To study the effect of Ca-salt of linseed oil (Ca-LSO) supplementation in diets with varying protein content, thirty-six 12-day-old Farahani lambs with an average BW of 8.9 kg were used in a completely randomized block design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement as follows: (1) no Ca-salt of linseed oil supplementation and 18 % CP (NLSO-18CP); (2) no Ca-salt of linseed oil supplementation and 21 % CP

Growth, being a repeatable trait, is found to be more suitable for random regression models (RRM). Especially in a field performance recording system the nature of data is heterogenous and the structure of data causes problems in genetic evaluation through normal univariate models. In this study, RRM was used to estimate variance components for growth in farmers’ flocks of Madras Red sheep, reared

Projected climate change will involve an additional threat for the sustainability of small ruminant production systems in Europe. Aiming to understand its implications, we conducted a literature review on climate change interactions with sheep and goat systems. The review first identifies the main potential impacts on productivity at the animal level (heat stress effects) and at the forage level (quantity

Cryptosporidiosis is the second major cause of diarrheal illness in humans and animals. Despite being a major cause of digestive anomalies in goats of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan), there is a serious dearth of data regarding the infection induced alterations in physiological biomarkers. The present study was conducted to record changes in vital body parameters caused by the cryptosporidiosis. A total

Two experiments (in vitro and in vivo evaluation) were conducted to evaluate the ability of three different tanniniferous legumes to replace berseem hay on ruminal fermentation, digestibility and methane (CH4) emission. Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) hay (BH) was considered as control, or replaced at 50% with Acacia saligna (AS), Leucaena leucocephala (LL) or Atriplex halimus (AH) on a DM basis

Microalgae, have gained significant attention as a source of beneficial biomolecules such as long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), and are considered to be an effective strategy to enhance ruminant milk with PUFA. However, milk fatty acids (FA) profile is affected by ruminant biohydrogenation process and consequently by possible adaptations of rumen microbiome related with the duration

Effect of increasing levels of olive leaves in the diet on intake, growth rate and meat quality of kids was studied. Twenty-four Mahabadi kids (initial body weight (BW) of 21.3 ± 1.14 kg and 5 –6 months of age) were randomly assigned to three groups (n = 8). One group was fed a basal diet as control (without OL) while the diet of the other two groups was modified by substituting 7.5% (OL7.5) and 15%

Kid survival is very critical to be profitable in goat production. Thus, this study was conducted to identify genetic and non-genetic factors affecting the survival rate of Boer x Central Highland goat and to estimate genetic parameters for survival using linear animal and Weibull proportional hazard model. Data collected from the Sirinka goat breeding station were utilized for this study. Survival

A pen feeding study was conducted using 10 month old Poll Dorset × Merino ewe lambs to test the effect of perennial wheat forage on growth rates and carcass characteristics in comparison to annual wheat forage. Individual lambs (n = 48) were fed one of four diets, namely perennial wheat (PW), annual wheat (W), perennial wheat + lucerne (alfalfa) (PW + L) or annual wheat + lucerne (W + L). Lambs were

To evaluate the effect(s) of the heat stress (HS) on body composition thirty-two growing Afshari lambs were randomly housed outdoor (OUT) without access to shade (mean temperature humidity index = 74.98) or kept indoor (IN) under shade (mean temperature humidity index = 73.08). At the end of study 10 lambs were processed and separable body protein and fat were determined. Neither morning rectal temperature

The current study examined the effect of in-feed administration of thyme and celery on lactational performance of Barki ewes. Thirty ewes (38 ± 2.6 kg) were stratified into 3 treatment groups and fed: (1) a basal total mixed control diet of concentrates and fodder maize (Zea mays L.) at 60:40 dry matter basis, (2) the control diet supplemented with 20 g of thyme, and (3) the control diet supplemented

This study aimed to determine the effect of temperature on energy balance of Saanen and Anglo-Nubian goats, using indirect open circuit respirometry. Six non-lactating and non-pregnant Saanen goats (initial body weight [BW] of 53.7 ± 7.7 kg) and Anglo-Nubian goats (initial BW of 56.4 ± 8.0 kg) were randomly assigned to three groups. Each group was allocated in climatic rooms and randomly assigned to

