Sheep Body Research Articles

Assessment of the hormonal and antioxidant status of the sheep of different age groups

The purpose of the research was to study some indicators of antioxidant and hormonal status in the body of ewes and young sheep of the Romanov breed, as well as to identify correlations between the studied indicators. The experiment was carried out in the physiological yard of the L.K. Ernst Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry in spring of 2022 with stall housing, on 2 groups of ewes (30 days, n = 15 and 90 days after lambing, n = 14) and 3 groups of young Romanov breed (aged 1, n = 15, 3, n = 14 and 4 months, n = 13). Indicators of antioxidant and hormonal status were determined in the blood. Mathematical and statistical processing of the results was carried out using methods of descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, and correlation analysis. The high level of total antioxidant status in the blood of ewes 3 months after lambing (2.38 mmol/l) indicates successful adaptation to oxidative stress and LPO accumulation through the use of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. In the blood of lambs upon weaning, the maximum accumulation of TBA-AP is observed compared to animals at one month of age (3.49 versus 3.21 μM/l at p≤0.05), which is compensated by the body by increasing the level of ceruloplasmin and catalase number. At an older age, the body shows adequate adaptation to post-weaning stress, which is manifested in a decrease in the level of TBA-AP by 24.93 % (p≤0.05), an increase in the concentration of ceruloplasmin, a decrease in peroxidase activity (by 28.47 % at p≤0.001 and 8.13 %, compared with the age of 1 and 3 months, respectively), increasing the TBA-AP/CP ratio. The acquired knowledge about age-related and physiological changes in LPO, AOD and hormonal status will be useful in assessing the health status and will help to provide timely preventive measures that increase the adaptive capabilities of the sheep’s body and the fullest realization of the genetic potential of productivity.

A Study on the 3D Reconstruction Strategy of a Sheep Body Based on a Kinect v2 Depth Camera Array.

Non-contact measurement based on the 3D reconstruction of sheep bodies can alleviate the stress response in sheep during manual measurement of body dimensions. However, data collection is easily affected by environmental factors and noise, which is not conducive to practical production needs. To address this issue, this study proposes a non-contact data acquisition system and a 3D point cloud reconstruction method for sheep bodies. The collected sheep body data can provide reference data for sheep breeding and fattening. The acquisition system consists of a Kinect v2 depth camera group, a sheep passage, and a restraining pen, synchronously collecting data from three perspectives. The 3D point cloud reconstruction method for sheep bodies is implemented based on C++ language and the Point Cloud Library (PCL). It processes noise through pass-through filtering, statistical filtering, and random sample consensus (RANSAC). A conditional voxel filtering box is proposed to downsample and simplify the point cloud data. Combined with the RANSAC and Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithms, coarse and fine registration are performed to improve registration accuracy and robustness, achieving 3D reconstruction of sheep bodies. In the base, 135 sets of point cloud data were collected from 20 sheep. After 3D reconstruction, the reconstruction error of body length compared to the actual values was 0.79%, indicating that this method can provide reliable reference data for 3D point cloud reconstruction research of sheep bodies.

On the fauna of parasites of the gastrointestinal tract of small ruminants in the mountainous zone of Armenia

The aim of the research is to study the parasitic invasion of small ruminants in the mountainous zone of Armenia during summer and autumn, in this case to determine the invasiveness of parasites of the digestive tract of sheep.The material was feces collected from sheep on pastures in the coastal zone of the Getik River during 2022. The work was carried out at the Scientific Centre of Zoology and Hydroecology, National Academy of Sciences, Republic of Armenia. The material researched also included mollusks and oribatid mites – intermediate hosts of biohelminths.As a result of the study of parasitic invasion of small ruminants in the mountain zone of Armenia, the taxonomic composition of parasites was determined. Helminths found in sheep belong to the classes Trematoda, Nematoda, and Cestoda, protozoa – to the class Protozoa.In the autumn season, representatives of seven genera of parasites of the gastrointestinal tract were found – Moniezia, Dicrocoelium, Fasciola, Nematodirus, Strongylus, Trichuris, Eimeria, while in the summer season, only representatives of five genera were found – Moniezia, Dicrocoelium, Nematodirus, Strongylus, Eimeria.As a result of these studies, it can be concluded that natural and climatic factors of the environment have a significant impact on the structure of the helminth complex of sheep in the mountain region of Armenia.All parasites found can have a detrimental effect on the sheep's body. However, the severity of the invasion in the samples taken is not at the level that could lead to serious diseases in sheep. This suggests that the treatment methods used on farms are at a fairly high level.

