Sheep Hair Research Articles

Screening candidate microRNAs (miRNAs) in different lambskin hair follicles in Hu sheep.

Hu sheep lambskin is a unique white lambskin from China that exhibits three types of flower patterns, including small waves, medium waves, and large waves, with small waves considered the best quality. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying flower pattern formation in Hu sheep lambskin is limited. The aim of the present study was to further explore the relevance between candidate microRNAs (miRNAs) and developmental characteristics of hair follicles and screen miRNAs for later functional validation. Herein, we employed Illumina Hiseq 2500 to identify differentially expressed miRNAs in hair follicles of different flower patterns with small, medium, and large waves to construct a comprehensive sequence database on the mechanism of hair follicle development. Paraffin sections of lambskin tissue were prepared to assess the structure of different hair follicles. Expression levels of candidate miRNAs in different flower patterns were analyzed by relative quantitation using real-time PCR, combined with histological observation and micro-observation technologies, and the correlation between expression levels of candidate miRNAs and histological properties of hair follicles was analyzed by using SPSS 17.0. A total of 522 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, and RNA-seq analysis detected 7,266 target genes in different groups of flower patterns. Gene ontological analysis indicated these target genes were mainly involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, growth, apoptosis, and ion transport, and 14 miRNAs, including miR-143, miR-10a, and let-7 were screened as candidate miRNAs in Hu sheep hair follicle growth and development. In the same field of vision, variance analysis showed that the number of secondary follicles in small waves was significantly larger than that in large and medium waves (P<0.01); the diameter of the primary and secondary follicles in large waves was respectively larger than those in medium and small waves (P<0.01). Combined with correlation analysis between miRNA expression and histological properties of hair follicles, highly significant differences in miRNA-143 expression levels between large and small waves were observed (P<0.01), and significant differences in the miRNA-10a expression levels between large and small waves (P<0.05) and in let-7i expression levels between large and medium waves were observed (P<0.05). Significant differences in the expression of novel miRNAs of NW_004080184.1_6326 between medium and large waves were detected (P<0.05), and highly significant differences between medium and small waves were observed (P<0.01). Highly significant differences in the expression level of NW_004080165.1_8572 between medium and large and small waves (P<0.01), in that of NW_004080181.1_3961 between medium and small waves (P<0.01), and in that of NW_004080190.1_13733 between medium and large waves were observed, whereas no significant differences in the other miRNAs among large, medium, and small waves were detected. Overall, the present study showed that miRNA-143, miRNA-10a, let-7i, NW_004080184.1_6326, NW_004080165.1_8572, NW_004080181.1_3961, and NW_004080190.1_13733 could be considered as important candidate genes, indicating these seven miRNAs may play significant roles in hair follicle growth and development in Hu sheep lambskin.

Accumulation and Determination of Phenylethanolamine A Residue in Hair of Swine and Sheep.

The present study proposed the use of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to detect the novel β-agonist phenylethanolamine A (PEA) in incurred hair samples of swine and sheep and to assess its accumulation for residue monitoring. The method showed good percent recoveries ranging from 93.2% to 102% and good coefficient of variation at <15%. The experiment was conducted in swine (24 treated and 4 controls) and sheep (3 treated and 1 control). PEA concentration was determined in hair during the treatment. High residue concentrations were present in hair as early as Day 24 (14.8±3.6 and 25.8±7.6 ng/g) and Day 21 (23.4±6.6 ng/g) for swine and sheep; these residues persisted until withdrawal on Days 14 and 21. Results showed high PEA accumulation in hair, thereby indicating the use of hair as a matrix in the control of PEA abuse in farm animals.

