Cannon Bone Circumference Research Articles

Morphometric Characterization and Principal Component Analysis of Different Goats Breeds

Goats play a very vital role in the livestock industry and are the only livestock not forbidden by any religion. Morphometric characterization is very important for the improvement of goat breeds and the proper classification of these animals. A linear measurement was carried out on sixty goats consisting of 20 each Red Sokoto (RS), West African Long logged (WLL), and West African Dwarf WAD) goat. Parameters measures were Withers height (WH), Rump height (RH), Body length (BL), Sternum height (SH), Body depth (BD), Bicostal diameter (BC), Ear length (EL), Rump width (RW), Head width (HW), Rump length (RL), Head length (HL) Heart girth (HG), Cannon bone Circumference (CB), Muzzle diameter (MD). The data collected was subjected to statistical analysis using R. version 4.0.2. It was observed that WH, RH, BL, SH, BD, BC, EL, RW, HW, RL, HL, HG, CB, and MD, exhibit variations across different age groups. For example, WH increases from 36.89 cm (at 1.00 years) to 63.98 cm (at 4.00 years), indicating a growth in wither height as goats increase in age. A significant difference (p<0.05) in the morphometric parameters across different age groups was observed. The lowest mean weight (11.50±1.1) was recorded in WAD while the highest (24.40±1.24) was recorded in WLL). These variations in weight were significant (p<0.05) across the breeds. Principal Component Analysis shows that four components contributed to 74% of the variation in the goat. The estimation classified the goats as heavy meat type while the Dactyl thorax index classified the WAD and RS as brevigline and the WLL as medigline. This study therefore contributes to a better understanding of goat morphology which has practical implications for livestock breeding and management programs. Informed decisions can also be made about breeding strategies, selecting animals specifically, and improving the overall goat population using the information provided in this study.

Prediction of carcass weight using the morphometry of ankle bones in hair goats.

Morphologic measurements such as body lenght, wither height, heart girth, chest width, body leght, cannon-bone circumference is used to predict carcass weight. For this purpose, estimating carcass weight with measurements of key bones such as ankle bones, which play a significant role in the balance distribution of body weight, seems possible. The aim of this study is to create new regression models for effective carcass weight estimation by using the morphometric data of the talus and calcaneus bones of hair goats. Study materials consisted of talus and calcaneus bones obtained from abattoir products of hair goat kids (12-18 months old, 20 female and 20 male) and adult hair goats (36-48 months old, 20 female and 20 male). Morphometric measurements of the talus and calcaneus of each animal were taken by a digital caliper. Using the morphometric measurements, an index and a factor were calculated for each bone. Regression analysis and correlations were examined in IBM SPSS 21 programme. As a result, statistical analysis of GLc, GLt, Bd, Calfactor and Talfactor were statistically significant on predicting carcass weight. Specific anatomical structures, such as certain bone measurements, such as talus and calnaneus could serve as indicators of growth performance and also carcass weight performance. In addition new anatomical factors and indices may be produced and new regression methods may be applied with these new parameters to predict carcass weight.

The Estimation of Genetic Parameters for Chronic Progressive Lymphedema and Body Traits in the Rhenish German Draught Horse.

Chronic progressive lymphedema (CPL) is a prevalent and progressive disease in Rhenish German draught horses. The objective of our follow-up study was to evaluate the heritability of this disease in Rhenish German draught horses using pedigree-based and genomic relationship matrices. We employed linear and threshold animal models. Models included the random animal effect and effects of breeding association, coat colour, sex, and age within sex, and farm-related factors, on CPL scores. In addition, we estimated heritabilities in models assuming censoring for data when horses were below an age of 1-15 years. The heritabilities of CPL scores across all ages were 0.595 ± 0.131 and 0.482 ± 0.105 in the threshold and linear animal model with pedigree-based relationship matrices, respectively. The restriction of data to horses with a minimum age at examination or accounting for censored data in younger animals showed an increase in heritabilities of CPL scores up to 0.788 ± 0.168 (threshold model) and 0.752 ± 0.153 (linear model) at an age of 7-8 years. Analyses including genomic relationship matrices yielded very similar estimates, but with smaller standard errors than pedigree-based analyses. Heritabilities in threshold models for CPL prevalence (CPL-bin-score) and the number of affected limbs (CPL-bin-sum) were 0.176-0.189 ± 0.061-0.064 and 0.375-0.433 ± 0.164-0.170, respectively. We were able to show moderately to highly positive genetic correlations between the CPL score and cannon bone circumference (0.529-0.825), height at withers (0.338-0.555), and skinfold thickness (0.241-0.517). Using the dichotomous trait for the CPL score and the genomic relationship matrix resulted in corresponding estimates of 0.868, 0.793, and 0.784, respectively. This study showed the great importance of additive genetic variation influencing the expression of chronic progressive lymphedema in Rhenish German draught horses. Therefore, further research is warranted to implement breeding programmes in a small breeding population that exploit the potential of additive genetic differences among animals for reducing the prevalence and severity of lesions of this incurable disease.