The family of myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) is exclusively expressed in the skeletal muscle, contributing to muscle growth and development, which affects carcass traits and meat characteristics. Skeletal muscle satellite cells (SMSCs) are important regulators of developing skeletal muscle, serving as a model for understanding the biology of the skeletal muscle of ruminants. In this study, we evaluated

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between residual intake and body weight gain (RIG) and the performance, ingestive behavior, and characteristics of longissimus muscle of crossbred ½ Dorper × ½ Santa Inês lambs. Nineteen non-castrated male lambs, with a mean age of 4 months and a body weight (BW) of 23.04 ± 3.16 kg, were individually fed ad libitum in a feedlot for 90 days. The

The objective was to evaluate the effect of increasing levels (0, 6, 12, and 18 %) of crude glycerin replacing corn in the diet of lambs on the chemical composition, physicochemical parameters, and fatty acid profile of the meat. Forty male non-castrated Santa Inês crossbred lambs with an initial average weight of 21.0 ± 0.8 kg were distributed in a randomized block design, according to initial weight

Sheep production in southern Australia (particularly south west Victoria) is based increasingly on the Maternal Composite ewe, a self-replacing stable crossbred. Breeding programs have focussed on maternal traits such as reproduction and lamb growth. Understanding the variability, range and correlations between the traits of residual feed intake (RFI), feed intake (dry matter intake, DMI), growth rate

The present study aims to investigate the genetic variability of the Blanche de Montagne breed (=Siroua sheep). The genetic variability was assessed by the analysis of a 628 bp fragment in the mtDNA of the control region from 32 unrelated animals. Sequence comparison revealed 44 polymorphic sites, of which 16 were parsimony informative and 28 were singletons. Haplotype diversity and nucleotide diversities

The objective of this trial was to determine if an anticipated first shearing at 10 months of age affects skin characteristics and fibre quality in alpacas in order to assess the possibility of practice two different shearings over a period of 16 months in the animals destined for slaughter. Twenty alpaca Huacaya (10 females and 10 males) were randomly assigned to two groups named Group S and Group

Ram testes must be ∼4 to 5 °C cooler than core for normal spermatogenesis, emphasizing importance of intrascrotal temperatures. Our goal was to use implantable data loggers (DL; ∼8 × 25 mm) to measure changes in intrascrotal temperature in rams. We compared DL temperature (DLT) to expected and measured intrascrotal temperatures. In four Ile de France rams (11–12 mo of age), a DL was surgically implanted

The sudden introduction of males to anestrous females stimulates synchronous ovulations. The effectiveness of males to induce this response is androgen dependent. The aim of the present study was to compare the reproductive response of anestrous does to the introduction of teaser bucks treated with or without deslorelin implants, which continuously release a GnRH agonist. While 5 bucks were acutely

The aim of this study was to identify, from questionnaire responses, the way Brazilian consumers perceive natural coloured sheep and their products, and to seek information that might assist in the development of this production chain. The responses of 503 consumers were analysed through the use of objective questions, and assigning scores or importance to different factors, as well as free word association

The alpaca is of greatest economic importance in the Peruvian High Andes. This study aimed to determine the genetic diversity of three Peruvian alpaca farms, as well as, to validate a microsatellite markers panel for paternity testing. In this study, 247 samples of Huacaya alpacas were taken from three different localities (Sanjo, San Pedro de Raco and Cachipampa) from Pasco Region in Peru. DNA was

This study aimed to compare lamb meat composition from five Iberian breeds raised in their typical rearing systems and to reveal trends in compositional meat attributes due to breed or production system. The meat quality of 153 animals was analysed. The combined effect of breed × production system produced significant differences in lamb meat quality. Meat from the extensively-reared Bordaleira-de

