Sheep Breeds Research Articles

Genetic diversity and population structure of four Anatolian sheep revealed by genome-wide ddRADseq data

This is the first wide-scale study to reveal next-generation sequencing-based and comprehensive study to reveal genetic diversity, population structure, and phylogenetic relationships of some of Türkiye's indigenous fat-tailed sheep breeds. A total of 80 animals belonging to Akkaraman (AKR), Güney Karaman (GKR), Morkaraman (MKR), and Karakaş (KRK) sheep breeds were genotyped with genome-wide of 296.097 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) data recovered from double digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) libraries processed by Illumina HiSeq X Ten instrument. Minor allele frequency (MAF) ranged from 0.311 (MKR) to 0.316 (AKR and GKR). Observed heterozygosity (HO) values were higher than expected values (HE) across all populations with a mean of 0.307. Negative inbreeding coefficient (FIS) values were observed in four sheep populations varying between −0.034 (AKR) to −0.060 (MKR). Cross-entropy criterion-based ADMIXTURE analysis demonstrated that four Anatolian sheep breeds were represented by two ancestral populations in which GKR and AKR were distinct, while KRK and MKR were mixed populations. Genetic distance-based tree, discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC), and ADMIXTURE analyses confirmed that GKR, which is believed to be derived from the AKR breed, has become genetically different from other sheep populations. Moreover, no migration from and into the GKR breed was detected, while a migration edge was drawn from the KRK and MKR clade into the AKR breed by the TreeMix algorithm. This study confirmed that high-density SNP data obtained from advanced next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms are efficient in genetically distinguishing animal breeds, even varieties. It is recommended that further NGS-based studies could be carried out to better characterize different indigenous livestock populations raised in Türkiye.

Genomic and transcriptomic analysis reveals the genetic diversity and adaptive signatures of Maduo sheep

The alpine grassland ecosystem is characterized by high-altitude, hypoxia, harsh cold and strong radiation conditions, and the unique growth performance and stress resistance of indigenous domestic animals. Maduo sheep, a newly discovered Tibetan sheep breed living in the source area of the Yellow River, is famous for its high-quality wool and meat production. However, its genome and genetic features still need to be deciphered. The genomes of 12 Maduo sheep were sequenced on a genome-wide scale and compared with those of 6 other Tibetan sheep breeds. Population structure analyses revealed that Maduo sheep were distinctly separated from other Tibetan sheep breeds with a higher genetic diversity. Strong selective signatures were detected by the FST and XP-CLR results, identifying MREG, RXFP2 and SYNDIG1 in Maduo sheep. To explore the molecular regulation of Maduo sheep adaptability to the high-altitude environment, the muscle tissues of 3 Tibetan sheep populations living at different altitudes (1500 m, 2500 m and 4200 m) were sampled for RNA sequencing. We found 132, 269 and 149 specific transcripts from 1500 m, 2500 m and 4200 m groups respectively. A total of 327 differentially expressed transcripts were found in both 2500 m vs. 1500 m and 4200 m vs. 1500 m comparisons, which were closely related to stem cell differentiation, p38-MAPK cascade, skeletal system morphogenesis, etc. On the other hand, 122 differentially expressed transcripts were found in both 4200 m vs. 1500 m and 4200 m vs. 2500 m comparisons, which should be responsible for adaptive immune response, cytoskeleton, apoptotic regulation and so on. This study provides important genomic insights into the genetic resources of Maduo sheep and could be helpful for understanding the mechanisms of hypoxic adaptability.

An observational study of farmer-reported clinical mastitis in New Zealand dairy ewes