Energy requirements of hair sheep in the tropical regions of Latin America. Review

Los ovinos de pelo juegan un papel importante en la producción animal en las regiones tropicales; sin embargo, sus requerimientos nutricionales no se han determinado en la misma medida que los de las razas de lana. Debido a las condiciones ambientales de las regiones tropicales (clima, calidad y disponibilidad de alimentos), es razonable la hipótesis de que los requerimientos de energía metabolizable (EM) y la eficiencia de utilización de la EM pueden ser diferentes entre los ovinos de razas de pelo y de lana. La información disponible en ovinos de pelo muestra una gran discrepancia en cuanto a las necesidades de energía. Con base en datos de la literatura disponible para hembras ovinas, el requerimiento de EM para mantenimiento (EMm) fue de 419±129 kJ/kg PC0.75 (media ± desviación estándar) y para machos fue 388±123 kJ/kg BW0.75. El requerimiento de energía neta para la ganancia de peso (ENg) varió de 8.75 a 14.06 kJ/g (11.63±1.86 kJ/g). Las eficiencias de utilización de la EM para el mantenimiento (km) y la ganancia de peso (kg) fueron de 0.66±0.023 y 0.42±0.044, respectivamente. Esta revisión también indicó que la información es escasa para ovejas adultas en diferentes etapas fisiológicas (mantenimiento, lactancia y gestación).Se requiere más trabajo de investigación con relación a la estimación de las necesidades de energía de los ovinos de pelo, con el fin de hacer ajustes a los modelos existentes de alimentación, con el objetivo de predecir la respuesta de los animales con la condición que prevalece en los trópicos (tipo de animal, medio ambiente y alimentos disponibles).

Mineral requirements of hair sheep in tropical climates.

In this study, we evaluated the requirements of calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na) and potassium (K) for sheep hair growth. Experimental diets contained different levels of metabolizable energy [ME; 0.96, 1.28, 1.72, 2.18 and 2.62Mcal/kg of dry matter, (DM), corresponding to 4.23, 5.64, 7.58, 9.61 and 11.55MJ/kg DM]. The lambs' hair (n=48) at 2months of age presented an average body weight (BW) of 12.05±1.81kg. At the beginning of the experiment, eight animals were slaughtered as a reference group to estimate the initial empty body weight and body composition. Net mineral requirements (g/day) ranged from 0.73 to 0.71g of Ca, 0.51 to 0.49g of P, 0.026 to 0.026g of Mg, 0.16 to 0.19g of Na and 0.15 to 0.13g of K for animals with a BW ranging from 15 to 30kg and a daily gain of 100g. The results of this study indicate that the net macromineral requirements for weight gain in Morada Nova lambs are different from the values commonly recommended by the Agricultural and Food Research Council.

Validation of a confirmatory method of salbutamol in sheep hair by UPLC-MS/MS and its application to pharmacokinetic study

A new method for determining salbutamol in hair of sheep by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was established. Samples were extracted with 0.1M of HCl solution. The mixture was heated to 60°C in a water bath and kept at this temperature for 4h. The extracts were purified through SPE method and then dried with nitrogen. Residues were redissolved in mobile phase. The target compound was determined by UPLC-MS/MS with BEH-C18 column. The usefulness and feasibility of different treatment procedures of hair containing salbutamol were evaluated. The range of linearity was 1–100ng/g. The LOD was 0.3ng/g, and the LOQ was 1ng/g. Recoveries were 89–106%, and coefficients of variation were 3.2–13.9%. Pharmacokinetics of salbutamol was studied in healthy sheep after oral administration of 150μg/kg body weight salbutamol for 21 consecutive days. Salbutamol residues in hair were still detected after 21 days of administration.

Comercialización de ovinos de pelo en los municipios de Tejupilco y Amatepec del Estado de México.

The objective of this work was to determine the marketing of hair sheep in the south of the State of Mexico. The marketing process of sheep hair was analyzed in the municipalities of Tejupilco and Amatepec during 2011, through which the marketing channels and marketing margins were calculated in absolute and relative terms by their equivalent values to sheep meat. The information was obtained through sampling by intent, whereby 22 sheep producers, 7 collectors and 4 barbacoeros (barbeque seller) were surveyed. Information on prices, costs and sales volumes of each participating agent among other variables was collected. The results show that marketing of sheep was carried out through intermediaries (79%), while 21% of the sale of the herd was made directly to the final consumer. Regarding the marketing margins, the producer obtained 17.75% of the final price paid by the consumer. Intermediaries (barbeque and live sheep gatherer) obtained the highest marketing margin (82.24%). The barbacoero obtained the highest benefit: cost ratio. The most common marketing channel was the producer, sheep gatherer, barbacoero and final consumer.