The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of the meat of lambs submitted to diets with grape pomace silage (GPS) in substitution of the whole plant corn silage. Twenty four male lambs were distributed in four diet treatments with increasing levels of GPS, using a forage:concentrate ratio of 50:50. The diet treatments were characterized for chemical composition, and the lamb meat was evaluated

The aim of this study was to explore spatial patterns of genetic structure in sheep breeds sampled in Brazil using Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in order to evaluate whether or not the genetic and geographic distances are interrelated in this species. Samples genotyped using the 50KSheepSNPChip (Illumina) included 215 animals from eight different sheep breeds. All collection sites were georeferenced

Data suggests crossbreeding a Romney ewe flock with Merino sires to achieve a second cross ¾ Merino ¼ Romney (¾M¼R) flock would reduce wool fibre diameter and increase income from wool sales. It is not known how cashflow would vary during such a breed transition and which factors would affect the profitability of such a strategy. A bio-economic system-dynamics modelling study was conducted to simulate

This study examined the effects of Origanum majorana leaf (OML) on the growth, carcass parameters and blood factors in fattening lambs. Twenty-four Kermani male lambs (initial body weight of 26 ± 0.8 kg and seven-month-old) were assigned to three dietary treatments including one control diet (OML0), and two diets containing 2 and 4 % OML (OML2 and OML4) on the dry matter basis. The diets were fed as

The effect of single subcutaneous melatonin (MEL) administration on reproductive performance in Singharey goats during the non-breeding season was studied. Forty clinically healthy female goats were selected and divided into four groups (control, MEL - 10, MEL - 20 and MEL - 40) of 10 animals each. Treatments were given as single subcutaneous injection of melatonin dissolved in one ml sterilized corn

Selecting proper animal genotype that suits particular environment, management systems, market requirements and food processing is a fundamental step to achieve efficiency in livestock operations. Thus, this study compared the performance and meat quality of the fat-tailed, Akkaraman (AKK) and crossbred, Anatolian Merino (AMR) lambs under the feeding systems of annual forage mixture (AFM), perennial

The main aim of this study is to estimate genetic parameters and (co) variance components for body weights at various ages in Nellore sheep born during the period from 1993 to 2016 (23 years). A total of 4822 lambs with pedigree descended from 144 sires and 1299 dams were included in this study. Bayesian analysis using Gibbs sampler multi trait animal model with and without maternal effects was studied

The feed bunk is a place of high competition for dairy goats, and high variability in feeding behaviour occurs; thus, it is necessary to understand why individuals respond differently when experiencing different feeding conditions. The objective of this study was to determine how personality traits affect competitive feeding behaviours of goats when feeding at a range of heights. Thirteen goats were

Fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) and hormonal superovulation (SOV) are instrumental in enhancing genetic gain and productivity of commercial goat herds. The goal of this study was to document changes in antral follicle populations and ovulation in dairy Saanen does. Fifty-six animals received MAP sponges that were left in place for 6 days as well as 200 IU of eCG and 120 μg of cloprostenol

This study evaluated the factors affecting non-surgical embryo transfer (NSET) efficiency in goats. Donor goats (n = 10) were superovulated, mated and embryos were collected by non-surgical embryo recovery 7 d after estrous onset. A total of 28 pluriparous recipient goats were subjected to short-term progestagen-based estrous induction protocol with equine chorionic gonadotropin. They received 36 fresh

The aim of present study was to determine the effect of astaxanthin supplementation of the semen extender on post-thaw semen quality and fertility. Semen samples were collected from four fertile rams by using an artificial vagina, pooled and diluted with a Tris–citric acid–fructose–yolk extender, supplemented with AST at 0.5, 1, 2, or 4 μM concentraitons. For the control group, semen was processed

Data suggests crossbreeding a Romney ewe flock with Merino sires to achieve a second-cross ¾ Merino ¼ Romney (¾M¼R) flock could reduce wool fibre diameter to take advantage of increasing medium wool (fibre diameter > 24 μm and < 30 μm) prices and multi-year supply contracts. It is currently not known how sheep numbers, feed demand, and production would change during such a whole flock breed transition