Genome-Wide Association Study of Body Conformation Traits in Tashi Goats (Capra hircus).

Identifying genetic markers of economically valuable traits has practical benefits for the meat goat industry. To better understand the genomic variations influencing body conformation traits, a genome-wide association study was performed on Tashi goats, an indigenous Chinese goat breed. A total of 155 Tashi goats were phenotyped for eight body conformation traits: body height, body length, chest depth, chest width, chest girth, rump width, rump height, and cannon bone circumference. Then, 100 Tashi goats were randomly selected for whole-genome sequencing and genotyped. We obtained 1676.4 Gb of raw data with an average sequencing depth of 6.2X. Clean reads were aligned to the ARS1.2 reference genome, and 11,257,923 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. The structure analysis showed that these Tashi goats were almost not genetically related. The 109, 20, 52, 14, 62, 51, 70, and 7 SNPs were significantly associated with body height, body length, chest depth, chest width, chest girth, rump width, rump height, and cannon bone circumference. Within the ±500 kb region of significant SNPs, 183 genes were annotated. The most significantly enriched KEGG pathway was "olfactory transduction", and the most significantly enriched gene ontology (GO) terms were "cellular process", "cellular anatomical entity", and "molecular transducer activity". Interestingly, we found several SNPs on chromosomes 10 and 11 that have been identified multiple times for all eight body conformation traits located in two fragments (114 kb and 1.03 Mb). In chr.10:25988403-26102739, the six SNPs were tightly linked, the TACTAG genotype was the highest at 91.8%, and the FNTB (Farnesyltransferase, CAAX Box Beta) and CHURC1 (Churchill Domain Containing 1) genes were located. In chr.11:88216493-89250659, ten SNPs were identified with several dependent linkage disequilibrium (LD) blocks, and seven related genes were annotated, but no significant SNP was located in them. Our results provide valuable biological information for improving growth performance with practical applications for genomic selection in goats.

The Identification of Goat KCNJ15 Gene Copy Number Variation and Its Association with Growth Traits.

(1) Background: Copy number variation (CNV) is a critical component of genome structural variation and has garnered significant attention. High-throughput screening of the KCNJ15 gene has revealed a correlation between the CNV region and the growth traits of goats. We aimed to identify the CNV of the KCNJ15 gene in five goat breeds and analyze its association with growth characteristics. (2) Methods: We utilized 706 goats from five breeds: Guizhou black goat (GZB), Guizhou white goat (GZW), Bohuai goat (BH), Huai goat (HH), and Taihang goat (TH). To evaluate the number of copies of the KCNJ15 gene using qPCR, we analyzed the correlation between the CNV and growth characteristics and then used a universal linear model. The findings revealed variations in the distribution of different copy number types among the different goat breeds. (3) Results: Association analysis revealed a positive influence of the CNV in the KCNJ15 gene on goat growth. In GZB, individuals with duplication types exhibited superior performance in terms of cannon bone circumference (p < 0.05). In HH, individuals with duplication types exhibited superior performance in terms of body slanting length (p < 0.05). Conversely, normal TH demonstrated better body height and body weight (p < 0.05), while in GZW, when CN = 3, it performed better than other types in terms of body weight and chest circumference (p < 0.05). However, in BH, it had no significant effect on growth traits. (4) Conclusions: We confirmed that the CNV in the KCNJ15 gene significantly influences the growth characteristics of four distinct goat breeds. The correlation between KCNJ15 gene CNVs and goat growth traits offers valuable insights to breeders, enabling them to employ precise and efficient breeding methods that enhance livestock welfare, productivity, and overall economic benefits in the industry.