ABSTRACT Aims To describe the incidence, aetiology, treatment, and outcomes of farmer-reported clinical mastitis on New Zealand dairy sheep farms. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted on 20 spring-lambing New Zealand sheep milking farms over the 2022–2023 season. Clinical mastitis was defined as a change in the appearance of milk and/or signs of inflammation in the gland. Farmers were required to report all cases of clinical mastitis and collect information on affected ewes’ demographics, clinical features, treatments (where applicable), and outcomes. Milk samples from mastitic glands were submitted for microbiological culture and identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF). Results Partial or complete clinical mastitis data were available for 236 cases from 221 ewes on 18/20 study farms. Clinical mastitis was diagnosed in 0–6% of ewes at the farm level, with an overall incidence of 1.8 (95% CI = 1.0–3.2)% using the study data, or 2.3 (95% CI = 1.6–3.3)% using the study data and farmer estimates that included unreported cases. Cases occurred mostly in early lactation, with 59% detected during the lambing period (August–October), at a median of 7 (IQR 3, 40) days in milk. The majority of cases featured clots in the milk (59%), swelling (55%), and unevenness (71%) of the glands. Pyrexia (rectal temperature ≥ 40.0°C) was diagnosed in 25% of cases and depression (lethargy, inappetence, or inability to stand) in 26% of cases. Treatment was given to 46% of cases, with tylosin being the most commonly used treatment (50% of treated cases). The most common outcome was immediate drying off to be culled without treatment (32%), followed by still milking and recovered but with lasting problems (25%). Nearly half of all the milk samples submitted were culture negative. Streptococcus uberis (14%), non-aureus staphylococci (12%), and Staphylococcus aureus (11%) were the most common isolates, found on 12, 8 and 8 of the 16 farms with microbiological data, respectively. Conclusions Clinical mastitis affected up to 6% of ewes at the farm level. Systemic signs were observed in one quarter of affected ewes, suggesting a role for supportive treatment. Clinical mastitis can be severe and challenging to fully resolve in New Zealand dairy sheep. Clinical relevance This is the first systematic study of clinical mastitis in New Zealand dairy ewes. It provides baseline information specific to New Zealand conditions for farmers, veterinarians, and other advisors to guide the management of mastitis for the relatively new dairy sheep industry in New Zealand.

MiR-329b-5p Affects Sheep Intestinal Epithelial Cells against Escherichia coli F17 Infection.

Diarrhea is the most common issue in sheep farms, typically due to pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) infections, such as E. coli F17. microRNA, a primary type of non-coding RNA, has been shown to be involved in diarrhea caused by pathogenic E. coli. To elucidate the profound mechanisms of miRNA in E. coli F17 infections, methods such as E. coli F17 adhesion assay, colony counting assay, relative quantification of bacterial E. coli fimbriae gene expression, indirect immune fluorescence (IF), Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), Western blotting (WB), and scratch assay were conducted to investigate the effect of miR-329b-5p overexpression/knock-down on E. coli F17 susceptibility of sheep intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). The findings indicated that miR-329b-5p enhances the E. coli F17 resistance of sheep IECs to E.coli F17 by promoting adhesion between E. coli F17 and IEC, as well as IEC proliferation and migration. In summary, miR-329b-5p plays a crucial role in the defense of sheep IECs against E. coli F17 infection, providing valuable insights into its mechanism of action.

Risk Categorization in On-Farm Welfare in Different-Sized Dairy Sheep Flocks.

The objective of the present work was to categorize the risks in the on-farm welfare of dairy sheep in semi-extensive systems in order to highlight if risks in welfare vary according to the farm size. To the best of our knowledge, this study constitutes one of the few categorizations of the risks in the welfare of dairy sheep reared semi-extensively. The survey was conducted on 12 semi-extensive dairy sheep farms in Tuscany (Central Italy), which were classified according to flock size: <500, from 500 to 1000, and >1000. The results showed an adequate rating for all the farms included in the study. The most critical issues concerned the ratio between the number of stockpersons and the number of animals within the farms, the small decubitus areas, the lack of udder cleaning procedures during milking operations, and, in terms of biosecurity, the lack of prevention, control, and eradication plans for the most important infectious ovine diseases. The results show that different items in the five areas evaluated, including the assessments of management of the flock, the number of daily inspections, and the hygiene of the water supplies are associated with the farm size. In large farms, the assessment of management of the flock was better, but the number of daily inspections and the hygiene of the water supplies were worse.

Faecal egg count reduction tests and nemabiome analysis reveal high frequency of multi-resistant parasites on sheep farms in north-east Germany involving multiple strongyle parasite species