Morphological characterization of indigenous sheep in Southern Regional State, Ethiopia

Information on morphological characteristics is a prerequisite to sustainable breed improvement, utilization and conservation. The present study was initiated to describe the physical and morphological characteristics of indigenous sheep reared in Sidama-Gedeo, Kembata Tembaro-Hadiya, Gurage-Silte, Gamogofa and Wolaita zones of Southern Regional State of Ethiopia. Data on the assessment of qualitative characters and linear body measurements were obtained from a total of 3966 sheep that were drawn from 928 households. The results indicated that the most common tail form in the Sidama-Gedeo, Kembata Tembaro-Hadiya, Gurage-Silte and Wolaita sheep was of long fat type ending with a straight tip, whereas that of Gamogofa sheep was long thin tail ending with a curve tip. Hair coat colour pattern was mainly plain followed by patchy. The common hair of sheep in all studied zones was short and smooth. Sheep from Sidama-Gedeo, Kembata Tembaro-Hadiya and Gurage-Silte were devoid of wattle and ruff. Rams of Gurage-Silte and Wolaita had higher (P &lt; 0.05) body weight values than those of other locations. Ewes of Sidama-Gedeo and Wolaita had relatively high (P &lt; 0.05) body weight, whereas those of Gurage-Silte, Gamogofa and Wolaita had significantly high chest girth values. Gurage-Silte and Gamogofa rams had large (P &lt; 0.05) chest girth values. The height at withers was high (P &lt; 0.05) for both sexes in Sidama-Gedeo, Kembata Tembaro-Hadiya and Wolaita sheep. The highest body length was obtained from Wolaita rams, followed by Gamogofa and Kembata Tembaro-Hadiya rams, whereas the lowest body length was obtained from Gurage-Silte rams. Ewes of Sidama-Gedeo had higher (P &lt; 0.05) body length values than those of other zones. The dendrogram indicated a close association among the sheep of Kembata Tembaro-Hadiya, Gurage-Silte and Sidama-Gedeo. However, sheep in Wolaita and Gamogofa were more distantly associated with those of the three zones. It can be concluded that the sheep in the study zones may possess unique adaptive features useful in designing sustainable sheep improvement strategies. However, a molecular-based genetic assessment of the population structure found in the study region might be given due consideration.

Different Animal Species Hairs as Biological Tool for the Forensic Assessment of Individual Identification Characteristics from Animals of Zoological Park, Pragti Maidan, New Delhi, India

Ongoing research shows that how hair varies-between species and even on the same animals-and how he developed a database of mammal hair that can be used by wild life forensic scientist to identify hair in cases of illegal trafficking of the world’s most endangered animals. Hair samples from some domestic and wild animals were evaluated in this study. The main hair structures (cuticle, cortex and medulla) were investigated. The guard hair diameter, colour, shaft, cuticle pattern, the medulla, the scale patterns and, root were examined using a light microscope. The current research on morphologic characteristics of animal hair can be performed to provide more information for wild life forensics and allowing for the identification of illegal transport of animals, poaching or wildlife crime, fraud in textile and fur industry, and dentification of their victims, etc. In the present study, different animal hairs collected from National Zoological Park, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India were microscopically examined. Wild life animal species like Baby sheep hair, baby goat hair, bear hair, buffalo hair, cattle hair, deer hair, Doberman dog hair, dog hair, emu hair, flamingo feather, goat hair, Labrador dog hair, sheep hair, tiger hair identification /characterization using microscopic hair characteristics is discussed here. As part of a research project, this paper provides data that allow rapid and low cost animal species identification based on the hair microscopic features because hair is strongly resistant from decomposition and this property makes hair a nearly ideal type of physical evidence.