Unravelling novel and pleiotropic genes for cannon bone circumference and bone mineral density in Yorkshire pigs.

Leg weakness is a prevalent health condition in pig farms. The augmentation of cannon bone circumference and bone mineral density can effectively improve limb strength in pigs and alleviate leg weakness. This study measured forelimb cannon bone circumference (fCBC) and rear limb cannon bone circumference (rCBC) using an inelastic tapeline and rear limb metatarsal area bone mineral density (raBMD) using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry bone density scanner. The samples of Yorkshire castrated boars were genotyped using a 50K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. The SNP-chip data were imputed to the level of whole-genome sequencing data (iWGS). This study used iWGS data to perform genome-wide association studies and identified novel significant SNPs associated with fCBC on SSC6, SSC12, and SSC13, rCBC on SSC12 and SSC14, and raBMD on SSC7. Based on the high phenotypic and genetic correlations between CBC and raBMD, multi-trait meta-analysis was performed to identify pleiotropic SNPs. A significant potential pleiotropic quantitative trait locus (QTL) regulating both CBC and raBMD was identified on SSC15. Bayes fine mapping was used to establish the confidence intervals for these novel QTLs with the most refined confidence interval narrowed down to 56kb (15.11 to 15.17Mb on SSC12 for fCBC). Furthermore, the confidence interval for the potential pleiotropic QTL on SSC15 in the meta-analysis was narrowed down to 7.45kb (137.55 to137.56Mb on SSC15). Based on the biological functions of genes, the following genes were identified as novel regulatory candidates for different phenotypes: DDX42, MYSM1, FTSJ3, and MECOM for fCBC; SMURF2, and STC1 for rCBC; RGMA for raBMD. Additionally, RAMP1, which was determined to be located 23.68kb upstream of the confidence interval of the QTL on SSC15 in the meta-analysis, was identified as a potential pleiotropic candidate gene regulating both CBC and raBMD. These findings offered valuable insights for identifying pathogenic genes and elucidating the genetic mechanisms underlying CBC and BMD.

Phenotypic Characteristics of Indigenous Goats in Benin

Introduction: Phenotypic characterization contributes to the knowledge of breeds and their sustainable use. The present study assessed the possibility of using factorial analysis of mixed data (FAMD) combined with hierarchical clusters on principal components to manage goat characteristics. Materials and methods: A total of 1644 adult male and female indigenous goats were randomly sampled across different climate zones (Guinean, Sudanian-Guinean, and Sudanian zone) of Benin. The samples were investigated in terms of 20 body measurements (head length, right and left horn length, right and left ear length, neck girth, neck length, cannon length, cannon bone circumference, body length, heart girth, tail length, body weight, Rump width, withers height, chest depth, back height, rump height, rump depth, and age) and 12 qualitative traits sex, coat color, color pattern, horn presence, horn shape, horn orientation, ear orientation, head profile, beard presence, wattles presence, back profile, and rump profile). Data analysis was performed using FAMD and hierarchical clusters on principal components. Results: The findings indicated three types of goats with distinct characteristics. The first goat type had a small size (35.65 cm in withers and 38.29 cm in back height), while the third type had a large size (57.02 cm in withers and 59.08 in back height ). The second genetic type had a medium size (47.31 cm and 50.01 cm for withers and back height, respectively) resulting from the previous types of genetic crosses. Conclusion: The results indicate the efficiency of FAMD-based cluster analysis in handling phenotypic data.

Morphological characterization of the Polatli sheep in terms of live weight using data mining algorithms.