With the present study, we aimed to identify polymorphisms in the genes encoding mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG), and to evaluate their associations with breeding values for milk production and composition traits in goats. Breeding values were estimated from milk yield and composition data of Saanen and Alpine animals using a single-trait

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and the cost-benefit ratio of the treatment with a single-dose of toltrazuril 5% to control Eimeria spp. infection in lambs kept at pasture in condition favorable to coccidiosis. This experiment was designed after a lamb of the target-flock died due to acute diarrhea caused by clinical coccidiosis. Thirty-two lambs of both genders and age approximately

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of breed and production system on quantity and quality of milk in goats. The data obtained from two groups of Markhoz goats reared in two different regions (MS and ME), and one group of Kurdish hairy goats distributed in one region (KE) were analyzed. Environmental factors and management system for MS and ME goats were different, but ME and KE goats were

This review aims to describe the nutritional and non-nutritional factors that may affect parturition and dystocia in sheep. Dystocia is associated with fetopelvic disproportion, uterine inertia, failure of the cervix to fully dilate, malpresentation and disease or congenital defects in lambs. Dystocia can result in lambs that are born dead, or lambs that survive parturition but sustain birth injury

This study investigated the hypothesis that the use of short-term synchronisation protocol following single fixed-time artificial insemination (AI) with extended cooled semen and natural mating in fertility management of dairy goats could be as good as or better than traditional long-term protocol. This was tested by designing an experiment using Toggenburg dairy goats raised under semi-intensive production

Goats show high flexibility when faced with changing foraging and environmental conditions, as well as dynamic social settings. Their origins in complex natural environments have equipped them with a sophisticated behavioural repertoire grounded in a series of cognitive capacities. We outline examples of how goats navigate feeding, spatial and social contexts, by recognizing and remembering patterns

Romerillo (Chiliotrichum diffusum) is an unpalatable and invasive shrub occurring in over 1 M ha of Magellan rangelands, which constraints livestock operations and reduces biodiversity. Low nutrient content and the presence hydrolizable tannins (HT) explain the low palatability of the shrub. We determined whether supplemental macronutrients (Exp. 1) or polyethylene glycol (PEG; Exp. 2), a compound

In this study, Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) within the full length of the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) gene in Hu sheep were detected and the functional SNPs associated with growth traits of Hu sheep were screened. Using a total of 202 female Hu sheep samples, this study investigated the genetic structure and genetic diversity of the Hu sheep population using PCR amplification, sequencing

In Mediterranean countries, large quantities of by-products are generated from artichoke and broccoli crops, as well as large masses of common reed due to the cleaning of riverbeds. They have traditionally been applied directly in animal feed, especially for small ruminants, without undergoing any preservation process. Their inclusion in diets would allow three benefits: feeding animals with materials

The data pertaining to 6874 lambs born to a total of 145 sires spanning over a period of 49 years (1969–2017) were collected from Mountain Sheep and Goat Research Station, SKUAST-K, Shuhama, Kashmir for a comprehensive evaluation of the growth performance of Corriedale sheep under Indian (temperate) conditions to assess the random effect of sire and fixed effects of period, sex, and type of birth on

In Brazil, much of the sheep farming is practiced with native breeds or crossbred with specialized breeds. The market is growing and to serve consumers it is necessary to regularly provide quality meat. Rearing these animals with lower production costs can be achieved using feed efficiency and growth information, useful to define the most appropriate crossbreed for both farm structures and breeder’s

Assessing the status of genetic variability of native sheep breeds could provide important clues for research and policy makers to devise better strategies for the conservation and management of genetic resources. In this study, a genetic investigation of Tunisian sheep breeds using a genome-wide scan of approximately 50,000 SNPs was performed. To reconstruct genetic structure and relationships among

Our objective was to classify and characterize dairy goat farms on the basis of some socio-economic aspects in two Mediterranean countries, Italy and Turkey. Random samples of 11 farms from the north-eastern part of Italy and of 18 farms from Çanakkale province in the west region of Turkey have been used. Farmers were interviewed using 44 indicators related to general farm characteristics based on