The effects of flumethrin (Bayticol® pour-on) on European ticks exposed to treated hairs of cattle and sheep

Tick infestations in cattle and sheep pose serious health problems when agents of diseases are transmitted. In addition, blood feeding of ticks induces enormous economic losses due to reduced weight gain of infested animals. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of exposure to hairs clipped from cattle and sheep treated with flumethrin (Bayticol®) on European ticks. The dose used was 10 ml/100 kg body weight for both animal species. At intervals of 7 days (days 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35), hairs were cut off from treated and untreated animals along the backline and from the feet just above the claws. These hairs were mingled with stages of the tick species Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor reticulatus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. It was found that in the cases of I. ricinus and D. reticulatus, all specimens died within 5-12 h when coming into contact with cattle hair from the feet or back of animals treated 3 weeks ago and within 6 to 9 h after contact to sheep hair from back or feet. After 4 weeks, the specimens of both tick species that had contact with hair of treated sheep and cattle, independent from the origin backline or feet, were dead after 8 h except for one tick that had contact to hair from feet of cattle. It remained fully motile after a 12-h contact even for the observation time on another 5 days. When having contact to hair of animals treated 5 weeks before, several specimens of Ixodes and Dermacentor survived an exposition of 12 h. There were more survivors in the case of ticks tested on hair of the feet than in the case of contacts with hair of the backline. The exposure of R. sanguineus to hair obtained from animals treated 2 weeks earlier resulted in death in 2-4 h. However, most R. sanguineus ticks when coming in contact with treated hairs (collected from animals treated 3, 4 or 5 weeks earlier) from back or feet survived for atleast 5 days even after exposure for 12 h. These experiments confirmed the positive protection results obtained in former studies with typical cattle ticks in the tropics and/or subtropics. In addition to the killing effects described above, it was noted that flumethrin had a significant repellent effect. If ticks were mingled with treated hair, they tried to flee away and did not seek shelter inside the hair as the controls did in untreated hair.

Innervation of the Shoulder Joints in Turkish Shepherd Dogs (Karabash-Kangal), Curly Sheep and Native Hair Goats: An Anatomic Study

Innervation of the Shoulder Joints in Turkish Shepherd Dogs (Karabash-Kangal), Curly Sheep and Native Hair Goats: An Anatomic Study

Characterising the potential of sheep wool for ancient DNA analyses

The use of wool derived from sheep (Ovis aries) hair shafts is widespread in ancient and historic textiles. Given that hair can represent a valuable source of ancient DNA, wool may represent a valuable genetic archive for studies on the domestication of the sheep. However, both the quality and content of DNA in hair shafts are known to vary, and it is possible that common treatments of wool such as dyeing may negatively impact the DNA. Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we demonstrate that in general, short fragments of both mitochondrial and single-copy nuclear DNA can be PCR-amplified from wool derived from a variety of breeds, regardless of the body location or natural pigmentation. Furthermore, although DNA can be PCR-amplified from wool dyed with one of four common plant dyes (tansy, woad, madder, weld), the use of mordants such as alum or iron leads to considerable DNA degradation. Lastly, we demonstrate that mtDNA at least can be PCR-amplified, cloned and sequenced from a range of archaeological and historic Danish, Flemmish and Greenlandic wool textile samples. In summary, our data suggest that wool offers a promising source for future ancient mitochondrial DNA studies.