The aim of this research is both to estimate the live weight (LW) of Polatli sheep (Ile de France × Akkaraman (G1)) by considering some body measurements (withers height (WH), rump height (RH), body length (BL), chest depth (CD), chest width (CD), chest girth (CG), cannon bone circumference (CBC)), age, and sex variables as independent variables using C&RT (Classification and Regression Tree), CHAID (Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detector), and MARS (Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines) algorithms and to determine the significant independent variables in the estimation of live weight. For this purpose, a total of 210 sheep were used, including 180 females and 30 males of different ages, for the estimation of LW. The calculated Pearson correlation coefficients between LW and WH, RH, BL, CD, CW, CG, and CBC characteristics are 0.897, 0.896, 0.853, 0.948, 0.550, 0.914, and 0.798, respectively (p < 0.05). In the application of data mining algorithms as prediction models, a cross-validation of 10 was used, while for tree-based algorithms, the parent node was set to 10 and the child node to 5. While CHAID and C&RT algorithms each used 8 independent variables to explain the variation observed in LW, the MARS algorithm used 9 independent variables. In Polatli sheep, the sheep with the highest live weight was found in the node with age > 3 and CD > 36 cm cutting point in the CHAID algorithm (93.571 kg). In the C&RT algorithm, it was predicted to be (91.316 kg) when age > 0, CD > 36.5 cm, and CBC > 9.5 cm. When evaluated considering commonly used criteria, the prediction performances of CHAID, C&RT, and MARS algorithms were calculated as follows: RMSE (root mean square error) values are "5.788, 5.103, 4.005"; SDR (standard deviation ratio) values are "0.254, 0.224, 0.176"; MAPE (mean absolute percentage error) values are "7.555, 6.675, 5.682"; Adj-Rsq (adjusted R-squared) values are "0.935, 0.950, 0.969"; and AIC (Akaike information criterion) values are "741.436, 688.489, 582.792," respectively. In terms of prediction performance, among the tree algorithms (CHAID and C&RT), C&RT was found to be the best, while considering all performance measures, it was observed that the MARS algorithm exhibited the best performance. Consequently, it has been determined that C&RT and MARS algorithms can be safely employed in morphological characterization studies for the identification of indirect criteria and the formation of elite herds in terms of LW. This decision allows for the reliable use of these algorithms to facilitate the selection of indirect variables and the establishment of elite populations in breeding programs focusing on live weight.

Inheritance of body size and ultrasound carcass traits in yearling Anatolian buffalo calves.

The body size and ultrasound carcass traits are related to the growth and muscling of animals. These characters promise future improvement through genetic selection in animal breeding. In breeding programs, knowing the (co)variance components serves to reveal the performance differences among animals and detection of suitable traits for selection. The research was carried out with 313 Anatolian buffalo calves born in 2019 at 36 farm operations. The least-square means for body weight (BW), wither height (WH), rump height (RH), body length (BL), chest width (CW), hip width (HW), chest circumference (CC), cannon-bone circumference (CBC), longissimus muscle area (LMA), longissimus muscle depth (LMD), and subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) in yearling calves were 175.41 2.06 kg, 108.35 0.34, 111.85 0.37, 103.74 0.41, 33.93 0.23, 30.56 0.23, 135.18 0.60, 15.69 0.08 cm, 19.36 0.45 cm, 3.086 0.028, and 0.655 0.006 cm, respectively. The direct heritabilities for BW, WH, RH, BL, CW, HW, CC, CBC, LMA, LMD, and SFT were 0.334 0.032, 0.483 0.044, 0.473 0.043, 0.441 0.041, 0.364 0.034, 0.432 0.040, 0.435 0.040, 0.226 0.021, 0.0001 0.000, 0.300 0.026, and 0.539 0.046, respectively. The genetic and phenotypic correlations predicted in this study ranged from 0.02 to 0.90. All the genetic and phenotypic correlations among body size and ultrasound carcass traits were significant (), except for the genetic correlation between CW and HW. Some polymorphisms in PLAG1, NCAPG, LCORL, and HMGA2 genes were analyzed. Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for PLAG1 and NCAPG genes were found to be monomorphic in this buffalo population. Meanwhile, the effects of two SNPs in the LCORL and HMGA2 genes were not significant but showed some tendencies in the aspects of least-square means. The results of the study indicated that the Anatolian buffaloes have the potential to improve in growth and muscling characteristics.

Morphological Description and Live Weight Prediction from Body Measurements of Socorro Island Merino Lambs.