Machine Vision Analysis of Ujumqin Sheep's Walking Posture and Body Size.

The ability to recognize the body sizes of sheep is significantly influenced by posture, especially without artificial fixation, leading to more noticeable changes. This study presents a recognition model using the Mask R-CNN convolutional neural network to identify the sides and backs of sheep. The proposed approach includes an algorithm for extracting key frames through mask calculation and specific algorithms for head-down, head-up, and jumping postures of Ujumqin sheep. The study reported an accuracy of 94.70% in posture classification. We measured the body size parameters of Ujumqin sheep of different sexes and in different walking states, including observations of head-down and head-up. The errors for the head-down position of rams, in terms of body slanting length, withers height, hip height, and chest depth, were recorded as 0.08 ± 0.06, 0.09 ± 0.07, 0.07 ± 0.05, and 0.12 ± 0.09, respectively. For rams in the head-up position, the corresponding errors were 0.06 ± 0.05, 0.06 ± 0.05, 0.07 ± 0.05, and 0.13 ± 0.07, respectively. The errors for the head-down position of ewes, in terms of body slanting length, withers height, hip height, and chest depth, were recorded as 0.06 ± 0.05, 0.09 ± 0.08, 0.07 ± 0.06, and 0.13 ± 0.10, respectively. For ewes in the head-up position, the corresponding errors were 0.06 ± 0.05, 0.08 ± 0.06, 0.06 ± 0.04, and 0.16 ± 0.12, respectively. The study observed that sheep walking through a passage exhibited a more curved knee posture compared to normal measurements, often with a lowered head. This research presents a cost-effective data collection scheme for studying multiple postures in animal husbandry.

Effect of Guanidinoacetic Acid on Production Performance, Serum Biochemistry, Meat Quality and Rumen Fermentation in Hu Sheep.

Guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) can effectively improve the metabolism of energy and proteins by stimulating creatine biosynthesis. We present a study exploring the impact of GAA on production performance, serum biochemistry, meat quality and rumen fermentation in Hu sheep. A total of 144 weaned male Hu sheep (body weight 16.91 ± 3.1 kg) were randomly assigned to four groups with three replicates of twelve sheep in each group. The diets were supplemented with 0 (CON), 500 (GAA-1), 750 (GAA-2) and 1000 mg/kg (GAA-3) of GAA (weight of feed), respectively. After a comprehensive 90-day experimental period, we discovered that the supplementation of GAA had a remarkable impact on various muscle parameters. Specifically, it significantly enhanced the average daily growth (ADG) of the animals and improved the shear force and fiber diameter of the muscle, while also reducing the drip loss and muscle fiber density. Furthermore, the addition of GAA to the feed notably elevated the serum concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), total protein (TP) and globulin (GLB), as well as the enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Concurrently, there was a decrease in the levels of triglycerides (TG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum. In addition, GAA decreased the pH and the acetate-to-propionate ratio and increased the total volatile fatty acids (TVFA) and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) levels of rumen fluid. Additionally, GAA upregulated acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) gene expression in the Hu sheep's muscles. In conclusion, our findings suggest that GAA supplementation not only enhances muscle quality but also positively affects serum biochemistry and ruminal metabolism, making it a potential candidate for improving the overall health and performance of Hu sheep.