Anthelmintic resistance in sheep parasitic gastrointestinal nematodes is widespread and a severe health and economic issue but prevalence of resistance and involved parasite species are unknown in Germany. Here, the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) was performed on eight farms using fenbendazole, ivermectin and moxidectin and on four farms using only moxidectin. A questionnaire was used to obtain data on management practices to potentially identify risk factors for presence of resistance. All requirements of the recently revised WAAVP guideline for diagnosing anthelmintic resistance using the FECRT were applied. Nematode species composition in pre- and post-treatment samples was analysed with the nemabiome approach. Using the eggCounts statistic package, resistance against fenbendazole, ivermectin and moxidectin was found on 7/8, 8/8 and 8/12 farms, respectively. No formal risk factor analysis was conducted since resistance was present on most farms. Comparison with the bayescount R package results revealed substantial agreement between methods (Cohen's κ = 0.774). In contrast, interpretation of data comparing revised and original WAAVP guidelines resulted in moderate agreement (Cohen's κ = 0.444). The FECR for moxidectin was significantly higher than for ivermectin and fenbendazole. Nemabiome data identified 4 to 12 species in pre-treatment samples and treatments caused a small but significant decrease in species diversity (inverse Simpson index). Non-metric multidimensional scaling and k-means clustering were used to identify common patterns in pre- and post-treatment samples. However, post-treatment samples were scattered among the pre-treatment samples. Resistant parasite species differed between farms. In conclusion, the revised FECRT guideline allows robust detection of anthelmintic resistance. Resistance was widespread and involved multiple parasite species. Resistance against both drug classes on the same farm was common. Further studies including additional drugs (levamisole, monepantel, closantel) should combine sensitive FECRTs with nemabiome data to comprehensively characterise the anthelmintic susceptibility status of sheep nematodes in Germany.

Influence of Climate Change Adaptation Policies on Sheep Farming Viability in Australia

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of climate change adaptation policies on sheep farming viability in Australia. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Climate change adaptation policies in Australia have significantly influenced the viability of sheep farming in recent years. Research indicates that the implementation of targeted adaptation measures, such as improved pasture management and water conservation strategies, has helped mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on sheep farming viability. Studies have shown that farms adopting these policies have experienced higher survival rates of livestock and increased profitability compared to those without such measures. Additionally, government support programs aimed at assisting sheep farmers in implementing climate adaptation strategies have been instrumental in enhancing the resilience of the sector. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Adaptation theory in environmental economics, resilience theory &amp; theory of planned behavior (TPB) may be used to anchor future studies on analyze the impact of climate change on wheat yields in Australia. The enhancement of breeding programs focuses on practical genetic advancements to create drought and heat-resistant sheep varieties, addressing direct climate impacts on livestock. By advocating for government and industry funding for genetic research, the recommendations influence policy towards investing in long-term solutions for climate resilience.

78 Estimates of genetic parameters for weight, wool, and carcass traits of Rambouillet sheep

Abstract The Rambouillet sheep breed is the foundation to most western range sheep in the U.S. Through the National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP), Rambouillet breeders seek to improve economically relevant traits. However, the parameters used in the NSIP genetic evaluation were last estimated two decades ago. Our aim was to re-estimate genetic parameters for body weight (BW), carcass, and wool traits. Data were provided by NSIP, which included BW at birth (BWT; n = 28,817), weaning [WWT; n = 5,633; age: 68 (SD 16) day], early post-weaning [PWTE; n = 23,303; 128 (SD 22) d], late post-weaning [PWTL; n = 7,689; 201 (SD 45) d] and as yearlings [YWT; n = 5,830; 375 (SD 33) d]. Yearling ultrasound scans of 12th rib backfat depth (YCF; n = 2,447) and eye muscle depth (YEMD; n = 2,457) were also available. Yearling wool traits were fiber curvature (YFC; n = 6,009), fiber diameter (YFD; n = 9,880), fiber diameter coefficient of variation (YFDCV; n = 8,803), greasy fleece weight (YGFW; n = 11,859) and staple length (YSL; n = 11,270). The pedigree consisted of 36,297 individuals. Animals with phenotypic records were progeny of 333 sires and 1,727 dams. A succession of univariate animal models was fitted. The most comprehensive model included direct and maternal additive genetic effects, their genetic covariance, and maternal permanent environmental and residual effects. Phenotypes were pre-adjusted for birth-rearing type category and, as covariates, dam age and age at recording. Contemporary group—a concatenation of flock, year, season, management group, sex, and, excluding BWT, recording date—was the only fixed effect fitted in the model. Model selection was based on the log-likelihood ratio test, and Akaike and Bayesian information criteria. The data structure, namely dams and their daughters and granddaughters contributing data, allowed reliable testing of the maternal effect terms. The direct-maternal genetic covariance did not explain variation for any trait (P &amp;gt; 0.18). The most parsimonious model for BW traits included direct and maternal additive genetic, and maternal permanent environmental, effects. For carcass and wool traits, only direct additive genetic effects were included in the final model. Such was unsurprising, as maternal effects often diminish as animals age. For the final models fitted (Table 1), direct heritabilities (± SE) for body weights ranged from 0.14 ± 0.01 (BWT) to 0.38 ± 0.04 (PWTL); the maternal heritabilities ranged from 0.04 ± 0.02 (PWTL; YWT) to 0.13 ± 0.01 (BWT). For carcass traits, direct heritabilities were 0.13 ± 0.04 (YCF) and 0.31 ± 0.05 (YEMD). For wool traits, they ranged from 0.37 ± 0.02 (YSL) to 0.58 ± 0.02 (YFD). These re-estimated parameter values are consistent with those used by NSIP, with the exception of PWTL (greater) and YSL (lower). With genomic data accumulating in Rambouillet, further refinements in parameter estimation are planned.