The aim of this study was to describe the morphology and estimate live weight from body measurements of Socorro Island Merino lambs. A group of Socorro Island Merino lambs was recorded from birth to year for live weight, rump width, rump length, withers height, body length, cannon bone perimeter, and chest girth, width, and depth. The effect of the lamb type on body measurements and live weight was analyzed using ANOVA, Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to estimate the relationship between body measurements and live weight, multiple linear regressions were fitted to obtain prediction equations of live weight from the body measurements and finally, chest girth was used to generate prediction equations using linear and exponential models. At birth and at year, differences were observed in body measurements, especially those related to the thoracic region, with crossbred males showing the highest values. Live weight was correlated with almost all the body measurements, with the highest coefficients observed with chest girth, chest width, and chest depth. Live weight can be accurately predicted from multiple regression equations using several body measurements, but using only chest girth (CG) as a predictor, the exponential equation W0-365 = 0.9142 exp(0.0462 CG) showed the best accuracy.

Blue LED light treatment of pregnant mares is not detrimental to gonadal development in their offspring

A light program transmitted via blue LED light directed at one eye from individual light masks (Equilume, Kildare, Ireland) to pregnant mares from the middle of December onwards advanced the onset of foaling with birth of mature and healthy foals, but they were slightly smaller than foals from untreated control pregnancies (Lutzer et al., Domestic Anim Endocrinol 2022;78:106675). Differences, however, equilibrated within the first year of life. In this study we followed the hypothesis that light treatment of pregnant mares is without detrimental effects on body size and gonadal development of offspring after puberty. A total of 47 warmblood horses born and raised on the same stud farm to blue LED light-treated (17 males and 9 females) or control mares (14 males and 9 females) were included. At 24 months of age, their body weight, height at withers and cannon bone circumference was determined. In males, the external genitalia were examined, testis size was measured by transcutaneous ultrasound. The total testicular volume (TTV) was calculated. In females, a transrectal ultrasound examination of the genital tract was performed, the presence of corpora lutea was detected via plasma progesterone concentration and the antral follicle count (AFC) was assessed. Statistical comparisons weremade by analysis of variance (general linear model) with group (blue light vs. control) and sex (male vs. female) as between subject factors (IBM SPSS 27). Results are given as mean ± SEM. There were no group or sex differences with regard to bodyweight or height at the withers. The cannon bone circumference was larger in male vs. female horses (p<0.001) but not affected by blue light treatment during pregnancy. Testes were classified as normal in size and location (Love et al., J Reprod Fertil Suppl 1991;44:99-105) in 13 of 17 blue light and 11 of 14 control colts (n.s., chi2 analysis). The TTV was 232±14cm3 in the blue light and 218±11cm3 in the control group (n.s.). Abnormal testicular development was diagnosed in 7 males with unequal testicular size in 3 blue light and 2 control animals, both testes too small (1 blue light) or unilaterally cryptorchid (1 control). In females, no abnormalities were present. A corpus luteum (progesterone >1ng/ml) was present in 8 / 9 females from the blue light and 5 / 8 from the control group. The AFC was 20.6±2.5 in blue light and 22.1±3.7 in control females (n.s.). Results demonstrate that blue LED light treatment of pregnant mares has no detrimental effects on body and genital tract development of their offspring at two years of age.

Genome-Wide Association Analysis Identifies Genomic Regions and Candidate Genes for Growth and Fatness Traits in Diannan Small-Ear (DSE) Pigs.

In the livestock industry, the growth and fatness traits are directly related to production efficiency and economic profits. As for Diannan small-ear (DSE) pigs, a unique indigenous breed, the genetic architecture of growth and fatness traits is still elusive. The aim of this study was to search the genetic loci and candidate genes associated with phenotypic traits in DSE pigs using GWAS based on the Geneseek Porcine 50K SNP Chip data. A total of 22,146 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected in 265 DSE pigs and used for Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) analysis. Seven SNPs were found to be associated with back height, chest circumference, cannon bone circumference, and backfat thickness at the suggestive significance level. Based on gene annotation results, these seven SNPs were, respectively, mapped to the following candidate genes, VIPR2, SLC10A2, NUCKS1, MCT1, CHCHD3, SMOX, and GPR1, which are mainly involved with adipocyte differentiation, lipid metabolism, skeletal muscle development, and average daily weight gain. Our work offers novel insights into the genetic architecture of economically important traits in swine and may play an important role in breeding using molecular markers in the DSE breed.