Digestive processes in the body of sheep when a dry form of Asp.oryzae cultural liquid is included in the diet

Digestive processes in the body of sheep when a dry form of Asp.oryzae cultural liquid is included in the diet

Use of data mining algorithms to predict body weight of Dorper sheep Breed in two selected villages of Lepelle-Nkumpi local municipality in Limpopo province, South Africa

Sheep farmers in village areas find it difficult to estimate body weight without the weighing tools. The best fitted model for estimation of sheep body weight is not conclusive. Classification and regression tree (CART), Chi-square automatic interaction detection (CHAID), Exhaustive chi-square automatic interaction detection (Ex-CHAID) and Multivariate adaptive regression spline (MARS) were used to predict body weight (BW) of 306 Dorper sheep (female = 244 and male = 62) aged 1 to 2 years from linear body measurement traits such as rump height (RH), rump length (RL), heart girth (HG), withers height (WH), and body length (BL). Goodness of fit criteria's such as Pearson's correlation coefficients (r), coefficient of determination (R2), Akaike's information criterion AIC and adjusted R2 (Adj.R2) were computed for data mining algorithms performance assessment. The results indicated that MARS was the best data mining algorithm with r of 0.979, R2 of 0.958, Adj.R2 of 0.957, RMSE of 2.503 and AIC of 422.25. The MARS model provided the most appropriate predictive capability in the prediction of body weight for Dorper sheep with HG, WH, RH, BL, and sex (male) as the important traits. As a result, MARS data mining algorithm might be used to identify factors that might be vital to improve body weight of Dorper sheep for breeding programs.

Estimation of the genetic parameters of sheep growth traits based on machine vision acquisition

In the realm of animal phenotyping, manual measurements are frequently utilised. While machine-generated data show potential for enhancing high-throughput breeding, additional research and validation are imperative before incorporating them into genetic evaluation processes. This research presents a method for managing meat sheep and collecting data, utilising the Sheep Data Recorder system for data input and the Sheep Body Size Collector system for image capture. The study aimed to investigate the genetic parameter changes of growth traits in Ujumqin sheep by comparing machine-generated measurements with manual measurements. The dataset consisted of 552 data points from the offspring of 75 breeding rams and 399 breeding ewes. Six distinct random regression models were assessed to pinpoint the most suitable model for estimating genetic parameters linked to growth traits. These models were distinguished based on the inclusion or exclusion of maternal genetic effects, maternal permanent environmental effects, and covariance between maternal and direct genetic effects. Fixed factors such as individual age, individual sex, and ewe age were taken into account in the analysis. The genetic parameters for the yearling growth traits of Ujumqin sheep were calculated using ASReml software. The Akaike information criterion, the Bayesian information criterion, and fivefold cross-validation were employed to identify the optimal model. Research findings indicate that the most accurate models for manually measured data revealed heritability estimates of 0.12 ± 0.15 for BW, 0.05 ± 0.07 for body slanting length, 0.03 ± 0.07 for withers height, 0.15 ± 0.12 for hip height, 0.11 ± 0.11 for chest depth, 0.13 ± 0.13 for shoulder width, and 0.53 ± 0.15 for chest circumference. The optimal models for machine-predicted data showed heritability estimates of 0.1 ± 0.09 for body slanting length, 0.14 ± 0.12 for withers height, 0.55 ± 0.15 for hip height, 0.34 ± 0.15 for chest depth, 0.26 ± 0.15 for shoulder width, and 0.47 ± 0.16 for chest circumference. In manually measured data, genetic correlations ranged from 0.35 to 0.99, while phenotypic correlations ranged from 0.07 to 0.90. In machine data, genetic correlations ranged from −0.05 to 0.99, while phenotypic correlations ranged from 0.03 to 0.84. The results suggest that machine-based estimations may lead to an overestimation of heritability, but this discrepancy does not impact the selection of breeding models.

Effects of nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms of the KIAA1217, SNTA1 and LTBP1 genes on the growth traits of Ujumqin sheep.

Sheep body size can directly reflect the growth rates and fattening rates of sheep and is also an important index for measuring the growth performance of meat sheep. In this study, high-resolution resequencing data from four sheep breeds (Dorper sheep, Suffolk sheep, Ouessant sheep, and Shetland sheep) were analyzed. The nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms of three candidate genes (KIAA1217, SNTA1, and LTBP1) were also genotyped in 642 healthy Ujumqin sheep using MALDI-TOFMS and the genotyping results were associated with growth traits. The results showed that different genotypes of the KIAA1217 g.24429511T>C locus had significant effects on the chest circumferences of Ujumqin sheep. The SNTA1 g.62222626C>A locus had different effects on the chest depths, shoulder widths and rump widths of Ujumqin sheep. This study showed that these two sites can be used for marker-assisted selection, which will be beneficial for future precision molecular breeding.