98 Adding parasite resistance to the breeding objective in hair sheep

Abstract Economic selection indexes provide the best method to achieve genetic gain for multiple traits simultaneously. Hair sheep enterprises, particularly in environments with substantial gastrointestinal nematode challenge, may benefit from incorporating parasite resistance in a selection index. However, obtaining the relative economic value (REV) for parasite resistance is challenging; information on its impact on productivity is incomplete, as are the costs of treatment given anthelmintic resistance. The National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP) currently provides producers with an index designed to increase total weight of lamb weaned per ewe lambing (TW). Our objective was to assess the effects of including fecal egg count, an indicator of parasite resistance, as an additional goal trait. Including the benchmark scenario with TW as its sole objective, 10 indexes were constructed using standard index theory. Post-weaning fecal egg count (PFEC) was added to this breeding objective with a REV of -1 and the REV for TW was varied from +1 to +5 at +0.5 increments. Weaning weight, number of lambs born and weaned, and PFEC were the selection criteria, modelled as either phenotypes or estimated breeding values (EBV). Phenotypes and EBV were simulated for 1,000 lambs by Cholesky decomposition and used to generate index scores. Ten replicates were run and the top 3% of males and 26% of females were retained on index scores. Annual responses in the goal traits were estimated. Responses in PFEC were expressed as a percentage, assuming a mean PFEC of 2,089 eggs/g as in NSIP. Concordances with those selected in the benchmark scenario were determined. Using EBV as selection criteria, TW increased by 1.7 kg/yr in the benchmark scenario (Table 1). However, unfavorably, PFEC increased by 2.3%/yr. When phenotypic criteria were used, TW increased by 0.5 kg/yr, and PFEC by 0.3%/yr. Once added to the breeding objective, PFEC decreased regardless of the REV of TW. However, response in TW also reduced, although less so as its REV increased. With EBV as the criteria, the REV of +3 for TW appeared preferable: PFEC reduced by 7.1%/yr with 98% of the response in TW retained. With phenotypic selection criteria, PFEC reduced by 5.2%/yr with 94% of the response in TW retained. With +3 REV for TW and EBV as the selection criteria, on average 65% and 82% of males and females, respectively, were chosen in common with the benchmark. When phenotypic criteria were used, those percentages were 60% and 80%, respectively. Implementing a more holistic index with REV of +3 for TW and -1 for PFEC would result in reasonable responses in both traits. However, producers will need to decide if reduced gains in TW is acceptable to improve parasite resistance in a hair sheep breeding program.

Behaviour of the population structure and performance indicators in sheep production systems in Colombia

Objective. The behavior of the population structure, indicators of reproduction and production in sheep were determined. Materials and methods. 104 sheep farms were monitored, in 7 regions of Colombia, corresponding to a population of 7708 animals, distributed in: Inventory, Infants, Growth 1, Development, Completion and Adults. It was applied descriptive statistics and simple ANOVA and with covariance. Results. The mean Inventory per farm is 74.1±79 heads; category Infants corresponds to 8.7% of the population, Growth1 15.3%, Development 12%, Completion 20.8% and Adults 43.3%. The Age of Conception in Corderas was 15.7±5.5 months; Age at First Delivery of 20.7±5.5 months; the Birth Interval Concepción was 160.3±65.4 days, the Interval Between Births was 310.3±65.4 days. The Birth Weight of males was 4.2±4 kg and females 3.4±1.2 kg, without significant differences (p&gt;0.05); Weaning Weight, adjusted at 90 days (3 months) in males was 16.8±6.4 kg and females 16.3±5.6 kg, without significant differences (p&gt;0.05); the weight at 12 months for males was 34.9±13.7 kg and females 33.4±10.7 kg, without significant differences (p&gt;0.05). Discussion. Different sizes of farms are evident; the onset of reproductive activity is late, with Interval Between Births that maintain a not very dynamic reproductive rhythm. The productive variables are within the range. Conclusions. The indicators obtained represent referential information on the population structure and productive behavior of sheep production systems in the seven monitored regions of Colombia.