Prevalence of Chronic Progressive Lymphedema in the Rhenish German Draught Horse

Chronic progressive lymphedema (CPL) is a common disease in Rhenisch German draught horses. The objective of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of this disease and its progression with age in 493 Rhenish German draught horses from different regions in Germany. We employed generalized linear models with binomial, multinomial, and normal distributions to analyse the effects of breeding association, coat colour, sex and age within sex, time of examination, limb on which CPL was recorded, and farm-related factors on disease scores. The occurrence and severity of CPL were significantly influenced by breeding area, sex, coat colour, and interaction of age by sex. Males had significantly higher CPL-scores than geldings (1.92-fold) and females (5.02-fold) as well as a faster (1.85-fold) disease progression per year of life than females (1.44-fold) and geldings (1.25-fold). Regression on age within sex was still significant when age was restricted to a minimum of 7 years in the analysis. Bay horses exhibited 1.77-fold and 2.19-fold higher CPL-scores than chestnut and black horses. Keeping horses on pasture and keeping bedding clean reduced CPL-scores, whereas feeding of hay silage and concentrates during winter increased CPL-scores. Our analysis revealed significant regression coefficients of cannon bone circumference on CPL-scores. Relationships with hoof measures and skinfold diameter at the neck were not found. In conclusion, differences among breeding districts and sexes by age had the largest impact on CPL prevalence and scores. Disease progression was evident up to a mean age of 16 years in males and 20 years in females. The identification of risk factors and their effects on CPL should help to reduce the occurrence and progression of CPL.

The Growth and Survival of Bafra Lambs During Adaptation to Steppe Climate Conditions

This study investigates the survival and growth characteristics of Bafra lambs born and reared under steppe climate conditions. The survival, growth and certain body measurements of 179 head of Bafra lambs were observed. Least Squares Method was applied for the analysis of growth and body measurements, and Chi square test was used for the analysis of survival rates. The survival rates of the lambs on days 30 and 90 were 96.65% and 90.50%, respectively. Birth type and sex had no significant effect on survival rates (P&amp;gt;0.05). The live weights of the lambs on days birth, 30, 60 and 90th were 3.58±0.541, 8.10±0.127, 12.71±0.223 and 18.08±0.326 kg, respectively. Among the environmental factors affecting the live weights of the lambs, the effect of sex was not significant (P&amp;gt;0.05), while the effect of birth type was highly significant (P=0.000) up until day 60, but decreased thereafter. Furthermore, the effect of birth type on live weight was not significant (P&amp;gt;0,05) in single lambs on day 60 and 90th, even though the live weights were numerically high. The pre-weaning (average 71 day) withers height, chest depth, body length, chest girth, cannon bone circumference and tail circumference of the lambs were 47.86±0.615, 18.52±0.246, 45.68±0.840; 56.47±0.881, 6.50±0.075, and 12.01±0.502 cm, respectively. The effect of birth type and sex on these body measurements were not significant (P&amp;gt;0.05). It was concluded that the growth and survival characteristics of Bafra lambs reared under the steppe conditions were at a satisfactory level.

Study on the Association between LRRC8B Gene InDel and Sheep Body Conformation Traits.

Marker-assisted selection is an important method for livestock breeding. In recent years, this technology has been gradually applied to livestock breeding to improve the body conformation traits. In this study, the LRRC8B (Leucine Rich Repeat Containing 8 VRAC Subunit B) gene was selected to evaluate the association between its genetic variations and the body conformation traits in two native sheep breeds in China. Four body conformation traits, including withers height, body length, chest circumference, and body weight, were collected from 269 Chaka sheep. We also collected the body length, chest width, withers height, chest depth, chest circumference, cannon bone circumference, and height at hip cross of 149 Small-Tailed Han sheep. Two different genotypes, ID and DD, were detected in all sheep. Our data showed that the polymorphism of the LRRC8B gene was significantly associated with chest depth (p < 0.05) in Small-Tailed Han sheep, and it is greater in sheep with DD than those with ID. In conclusion, our data suggested that the LRRC8B gene could serve as a candidate gene for marker-assisted selection in Small-Tailed Han sheep.