Age at first lambing and lambing interval are two important reproductive traits affecting the longevity of sheep as well as the production yield in the lifetime. Thus, to identify the genomic regions associated with these traits, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed in Baluchi sheep by using the Illumina Ovine SNP50 K chip. The GWAS analysis was conducted in the fixed linear model by

The aim of this study was to evaluate the history of a population of Saanen goats based on the population structure and the effect of inbreeding on accumulated 305-d milk yield (MY305) and lactation length (LL). Pedigree records of 7640 individuals born between 1997 and 2014 were analyzed and population parameters were estimated based on the probability of gene origin, effective population size (Ne)

Mineral oil (MO) as a barrier can minimize temperature, osmolality and pH fluctuation in the oocyte/embryo culture medium. Regardless of these advantages, MO acts as a potential source of embryo-toxic compounds which can affect embryo viability. This study was conducted to assess the signs and effects of the four-well culture dish (FW) and microdrop culture systems (MD) on reducing the harmful effects

The objective of this study was to establish mathematical models to predict the chemical constituents of the empty body and carcass from the rib section. The database was composed of five independent experiments, comprising a total of 171 experimental units consisting of 133 noncastrated males, 26 castrated males, and 12 females. The most representative breeds in the database were Santa Ines (n = 58)

Whereas that acute ruminal lactic acidosis (ARLA) can cause secondary metabolic disorders and some degree of cardiovascular damage, the present study aimed to evaluate the hemogasometry, concentrations of the creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CKMB), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), and blood variables in goats with experimental ARLA. The disease was induced in five goats through intraruminal supply of 15 g sucrose/Kg

The present study was carried out to identify single nucleotide variations in inhibin alpha (INHA)geneto evaluate its association with production traits in Malabari goats. A total of 251 Malabari adult goats were screened for polymorphism using PCR-SSCP.Representative samples of each SSCP pattern were sequenced to ascertain the genotypes. Five fragments, 274 bp, 220 bp, 160 bp, 287 bp and 253 bp covering

The study was designed as a blinded, randomized, prospective, clinical trial to compare the use of 1% and 2% lignocaine hydrochloride for distal paravertebral nerve block in sheep undergoing Caesarian section. Full-term ewes (n = 18) with dystocia requiring laparohysterotomy were randomly and equally allotted to two groups (I and II). They were administered ceftriaxone (10 mg kg−1) and meloxicam (0

Genetic parameters for South African Angora goats were estimated from body weight, mohair production and reproduction data collected from birth on ram and ewe kids, as well as on the adult ewes in three herds from 2000 to 2015. Medium heritabilities were estimated for body weight from birth until 12-month of age and adult body weight, while a high heritability was estimated for 16-month body weight

The diagnosis of Johne’s Disease by isolating Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis from feces requires 6 months and high-cost reagents, and therefore an indirect technique like ELISA, is often being used to avoid these obstacles. The aim of this work was the production of a rabbit anti-deer polyclonal antibody (anti-deer pAb) for use in an in-house ELISA, applying protoplasmic antigen paratuberculosis

The aim of this study was to investigate a) the effect of equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG), in the dosage used for oestrus synchronization or for superovulation, on the activity of α-mannosidase (α-MAN) and β-N-acetyloglucosaminidase (β-NAGASE) in the genital tract of ewes before maternal recognition of pregnancy and b) the possible relationships among ovarian steroids concentration, glycosidase

The objective of this study was to carry out a morphometric characterization of white Morada Nova sheep using the mean of sixteen (16) morphological traits and thirteen (13) zoometric indices. A total of 115 animals of seven (7) flocks in three states of the Northeast from Brazil were evaluated. Flock differences for quantitative variables were evaluated through analysis of variance, while the chi-squared

The present study was designed to describe the Doppler measurements of hepatic venous blood flow in camels (Camelus dromedarius). A total number of 9 adult healthy camels underwent hepatic Doppler examinations on the right side between the 11th and 9th intercostal spaces. The splenic and cranial mesenteric veins showed turbulent blood flows at their fusion to form the main portal trunk. At porta hepatis