trichostrongylus (37%) and Oesophagostomum (9%). Young goats were less infected than adult goats since they were not yet grazing; males were more infected than females; and the Creole breed was more infected than the other breeds. Among the farming types, the professional ones were less infected compared with the traditional or mixed agriculture and husbandry farms. Those using targeted selective treatment did not have a significantly higher GIN infection than those treating the whole herd. Most of the characteristics were related and multivariate analysis could not match the intensity of GIN infection with any parameter. The frequency of anthelmintic treatments was negatively related to the use of body score, FAMACHA©, and hair roughness. The use of semi-directive interviews provided a wider understanding of the strategies and problems of farmers. The farmers valued their animals very much and diseases, in general, were a preoccupation, whereas parasites were not a major issue for traditional farmers. This is due to the important use of indicators and the belief in their value that gives comfort to the farmers that the parasites are being controlled. The extension services have well diffused the practice of indicators to the goat farmers of Guadeloupe, with some depending less on anthelmintics to control the gastrointestinal nematodes by using targeted selective treatments.

Comparative and Functional Analysis of miRNAs and mRNAs Involved in Muscle Fiber Hypertrophy of Juvenile and Adult Goats.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate several pathway intermediates and affect the skeletal muscle development in mice, pigs, sheep, and cattle. However, to date, only a small number of miRNAs have been reported in the muscle development of goats. In this report, the longissimus dorsi transcripts of one- and ten-month-old goats were analyzed by sequencing RNAs and miRNAs. The results showed that the ten-month-old Longlin goats had 327 up- and 419 down-regulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) compared with the one-month-old. In addition, 20 co-up-regulated and 55 co-down-regulated miRNAs involved in the muscle fiber hypertrophy of goats were identified in ten-month-old Longlin and Nubian goats compared with one-month-old. Five miRNA-mRNA pairs (chi-let-7b-3p-MIRLET7A, chi-miR193b-3p-MMP14, chi-miR-355-5p-DGAT2, novel_128-LOC102178119, novel_140-SOD3) involved in the goat skeletal muscle development were identified by miRNA-mRNA negative correlation network analysis. Our results provided new insight into the functional roles of goat muscle-associated miRNAs, allowing a deeper understanding of the transformation of miRNA roles during mammalian muscle development.