Mobile measuring systems as a tool for reliable measuring of the parameters of the exterior of animals, live weight and establishing their correlation with the intensity of growth

Relevance. Accurate monitoring of the live weight of animals provides important information about the state of health, the predicted age of removal from fattening and the timing of the sale of livestock. However, weighing animals at all stages is a time-consuming process, unsafe for livestock breeders; it also causes stress to livestock. To overcome these problems, it is necessary to create non-invasive weighing mechanisms. Based on the results of experimental studies, a method for determining live weight based on ultra-precise neural networks applied to deep images of animals has been developed.Methods. Scientific research was carried out in 2021–2022 in the KFH Lekomtsev M.M., Glazovsky district of the Udmurt Republic. The volume of the sample set of animals was 78 bulls raised for meat and 75 heifers raised for herd repairs. All animals were divided into three groups depending on their origin: group 1 — bulls (n = 27) and heifers (n = 25) of the Black-and-White breed; group 2 — bulls (n =25) and heifers (n = 25) of the Aberdeen-Angus breed; group 3 — crossbred bulls (n = 26) and heifers (n = 25) of the first generation, obtained by crossing Black-and-White cows with bulls-producers of the Aberdeen-Angus breed. The intensity of growth was studied by indicators of live weight and average daily gains. The animals were weighed on electronic scales. The exterior was evaluated according to the following measurements: height at the withers, straight trunk length, chest depth, chest width, width of loin at hips, width of loin at pin bones, straight hip length, circumference of cannon bone. Exterior parameters were determined by the method of processing images obtained using a depth sensor Structure Sensor 3D.Results. The biological regularity of the formation of the exterior-constitutional features of cattle in age dynamics and the close correlation between the parameters of the physique and the intensity of growth have been revealed, which give reason to believe that the calculated values of the body mass index (in heifers — 0.34–0.35, bulls — 0.28–0.29) can be used as coefficients for predicting the live weight of young animals, excluding at the same time laborious weighing process.

Comparative analysis of phenotypic data and genetic structure of Kalmyk cattle breed

The main trends in the development of animal husbandry in the Republic of Kalmykia are considered. It is necessary to carry out the current selection to preserve and improve the genetic potential of animals. In the Republic of Kalmykia, immunogenetic expertise is effectively used in cattle breeding. The purpose of the study was to analyze statistical data on Kalmyk cattle in 1988 and 2018. It was found that the number of livestock increased by 324430 heads over 30 years. A comparative analysis of the exterior data of the animals showed that the bulls-producers in 2018 were more extensive compared to 1988: The difference in withers height was 1.6%, body length was 1.2, chest girth was 1.9, and cannon bone circumference was 5.7% (P&lt;0.95). Positive dynamics were also observed in cows. The average live weight of sire bulls in 2018 was 796.7±3.7 kg, 35.2 kg (4.6%) higher than that of animals in 1988. Cows in 2018 outperformed 1988 animals by 26.1 kg (5.7%) in live weight (P&gt;&lt;0.95). I’, C2, L’, and S2 antigens had met less frequently. I’, C2, L’, and S2 antigens had met less frequently. Thus, we can state that for 30 years, there have been changes in the frequency of occurrence of antigens in breeding farms and, consequently, changes in the gene pool. When comparing the increase and decrease in the frequency of occurrence of antigens between the two breeding farms, there are apparent differences, indicating a multidirectional selection.&gt;˂0.95). Positive dynamics were also observed in cows. The average live weight of sire bulls in 2018 was 796.7±3.7 kg, 35.2 kg (4.6%) higher than that of animals in 1988. Cows in 2018 outperformed 1988 animals by 26.1 kg (5.7%) in live weight (P˂0.95). I’, C2, L’, and S2 antigens had met less frequently. I’, C2, L’, and S2 antigens had met less frequently. Thus, we can state that for 30 years, there have been changes in the frequency of occurrence of antigens in breeding farms and, consequently, changes in the gene pool. When comparing the increase and decrease in the frequency of occurrence of antigens between the two breeding farms, there are apparent differences, indicating a multidirectional selection.

Screening of three-way crossbred combination and genetic effect analysis of the SNP in the CLPG gene in meat sheep.