Neural Network-Based Body Weight Prediction in Pelibuey Sheep through Biometric Measurements

This paper presents an intelligent system for the dynamic estimation of sheep body weight (BW). The methodology used to estimate body weight is based on measuring seven biometric parameters: height at withers, rump height, body length, body diagonal length, total body length, semicircumference of the abdomen, and semicircumference of the girth. A biometric parameter acquisition system was developed using a Kinect as a sensor. The results were contrasted with measurements obtained manually with a flexometer. The comparison gives an average root mean square error (RMSE) of 9.91 and a mean R2 of 0.81. Subsequently, the parameters were used as input in a back-propagation artificial neural network. Performance tests were performed with different combinations to make the best choice of architecture. In this way, an intelligent body weight estimation system was obtained from biometric parameters, with a 5.8% RMSE in the weight estimations for the best architecture. This approach represents an innovative, feasible, and economical alternative to contribute to decision-making in livestock production systems.

Are two beneficial mutations (p.Q249R and 90-bp Indel) within the ovine BMPRIB gene associated with growth traits?

The problem of achieving economic efficiency in sheep breeding can be largely solved by increasing sheep productivity. Recently, the BMPRIB gene has been revealed by GWAS as a potential candidate gene for sheep body morphometric traits. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate whether genetic polymorphisms (p.Q249R SNP and 90-bp deletion) in the BMPRIB gene are associated with sheep growth traits. PCR-based genotyping was performed on 1,875 sheep, including 1,191 Guiqian semi-fine wool (GQSFW), 560 Luxi Blackhead (LXBH), 55 Lanzhou fat-tailed (LZFT), and 69 Weining (WN) sheep. Genotype-phenotype association was assessed using the independent samples t-test and ANOVA. The significance level was set at αoriginal < 0.05. The threshold p-value for significance was adjusted after correction for multiple comparisons using the Bonferroni correction. After the Bonferroni correction, it was found that individuals with FecB+/FecB+ genotypes of the p.Q249R had significantly better growth traits in LXBH ewe lambs, including the body length, chest width, paunch girth, cannon circumference, and hip width (P<0.0005). Meanwhile, associations were observed between 90-bp deletion polymorphism and several growth traits (body length, body height, chest depth, and canon circumference) in GQSFW ewe adults after the Bonferroni correction (P < 0.0002), and individuals with the "DD" genotypes had greater growth traits. Our findings align with the experimental observations from GWAS, which identified the BMPRIB gene as a potential candidate gene for body measurement traits. These findings not only confirm the previous study's results but also expand on them. Therefore, further investigations regarding the impact of BMPRIB polymorphisms on growth traits are necessary in other sheep breeds.

Fitting of Growth Curves and Estimation of Genetic Relationship between Growth Parameters of Qianhua Mutton Merino.

Qianhua Mutton Merino is a dual-purpose (meat and wool) breed of sheep that has been newly developed in China. In this study, we assessed the growth and development of the Qianhua Mutton Merino sheep breed under house feeding conditions by measuring the body weight and chest circumference of 2300 rams and ewes of this breed aged 0-24 months. Based on the fitting results of three nonlinear growth models, namely Logistic, Gompertz, and von Bertalanffy, in Qianhua Mutton Merino, we selected the von Bertalanffy model because of its highest fitting degree among all models (R2 > 0.977). The significant analysis of the combined fixation of each sheep body's weight and bust took place (A: mature body weight, B: adjustment parameter, K: instant relative growth rate). The results revealed that parameters A, B, and K of body weight and chest circumference have high heritability and thus could be used as target traits for genetic improvement. Moreover, the correlation strength among A, B, and K suggested that these parameters can be used as a reference to adjust the genetic parameters in the growth model to genetically improve the body size of Qianhua Mutton Merino during breeding.