Efficacy of deltamethrin (Butox® 7.5 pour on) against nymphs and adults of ticks (Ixodes ricinus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus) in treated hair of cattle and sheep

Ticks are known to be able to transmit a broad spectrum of agents of diseases in cattle or sheep. Therefore, measurements are needed to keep ticks away from the body of any ruminant belonging to the agricultural life stock. The present study dealt with investigations to measure the efficacy of the insecticide deltamethrin (Butox® 7.5 pour on) against specimens of two important species (Ixodes ricinus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus). Four sheep and four young cattle were treated lege arte along the vertebral column with 10 ml Butox® (deltamethrin) per sheep or 30 ml Butox® per cattle. Day 7, 14, 21, and 28 after the treatment, hair was shaved off from the head, ears, the back, belly, and the feet being collected in separate, suitable plastic bags, and transported to the institute, where these hair were brought into close contact with either adult and/or nymph stages of I. ricinus and R. sanguineus. As results, strong, acaricidal effects were seen, which varied according to the parasite species, the origin of the hair (e.g., head, leg, etc.) and according to the period after the treatment. In sheep, the acaricidal effect was noted for the whole period of 28 days along the whole body with respect to adults and nymphs of I. ricinus, while the acaricidal effects of deltamethrin were reduced for R. sanguineus stages beginning at day 21 after treatment. In cattle, the full acaricidal effect was seen for 21 days in I. ricinus stages and for 14 days in R. sanguineus, while the acaricidal efficacy became reduced after these periods of full action-beginning at the hair taken from the legs. Only R. sanguineus adults did not show any reaction on day 28 after treatment. Besides these acaricidal effects, repellent effects were also noted. Full repellency for both species was seen during the first 14 days in sheep and cattle against Ixodes and Rhipicephalus, while the repellency was later reduced, especially in contact with hair from the legs. As conclusion, deltamethrin, besides its very good effects against biting insects, brings acaricidal as well as repellent effects against ticks, thus protecting the sheep and cattle from transmission of agents of diseases.

Use of traditional medicinal plants by indigenous people in Mekele town, capital city of Tigray regional state of Ethiopia

Northern Ethiopia was carried out from July - September 2009. Thirteen informants between the ages of 18 and 56 were randomly selected for the study. Ethno-botanical data were collected using semistructured interview and field observations. The routes of administration were oral and dermal with equal proportions. The local people utilized 16 medicinal plant species to treat 16 human ailments. Most of these plants (62.5%) were collected from wild habitats. Local people depend on both dry and fresh remedies. In this case, 10 preparations (62.5%) were in fresh form and 6 (37.5%) dried. The majority (75%) of remedy preparations did not have additive substances while the remaining has different additive substances like honey, sugar, oil and hair of female old sheep for the treatment of single ailment. Most (84.6%) of the traditional healers were found to have poor knowledge on the dosage and antidote while prescribing remedies to their patients. Majority (84.6%) of traditional healers indicated the absence of any adverse effects of traditional medicines after administrations. But some (15.4%) of the preparations were reported to have some adverse effects like vomiting and fever on patients. Agricultural expansion, over grazing and lack of awareness are major threats to medicinal plants in the study area. It was found that, there is little practice of bringing medicinal plants under cultivation. It is therefore, recommended that people need to be encouraged to cultivate medicinal plants in their home garden. The participation of the local people and awareness creation through training or education on sustainable utilization and management of plant resources should be encouraged.

Distribution of cobalt, manganese and iron in the skin and hair of West African dwarf sheep and goats in Nigeria

The distribution of cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) was investigated in the skin and hair of 16 West African Dwarf sheep and goats. All three trace elements were present in varying amounts in both tissues. There were, however, some regional intraand interspecies differences Some of these differences were found to be statistically significant. These findings are discussed with reference to their possible implications for cutaneous manifestation of deficiency and other disease syndromes in the animals.

The distribution of Magnesium, Zinc &amp; Copper in the skin and hair of West African dwarf sheep

The distribution of magnesium, zinc and copper was investigated in the hair and skin of African dwarf sheep. The 3 elements were found to be present in varying degrees in these organs. All were more abundant in the hair than in the skin. For instance, 2026 ppm were the highest amount of magnesium found in the hair while its counterpart in the skin were 1178p.p.m.There were also differences in the quantities of these elements in the samples from the different regions of the body. Statistical analysis revealed that some of these differences were significant (p&lt;0.05). These findings are discussed in the context of their relevance to the structural and functional integrity of the skin and its adnexa Key Words: Sheep, Skin, Hair, and Trace Elements. &nbsp

Do grazer hair and faeces reflect the carbon isotope composition of semi-arid C3/C4 grassland?

The carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of C3/C4 mixed grassland is reflected in the δ13C of diet, hair or faeces of grazers, if 13C discrimination (13Δ) between grassland vegetation and these tissues is known and constant. However, these relationships could be modified by selective grazing or differential digestibility of the C3 and C4 components, potentially creating a bias between grassland and grazer tissue δ13C. Importantly, these factors have never been studied in detail. We investigated the relation between δ13C of C3/C4 grassland vegetation and that of faeces and hair of sheep in a 3-year (2005–2007) experiment in the Inner Mongolian semi-arid steppe. The experiment employed six stocking rates (0.375–2.25 sheep ha−1 year−1; four replications), which allowed for a large variation in species composition, digestibility, and diet selection. Faecal-nitrogen content, a proxy for digestibility, decreased from 1.9% to 1.5% during the grazing period due to aging of the herbage. At the same time, the C3/C4 ratio decreased due to the later growth initiation of C4 species. 13Δ between diet and faeces (13ΔDF; 0.6‰) and between diet and hair (13ΔDH; −3.9‰) were not influenced by stocking rate, period in the season or C3/C4 ratio. Moreover, faeces–hair discrimination (13ΔFH; −4.3‰), which reflects differences between digestibility of the C3 and C4 components, did not vary along the different gradients. The δ13C of grassland vegetation can be estimated from the δ13C of sheep faeces and hair, provided that 13Δ was accounted for. This is useful for landscape- or regional-scale investigations or reconstruction of C3/C4 vegetation distribution from faeces and hair, which provide different temporal and spatial integration of grassland isotope signals. Die Kohlenstoff-Isotopenzusammensetzung (δ13C) von C3/C4 Grasland widerspiegelt sich im δ13C des Futters, der Haare sowie des Kots von Weidetieren, sofern die 13C-Diskriminierung (13Δ) zwischen der Vegetation und dem jeweiligen Tierparameter bekannt und konstant ist. Unterschiedliche Verdaulichkeiten der C3 und C4 Komponenten, oder selektiver Fraß können jedoch 13Δ verändern und somit zu Fehlern bei der Schätzung des δ13C von Grasland führen. Diese Zusammenhänge wurden bisher noch nicht systematisch untersucht. In der vorliegenden Studie untersuchten wir deshalb die Beziehung zwischen dem δ13C von gemischtem C3/C4 Grasland und dem Kot und den Haaren von Schafen. Die Studie wurde in einem mehrjährigen Beweidungsexperiment (2005–2007) mit sechs verschiedenen Besatzdichten (0.375 bis 2.25 Schafe pro ha, vier Wiederholungen) in der semi-ariden Steppe der Inneren Mongolei durchgeführt. Dieses Versuchsdesign ermöglichte eine große Variation der Artenzusammensetzung, der Verdaulichkeit und der Futterselektion. Der Kotstickstoffgehalt (ein Maß für die Verdaulichkeit) sank während der Weideperiode von 1.9% auf 1.5%. Dieser Effekt beruhte auf der Alterung des Pflanzenbestandes. Gleichzeitig nahm das C3/C4-Verhältnis durch den späteren Austrieb der C4 Arten ab. Die 13Δ zwischen Futter und Kot (13ΔDF; 0.6‰) und zwischen Futter und Haar (13ΔDH; −3.9‰) war unabhängig von der Besatzdichte, dem Zeitpunkt innerhalb der Weideperiode und dem C3/C4-Verhältnis. Des Weiteren wurde die Kot-Haar Diskriminierung (13ΔFH; −4.3‰) – ein Maß für Verdaulichkeitsunterschiede zwischen C3 und C4 Arten – ebenfalls nicht von den verschiedenen Gradienten beeinflusst. Diese Untersuchungen zeigen, dass das δ13C von C3/C4 Grasland in der Inneren Mongolei aus dem δ13C von Kot oder Haaren bestimmt werden kann, sofern die (konstante) 13Δ berücksichtigt wird. Diese Ergebnisse sind besonders für lokale und regionale Untersuchungen, bzw. die Rekonstruktionen des C3/C4-Verhältnisses nützlich, da Kot und Haare Isotopensignale über (unterschiedlich lange) räumlich-zeitliche Skalen integrieren.