In order to promote the rapid development of the meat sheep industry, a three-way crossbred combination experiment was carried out with Australian White, Dorper, and Charollais sheep as terminal male parents and the elite F1 hybrids of Australian White Small-tailed Han (Han), Dorper Han, and Charollais Han as female parents, which was based on the screening of a two-way crossbred combination in meat sheep. The growth performance of six groups of three-way crossbred combinations and Han lambs was measured and analyzed, and the effect of a polymorphism in the CLPG gene on the growth performance of three-way crossbred lambs was also studied. The results showed that under the same rearing conditions, weight at 3 and 6months of age and average daily gain from birth to 3months and from 3 to 6months of age were all the largest for Australian (Charollais Han) crossbred lambs. They were significantly or extremely significant different from the other three-way crossbred combinations and Han lambs ( , ). The body height, body length, chest girth, and cannon bone circumference at 3months of age and body length, chest girth, and cannon bone circumference at 6months of age were also the largest for Australian (Charollais Han) crossbred lambs. Among them, body length, chest girth, and cannon bone circumference at 3months of age were significantly different from the other three-way crossbred combinations and Han lambs ( ), and body length, chest girth, and cannon bone circumference at 6months of age were significantly or extremely significant different from the other three-way crossbred combinations and Han lambs ( , ). The potential genetic effects of the CLPG gene on the growth performance indicators of three-way crossbred lambs showed that a mutation site ( .232 ) of this gene had two genotypes: CC and CT. Among them, the data of body weights and body sizes from CT genotype individuals at birth, 3 months old, and 6 months old were significantly higher than those of CC genotype individuals, and some indicators showed significant or extremely significant differences ( , ), suggesting that higher growth performance was observed in individuals with alleles. To sum up, the crossbred combination of Australian (Charollais Han) could be suggested as the optimal choice. The allele of the CLPG gene showed potential advantages in the performance of meat production in meat sheep. Based on the current results, we recommend that the offspring of Australian (Charollais Han) with the allele should be preferentially utilized for meat sheep production.

Effect of Growth Hormone Exon-5 Polymorphism on Growth Traits, Body Measurements, Slaughter and Carcass Characteristics, and Meat Quality in Meat-Type Lambs in Turkey

This study examined the relationship between GHE5 polymorphisms and growth and carcass characteristics of meat-type sheep breeds reared in Turkey. A total of 202 lambs were tested, consisting of five breeds. By SSCP analysis and nucleotide sequencing, 14 nucleotide changes (12 substitutions and two deletions) were identified in four variants of GHE5. In the coding region of GHE5, five substitutions occur, including c.1588C&gt;Y(C/T) (Ala160Val), c.1603A&gt;M(A/C), c.1604G&gt;S(G/C) (Lys165Thr), c.1606A&gt;W(A/T) (Gln166Leu), and c.1664C&gt;Y(C/T). P3 female and P1 male lambs had the highest rump height at weaning, whereas P3 females and P2 males had the highest chest depth (p &lt; 0.05). At yearling, P1 variant lambs have longer body length (BL; p &lt; 0.05), wider leg circumferences, and thinner cannon bone perimeter (CBP) (p &gt; 0.01), in contrast to P2 variant lambs, which have a shorter BL and thicker CBP. Furthermore, P2 had a greater percentage of neck, shoulder, and leg, P1 had a greater percentage of loin, and P3 had a greater percentage of rack, but there was no significant difference between them. A marker-assisted selection approach can be used to improve sheep carcass quality traits by taking advantage of the nucleotide substitutions found on GHE5 and the detected differences between variants.

Study on Phenotypic, Genotypic and Environmental Correlations Between the Main Body Dimensions Used in the Selection Process in Horses

Background: Knowledge of the interdependence of characters, especially in terms of genetic correlation, is very important in the process of genetic improvement of domestic animal populations, as it is a basic condition in establishing the objective of selection. Methods: In this study, during 2017-2020, in order to analyze the phenotypic, genotypic and environmental correlations, we used the analysis of covariance with two sources of variation. The material was represented by 538 individuals from Hucul horse breed analyzed at 18, 30 and 42 months age. Analyzed characters were wither’s height, thoracic perimeter and cannon bone perimeter. Result: All characters measured at the age of 1.5 years were closely correlated with each other. At the age of 2.5 years, all the measured characters were correlated positively with each other, registering a very close correlation between the wither’s height and the thoracic perimeter, and a weak correlation between the wither’s height and the cannon bone perimeter, and between the thoracic perimeter and the cannon bone perimeter. At the third age, there were intensely positive correlations between the wither’s height and the thoracic perimeter, and between the thoracic perimeter and the cannon bone perimeter. There was a weak positive correlation between the wither’s height and the cannon bone perimeter.