Oxidative Stress Status in Heat Shock Sheep Controlled Shearing and Ascorbyl Palmitate Administration

Indonesia has very hot temperatures and high humidity, making it unfavorable for sheep whose covered with thick fur. Shearing enlarges and accelerates heat dissipation from the sheep's body, giving antioxidants that help reduce the negative effects of excessive free radical production. Ascorbic acid is an antioxidant but is easily decomposed when it enters the digestive system of ruminants. Ascorbyl palmitate (AP) is ascorbic acid in the form of an ester which is insoluble in water. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of shearing and administration of AP antioxidants on oxidative stress conditions in Padjadjaran sheep subjected to heat shock. The shaving treatment consisted of not shaving (s0) and shearing (s1),and the treatment of giving the antioxidant ascorbyl palmitate consisted of not being given (a0) and being given (a1). Sheep were subjected to shearing, their hair was trimmed until ± 10 mm in length was left, and sheep as object of study were treated with ascorbyl palmitate at a dose of 400 mg head-1 day-1. The combination treatment was not shaved – not given the antioxidant ascorbyl palmitate (s0a0), only shaved (s1a0), only given the antioxidant ascorbyl palmitate (s0a1), and sheared – given the antioxidant ascorbyl palmitate (s1a1). Heat shock is given by exposing the sheep to the sun. The oxidative stress observed and analyzed was the profile of endogenous antioxidants consisting of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and malondialdehyde (MDA). The results showed that the combination of shearing and Ascorbyl Palmitate had a significant effect (p&lt;0.05) on the levels of SOD, CAT and GSH-Px in Padjadjaran sheep receiving heat stress. The conclusion from this study, the shearing treatment and the administration of Ascorbyl palmitate, both independently and in combination, had a beneficial effect on Padjadjaran sheep.

Combining multiomics to analyze the molecular mechanism of hair follicle cycle change in cashmere goats from Inner Mongolia.

Sheep body size can directly reflect the growth rates and fattening rates of sheep and is also an important index for measuring the growth performance of meat sheep.Inner Mongolia Cashmere Goat is a local excellent breed of cashmere and meat dual-purpose, which is a typical heterogeneous indumentum. The hair follicles cycle through periods of vigorous growth (anagen), a regression caused by apoptosis (catagen), and relative rest (telogen). At present, it is not clear which genes affect the cycle transformation of hair follicles and unclear how proteins impact the creation and expansion of hair follicles.we using multi-omics joint analysis methodologies to investigated the possible pathways of transformation and apoptosis in goat hair follicles. The results showed that 917,1,187, and 716 proteins were specifically expressed in anagen, catagen andtelogen. The result of gene ontology (GO) annotation showed that differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) are in different growth cycle periods, and enriched GO items are mostly related to the transformation of cells and proteins. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment result indicated that the apoptosis process has a great impact on hair follicle's growth cycle. The results of the protein interaction network of differential proteins showed that the ribosomal protein family (RPL4, RPL8, RPS16, RPS18, RPS2, RPS27A, RPS3) was the core protein in the network. The results of combined transcriptome and proteomics analysis showed that there were 16,34, and 26 overlapped DEGs and DEPs in the comparison of anagen VS catagen, catagen VS telogen and anagen VS telogen, of which API5 plays an important role in regulating protein and gene expression levels. We focused on API5 and Ribosomal protein and found that API5 affected the apoptosis process of hair follicles, and ribosomal protein was highly expressed in the resting stage of hair follicles. They are both useful as molecular marker candidate genes to study hair follicle growth and apoptosis,and they both have an essential function in the cycle transition process of hair follicles. The results of this study may provide a theoretical basis for further research on the growth and development of hair follicles in Inner Mongolian Cashmere goats.