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.

Geometric morphometric evaluation of mandibles of four sheep breeds: Bardoka, İvesi, Polish Mountain sheep and Turcana.

The enduring relationship between humans and domestic sheep has evolved over millennia, showcasing diverse uses such as meat, milk, wool, leather and fur, shaped by geographical, historical, cultural and social factors. The sheep breeds discussed include the Ivesi from Southeastern Anatolia, known for its varied animal products; the resilient Turcana breed of Romania; Kosovo's Bardoka, valued for its triple-purpose characteristics; and Poland's Polish Mountain Sheep, uniquely utilized for milk production in cheese making. Sheep, with their enduring relationship with humans and significant economic importance, have attracted scientific interest in morphometric studies of their mandibles, yielding valuable data applicable across various fields including basic anatomy, veterinary clinical anatomy, zooarchaeology and veterinary forensic medicine. Traditional morphometric studies rely on statistical methods to compare length, depth and angular ratios between anatomical formations, often highlighting differences between specific points but not fully revealing shape variations between distinct groups. Geometric morphometric analysis has emerged as a preferred method in recent years, enabling shape analyses using coordinate data from various imaging techniques, facilitating a comprehensive examination of mandibular morphometrics among sheep breeds across different countries. This study involved four sheep breeds from different countries, namely İvesi from Turkey, Bardoka from Kosovo, Polish Mountain Sheep from Poland and Turcana from Romania, with a total of 70 mandibles sourced from various veterinary faculties. Mandibular photographs were meticulously captured, focusing on the right side of mandible pairs and placing landmarks and semi-landmarks along the entire edge, enabling geometric morphometric analysis using tpsUtil, tpsDig2 and MorphoJ software. The analysis included principal component analysis, canonical variate analysis and discriminant function analysis for pairwise comparisons, facilitating a comprehensive examination of mandibular shape variations among the different sheep breeds. Using geometric morphometric methods, this study analysed mandibles from four distinct sheep breeds sourced from different countries, revealing notable variations in regions such as the ramus mandibula, angulus mandibula and incisive areas, attributed to genetic, geographical and dietary influences, highlighting the importance of continued research to better comprehend these shape differences.

Skull asymmetry in various sheep breeds: Directional asymmetry and fluctuating asymmetry.

Sheep (Ovis aries) play an important role in the economy of Turkey and the Balkan Peninsula due to their use in farming. As a domesticated species, sheep's morphometric and morphological diversity is likely determined by selective breeding practices rather than geographic distribution. This study aimed to analyse four different sheep breed skulls and reveal skull asymmetry using geometric morphometric methods. For this purpose, 2D images of 52 sheep skulls from different breeds were analysed from the dorsal view of the skull, using 28 landmarks. In the comparison of sheep skulls from the dorsal view, the first principal components for directional asymmetry (DA) and fluctuating asymmetry (FA) were 32.98% and 39.62% of the total variation, respectively. Sharri and Ivesi (Awassi) sheep breeds had the broadest distribution of skull shapes among the breeds, while Lara e Polisit was the most conservative breed. DA was used as a measure of biomechanical constraints, and FA was used as an indicator of environmental stress. Consistent with DA, both differences in centroid size and shape between breeds were statistically significant. No differences between males and females related to asymmetry were revealed. Ivesi sheep revealed the highest fluctuating asymmetry. Geometric morphometric methods proved to be a useful tool for distinguishing differences in the shape of the skull of different sheep breeds and also can be useful for taxonomic purposes.