Does rain reduce the efficacy of Butox 7.5 pour on (deltamethrin) against biting midges (Culicoides specimens)?

Previous studies have shown that cattle and sheep that are treated topically with Butox 7.5 (deltamethrin) on the neck or along the back are protected from biting Culicoides spp. for up to 4 weeks. During these studies, the animals were provided with adequate shelter against the rain. The efficacy of deltamethrin on wet animals was, therefore, not tested. The present experiment was done to determine if thoroughly wetting the test subjects twice a week would affect the efficacy of deltamethrin. Cattle and sheep were treated with Butox 7.5 along the neck or dorsal midline. Test animals were wet thoroughly with tap water twice weekly. Control animals remained dry. Hair was clipped off the legs, near the claws, at day 7, 14, 21, and 28 after treatment of test and control animals. Recently caught C. obsoletus midges were then exposed to the hair for 15, 30, 60, and 120 s. Time taken for the midges to die after exposure was recorded. The product remained effective for at least up to 28 days, although, differences in the time taken to kill the midges were noted. Differences in time taken for the midges to die were also seen between those exposed to treated cattle hair and those exposed to treated sheep hair.

PROVENANCE OF ANCIENT TEXTILES—A PILOT STUDY EVALUATING THE STRONTIUM ISOTOPE SYSTEM IN WOOL*

Strontium isotopes are used in archaeology to reconstruct human and animal migration routes. We present results of a pilot study applying strontium isotope analyses to modern sheep hair as a basis for its potential use as a provenance tracer for ancient woollen textiles. Our hydrofluoric acid‐based, lipid soluble analytical protocol, also tested on a number of ancient textile fibres, allows for contamination‐free, low blank strontium isotope analysis of minimal amounts of archaeological material. 87Sr/86Sr ratios of decontaminated sheep hair agree well with the compositions of biologically available (soluble) strontium fractions from the respective feeding ground soils, a translatable requirement for any potentially successful provenance tracing applied to wool textiles.

Nerves Innervating Articular Capsule of Elbow Joints in Turkish Shepherd Dogs (Karabaş - Kangal), Curly Sheep and Native Hair Goats: An Anatomic Study

Nerves Innervating Articular Capsule of Elbow Joints in Turkish Shepherd Dogs (Karabaş - Kangal), Curly Sheep and Native Hair Goats: An Anatomic Study

Effects of permethrin (Flypor®) and fenvalerate (Acadrex®60, Arkofly®) on Culicoides species—the vector of Bluetongue virus

Bluetongue disease struggles ruminants in Europe since summer 2006, introducing high levels of morbidity and mortality. Besides vaccination, the application of insecticides is another means to protect cattle and sheep from infections with the Bluetongue virus, which is transmitted in Europe by female specimens of Culicoides species (Culicoides obsoletus and in a few cases of Culicoides pulicaris and Culicoides dewulfi). The present study deals with the effects of permethrin (Flypor) and fenvalerate (Arkofly, Acadrex 60) on freshly caught Culicoides specimens when brought into contact for 15, 30, 60 or 120 s with hair of cattle or sheep treated topically 7,14, 21, 28 or 35 days before. The experiments clearly showed that the lege arte application of these compounds (products) onto the hair of the experimental animals succeeds in killing Culicoides specimens when brought into contact with hair from feet of animals being treated even 35 days before. This test was needed to make sure that the products do reach the feet and belly of the animals in sufficient amounts, since this region is the predominant biting site of the Culicoides midges.