Impact of non-genetic factors on Sonadi sheep body weight

Impact of non-genetic factors on Sonadi sheep body weight

Morphological Characterization of Gadik Sheep in North East Part of Afghanistan

The Gadik sheep, the local breed in Afghanistan, is reared mainly for meat. The sheep is a native breed in Badakhshan and Panjshir provinces of Afghanistan and has good adaptation to cold weather and mountainous regions. It also plays a vital role in the income of households, this study investigated the documentation and morphological traits of the sheep, a survey was conducted during the research that examined the sheep's habitat, body biometry, management procedures, and reproductive and productive performance. To examine the sheep's morphological characteristics, 40 sheep 20 ewes and 20 rams from one to four years old had their morphological features measured. Morphological characteristics that are included in measurements are: head and neck traits; back and tail traits; teats and testes; height, length, and depth traits; coat covert; and coloring. Gadik had a characteristically three-color coat: brown, white, and black. All data were collected from 40 flocks, with an average of 28.1±1.9 heads per flock. They lambed twins at about 45.0±3.33% and remain single, and they also followed a restricted breeding pattern, i.e., they got just one lambing per year in the spring but others lambed twice per year. The flocks graze for 10±0.2 h daily during the summer. Shearing was done twice a year, in spring and fall, with an average wool production of 0.4±0.02 kg/clip animal.&#x0D; Gadik is a small breed among other sheep breeds in Afghanistan and possesses a small, thin, short-tail sheep with an average weight of 25.35±0.0 kg (males: 26.6±0.40 kg; females: 24.1±0.40 kg) and a slightly convex nose. Males had horns, Females were hornless. Birth weight averaged 1.2±4.39 kg. The average body length was 50.85±0.03 cm. Sex and age were important contributors to differences in most traits; however, location differences also affected a few of the traits. Location differences existed for weight traits, and animals at Wiyar and Bashar were slightly bigger and heavier as compared to Shedoj, Dashar, and Sarchashma villages. Animals had medium-sized heads with a slightly bulging forehead, a tapering face, and shining eyes. Rams carried horns, 21.9±0.44 cm long, affected by sex and age. In mature males, horns run backward and grow outward somehow spirally. The adult population had fully developed, floppy (semi-pendulous), laterally protruded, and free of any pricks, small-sized ears with an average length of 7.00±0.13 cm and a blade width of 7.00±0.12 cm, and was affected by age and sex factors. Lambs in Wiyar and Bashar had higher respective body weights, while lambs in Shedoj, Dashar, and Sarchashma were inferior to those in the remaining villages.

Correlation analysis between polymorphism of leptin and IGFI genes and body measurements in Barki and Farafra sheep

BackgroundGrowth performance, which can be evaluated using various body measurements, is crucial for providing red meat for human consumption. This study aims to improve the growth performance of sheep by identifying the different genotypes of leptin and IGFI genes associated with higher body measurements.MethodsIn this study, we collected blood samples from Barki (n = 30) and Farafra (n = 30) sheep, and measured their body height, width, length, and weight, and tail width and length to assess their growth performance. We used single strand conformation polymorphism polymerase chain reaction (SSCP-PCR) and sequencing analysis to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and different genotypes of the leptin and insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGFI) genes associated with sheep body measurements.ResultsThe leptin gene (209 bp) and IGFR gene (345 bp) were found to have three (TT, TG, and GG) and (TT, TC, and CC) genotypes, respectively, by SSCP-PCR. Sequence analysis revealed a SNP in the leptin gene (200G > T) with two alleles (G allele: OR058867 and T allele: OR058868). This SNP resulted in the substitution of the amino acid valine with leucine, which increased the width, length, and weight of the body and tail width in the heterozygous form (TG). The IGFI gene had three SNPs: 305 G > T in TT genotype (OR260670), 184C > T, 265T > C, and 305G > T in TC genotype (OR260669), and 265T > C in CC genotype (OR260671). The TC genotype of the IGFR gene was correlated with higher values of body measurements. Barki sheep were found to have the highest values for body weight, width, length, and tail width compared to Farafra sheep.ConclusionWe recommend the use of entire Barki sheep in inbreeding programs to improve growth performance in Egyptian sheep.

Impact of growth hormone receptor gene on measurements of dimen-sions and body weights of local Iraqi sheep