Genomic diversity of the locally developed Latvian Darkheaded sheep breed

The Latvian Darkheaded is the only locally developed sheep breed. The breed was formed at the beginning of the 20th century by crossing local coarse-wooled sheep with the British Shropshire and Oxfordshire breeds. The breed was later improved by adding Ile-de-France, Texel, German blackheads, and Finnsheep to achieve higher prolificacy and better meat quality. Previous studies have reported the Latvian Darkheaded sheep to be closely related to Estonian and Lithuanian Blackface breeds, according to microsatellite data. To expand our knowledge of the genetic resources of the Latvian Darkheaded breed, we conducted a whole-genome resequencing analysis on 40 native sheep. The investigation showed that local sheep harbor genetic diversity levels similar to those observed among other improved breeds of European origin, including Charollais and Suffolk. Genome-wide nucleotide diversity (π) in Latvian Darkheaded sheep was 3.91 × 10−3, whereas the average observed heterozygosity among the 40 animals was 0.267 and 0.438 within the subsample of unrelated individuals. The Ne has rapidly decreased to 200 ten generations ago with a recent drop to Ne 73 four generations ago. However, inbreeding levels based on runs of homozygosity were, on average, low, with FROH ranging between 0.016 and 0.059. The analysis of the genomic composition of the breed confirmed shared ancestry with sheep of British origin, reflecting the history of the breed. Nevertheless, Latvian Darkheaded sheep were genetically separable. The contemporary Latvian Darkheaded sheep population is genetically diverse with a low inbreeding rate. However, further development of breed management programs is necessary to prevent an increase in inbreeding, loss of genetic diversity, and depletion of breed-specific genetic resources, ensuring the preservation of the native Latvian Darkheaded sheep.

Estimation of genetic parameters as well as trends for growth traits in Harnali sheep

The current study focussed on the growth traits pertaining to Harnali sheep maintained at Sheep Farm, LUVAS, Hisar and data were recorded from pedigree sheets of 1278 animals. Growth traits considered were birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), six-month weight (6MW), yearling weight (YW), and pre-weaning average daily gain (PRWDG) and least-squares means for corresponding traits found to be 3.28±0.02 kg, 12.89±0.07 kg, 17.06±0.06 kg, 24.36±0.06 kg, and 106.74±0.61 g, respectively. Effect of different factors like period of birth, sex of animal and dams’ weight at lambing was studied on growth traits. Except YW, significant effect of period of birth was observed on all the growth traits. Sex had significant influence on BW only however, dams’ weight at lambing affected significantly all the considered growth traits except YW. By leveraging the sire component of variance and covariance from mixed model analysis, the paternal half-sib correlation method was used to estimate genetic as well as phenotypic parameters. Estimates of heritability for BW, WW, 6MW, YW and PRWDG were 0.28±0.07, 0.33±0.07, 0.31±0.07, 0.12±0.04 and 0.27±0.06, respectively. Genetic as well as phenotypic trends for WW and PRWDG were found to be positive. Moderate range of genetic variability at weaning weight and its positive genetic and phenotypic correlations with growth traits specially six month’s weight indicated that genetic improvement could be possible through early selection at weaning weight in Harnali sheep.

Rapid on-site genotyping of the ovine prolific FecBB mutation using a CRISPR/Cas12a-based detection system

BMPR1B is a pivotal gene that influences reproductive performance in sheep. The sheep populations that carry the FecBB mutation within this gene exhibit significantly higher lambing rates compared to wild-type populations. Therefore, screening for individuals carrying the FecBB mutation is crucial for effective sheep breeding programs. This study aims to establish a rapid, precise, and visualised on-site detection method for genotyping the prolific FecBB mutation in sheep. We combined the CRISPR/Cas12a system with the recombinase-polymerase amplification (RPA) technique. We introduced an additional nucleotide mismatch on the amplification primers to form a Cas12a-recognised protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) sequence. In addition, mismatches were introduced in CRISPR-derived RNA (crRNA) to enable naked-eye differentiation of the assay results. Subsequently, we validated the accuracy of the method by examining additional blood samples from 56 sheep representing four breeds. The results of using our developed system were highly consistent with the Sanger sequencing. Overall, the CRISPR/Cas12a-based detection provides a rapid and more versatitle method for FecBB genotyping. It holds promise in enhancing efficiency in livestock breeding programmes for any single nucleotide mutations.

Динамика на някои биохимични показатели при две местни породи овце в зависимост от сезона, надморската височина и наличието на паразити

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the values of some enzymes and metabolites - ALT, AST, ALP, serum iron and glucose of two herds of Bulgarian native sheep breeds raised at different altitudes, depending on the season, their body condition score (BCS) and the presence of gastrointestinal parasites. The research was conducted with 20 animals each in farms in the village of Mirkovo (715 m above sea level) with Sofia (Elinpelin) sheep breed and in the village of Gubesh (1040 m above sea level) with Central Balkan sheep breed. Body condition assessment was performed during sampling by one individual using an adapted system. Fresh faeces (total sample) were also collected for parasitological tests (coproovoscopy and coprolarvoscopy). Analysis of biochemical parameters was performed in extracted blood plasma with a BTS-350 semi-automatic biochemical analyzer. AST and glucose levels were normal, ALP and Fe were lower in both seasons, and ALT was higher than reference values limits only in summer for both breeds. There were significant differences between the two breeds in summer for BCS, ALT and glucose (p&lt;0.001, p&lt;0.05 and p&lt;0.01 respectively), in winter - only for Fe (p&lt;0.001) and in both seasons for HCT (p&lt;0.001 and p&lt;0.01 respectively), AST (p&lt;0.001 and p&lt;0.05 respectively) and ALP (p&lt;0.001 each). Regarding the activity of AST, there are no significant differences between the two seasons and in both breeds, however, there are such differences only in Central Balkan sheep for BCS and Fe (respectively p&lt;0.01 and p&lt;0.001), and in both breeds together with different degrees of freedom - for all other indicators (HCT, ALT, ALP and glucose).

Analisis Kontribusi Usaha Ternak Domba Terhadap Pendapatan Peternak di Kecamatan Kertajati Kabupaten Majalengka

This research aims to determine the analysis of household income, the contribution of sheep farming to farmer income, and the factors that influence the size of the contribution of sheep farming. This research was carried out from June to August 2022. The analytical methods used were descriptive analysis, contribution analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. Respondents were determined using a purposive sampling method of 85 respondents. The variables observed were the number of working hours, number of workers, and number of livestock. The research results show that the average income of sheep farming is IDR 2.289.513/year. Meanwhile, the average income from breeders' business is IDR 7.730.746 /year. The sheep farming business contributes 29.61% to the total income of farmers in Kertajati District, Majalengka Regency. The coefficient of determination (R2) was obtained at 0.039. which means that the number of livestock, the amount of working hours, and the number of workers influence the contribution of sheep livestock by 3.9%, so Y is influenced by 96.1% by other factors outside the independent variable.

Analisis Hubungan antara Motivasi dengan Skala Usaha dan Pendapatan Peternak Domba Lokal di Kecamatan Kertajati Kabupaten Majalengka

A research study was conducted in the Kertajati District, Majalengka Regency, to analyze the motivation levels of local sheep farmers and their relationship with business scale and income. The study, which took place from March 8 to April 15, 2023, used a sample of 85 sheep farmers selected through purposive sampling. The analytical methods employed included a survey method with descriptive analysis and rank spearman analysis. The results revealed that the farmers in Kertajati District had a moderate level of motivation towards sheep farming, with exterior factors having the greatest impact on their motivation. There was a strong correlation between motivation and business scale (r = 0.668), indicating a significant relationship. However, the relationship between motivation and income, as well as the relationship between business scale and income, had less meaningful correlations (r = 0.081 and r = 0.069, respectively). In conclusion, the study showed that farmers in the area have a moderate motivation to raise sheep, and there is a significant relationship between motivation and business scale.

Съвременно състояние и динамика на породата Брезнишка овца в България

The aim is to establish the current state and dynamics of the Breznik sheep breed in Bulgaria. Information from studbooks, pedigree certificates, primary breeding documentation of the controlled part of the population and the reports of the „Association for Breeding of the Breznik Sheep“ for the period 2015-2023 were used. An analysis was made of the geographical distribution, the dynamics of the number of controlled animals for 9 year period, the possibilities for reproduction, the size and age structure of the herds. The organization „Association for Breeding of the Breznik Sheep“ carries out selection and control, as the only breeding organization working with the Breznik sheep breed at the moment, which numbers 4136 sheep. This fact is a prerequisite for the organization of effective breeding work. The share of farms with flock between 100 and 150 animals is the largest. Controlled sheep are raised on 16 farms in 4 regions of the country, with an average of 259 sheep per farm. The number of young breeding animals is low and provides 16.2% reproduction of ewes and 15.7% of rams. This low percentage of reproduction implies a relatively low selection differential for the main productive traits, resp. less effect of selection. Therefore, it is advisable to leave a larger number of young animals for breeding, which will enable a more precise selection.