This research involved a sample of 50 local Iraqi sheep, consisting of 27 males and 23 females, aged between 5 and 17 months. Data collection occurred during two distinct seasonal periods: October 2022 and January 2023. The primary objective was to investigate the variations in the expression of the growth hormone receptor (GHR) and its influence on the physical attributes of local Iraqi sheep within this age range. The results showed that the GHR gene exhibited a marked increase in expression during the second seasonal timeframe with levels of 23.8 ± 0.2 and 29.7 ±1.4 for first period. This increase in gene expression was paralleled by substantial differences in the sheep's body weights, with values of 33.7376±0.732(kg) for the first seasonal period and 35.77±1.111(kg) for the second seasonal period. Similarly, the dressing percentage showed significant differences, with values of 47.71±0.49 (kg) for the first period and 50.11±0.59 (kg) for the second period. Furthermore, carcass weight demonstrated highly statistically significant variations, measuring 16.037±0.440 (kg) during the first seasonal period and 17.978±0.655 (kg) during the second seasonal period. Gender-based analyses revealed significant disparities, with males exhibiting greater weight measurements (kg) (36.764±1.002) compared to females (32.122±806.0). The same trend was observed in carcass weight (18.362±0.606 for males and 15.242±0.369 for females), dressing percentage (49.8±0.0062 for males and 47.8±0.0047 for females), and viscera weight (1.382±0.029 for males and 1.258±0.032 for females). In addition to these findings, body dimension measurements (cm) showed significant differences in lump height, with measurements of 67.81±0.891 in the first period and 64.88±0.717 in the second period. However, non-significant differences were observed in other body dimension measurements. These findings have implications for understanding the genetic factors affecting the growth and development of sheep which can inform breeding and livestock management practices.

Relationship between Body Condition Score, Reproductive Indicators, and Leptin and Erythropoietin Hormone Levels in Iraqi Awassi Ewes

The experiment was conducted using 35 Awassi ewes with an average body weight 52±2.5 kg. The females were divided into three groups according to the body condition score 3 (overweight, medium, lean) represented by groups 1, 2, and 3 respectively. The medium was the highest percentage, as it reached 71.42% of the total number of animals. This percentage was in accordance with a high pregnancy rate compared to lean and overweight animals, as the pregnancy rate reached ewes from the examination. The first and second examinations were 64% and 24% respectively. The concentration of leptin and erythropoietin were measured in ewes before, during and after applying the vaginal sponges. Barrenness rate had (100%, 24.13% and 100%) in group 1,2 and 3 respectively. The results were high in leptin hormone in the Body Condition Score (BCS) group. 2, especially after withdrawing the vaginal sponges. While there was no significant increase (P>0.05) in erythropoietin hormone before and during applying vaginal sponges. Body Condition Score (BCS 2) ewes had a higher conception rate than Body Condition Score (BCS) 1 and 3 ewes. Leptin and progesterone both play important roles in the regulation of sheep body weight, with higher levels of progesterone resulting in higher levels of leptin.

Evaluation of native medicinal plants as feed additives in the Sheep ration

The present study evaluated nutritional attributes of local medicinal herbs and analysed their effect as feed additives in sheep ration. Proximate and fiber analysis of all herbs- Allium sativa, Cuminum cyminum, Emblica officinalis, Murraya koenigiii, Pimpinella anisum, Sapindus trifoliatus, Terminalia arjuna, Trigonella-foenum graecum, Zingiber officinale, Curcuma longa, Ocimum tenuiflorum and Azadirachta indica and their further screening at different inclusion levels of 3%, 3.5% and 4% of ration to ascertain their effect on in vitro rumen fluid pH, dry matter digestibility and organic matter digestibility of ration was carried out during in vitro phase. Pimpinella anisum @ 3% of ration resulted in significant increase in in vitro dry matter digestibility and in vitro organic matter digestibility of ration. In vivo trial was conducted in which fourteen indigenous, non-descript, adult male sheep (body weight, 27.10±0.10 kg and age, 22-24 months) were randomly allotted into two groups and fed ad lib. wheat straw and concentrate mixture @ 25 g/W0.75 along with Pimpinella anisum @ 3% of ration in treatment group. Comparable OM, CP, EE digestibility was seen in both groups, however, treatment group had significantly higher DM, total carbohydrate, CF, NDF, ADF and HC digestibility. Both groups had positive nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus balance, however, treatment group had significantly increased nitrogen balance. Rumen fermentation parameters were comparable in both groups. Haemoglobin, PCV, serum protein and albumin in treatment group were significantly higher while no significant variation was seen in serum globulin, Albumin:Globulin ratio, total cholesterol, ALT, AST, BUN, creatinine and blood glucose concentration between both groups. It can be inferred from the above data that Pimpinella anisum @ 3% of ration can effectively be used as a feed additive in sheep ration for improving feed intake, nutrient digestibility and utilisation.