Evaluation of Dorset, Finnsheep, Romanov, Texel, and Montadale breeds of sheep: III. Wool characteristics of F1 ewes

An experiment was designed to evaluate the effects of five sire breeds (Dorset, Finnsheep, Romanov, Texel, and Montadale), two dam breeds (Composite III [CIII] and northwestern whiteface [WF]), and three shearing seasons (December, February, and April, corresponding to August, October, and December breeding seasons) and their interactions on wool and other characteristics of F1 ewes. Fleeces were collected and characterized from six 2-yr-old F1 ewes representing each of the 90 sire breed x dam breed x shearing season x year (three) subclasses. Characteristics measured objectively were grease and clean fleece weights, clean yield, mean fiber diameter and SD, and mean staple length and SD. Visual assessments of fleece color were also made. Data collected on the F1 ewes were analyzed using a mixed model analysis of variance procedure. The model included fixed effects of year of birth, sire breed, dam breed, shearing season, six two-way interactions, and the three-way interaction of sire breed x dam breed x shearing season. The random effect of individual sire within year of birth x sire breed was also fitted. Texel- and Montadale-sired ewes produced more clean wool (P < 0.05) (approximately 0.24 kg) than Dorset-, Finnsheep-, and Romanov-sired ewes. Texel-sired ewes produced the coarsest wool (28.7 microm) (P < 0.05), whereas Romanov-sired ewes produced the finest (24.9 microm) and longest (9.12 cm) fleeces (P < 0.05). Ewes from WF dams produced more and finer wool (0.15 kg and 2.7 microm) than ewes from CIII dams (P < 0.001). Ewes shorn in December produced more, coarser, and longer wool (P < 0.05) than those shorn in February and April. This trend in wool production is opposite to that in conception rate (reported previously). Romanov-sired ewes produced the lowest percentage of white fleeces (62.6%), whereas Dorset-sired ewes produced the most (P < 0.001) white fleeces (96.3%). Estimates of heritability were calculated for grease and clean fleece weights (0.36), percentage of clean yield (0.31), average fiber diameter and SD (0.86 and 0.42, respectively), and average staple length and SD (0.49 and 0.00, respectively). Although necessary for a thorough evaluation of these 10 types of crossbred ewes, it is estimated that wool income would only constitute a small portion (1 to 5%) of overall income from sheep of this type.     

非遗传因素对中国美利奴羊(新疆型)主要经济性状的影响

为探索非遗传因素对中国美利奴羊（新疆型）主要经济性状的影响,试验对拜城种羊场1992-2010年共19年周岁母羊鉴定记录进行统计分析,利用最小二乘方差分析法研究出生年份、群别及出生月份3个非遗传因素对周岁母羊鉴定记录的6个主观鉴定性状（头毛评分、毛密度评分、毛弯曲评分、毛细度评分、体型外貌评分、品种等级评分）和4个客观测定性状（毛长度、鉴定时体重、剪毛后体重、剪毛量）共10个经济性状的影响。结果表明,出生年份和群别对10个性状均有极显著影响（P<0.01）;出生月份对除毛密度评分、毛细度评分、品种等级评分外的其他7个性状均有极显著影响（P<0.01）。从毛细度、毛长度和剪毛量3个最主要的性状来看,2008年毛细度评分最高,显著高于2006、2007和2010年（P<0.05）;1996年毛长度最长,显著高于1994、2002、2004、2006、2007、2008和2010年（P<0.05）,与1995、2003和2009年差异不显著（P>0.05）;1995年剪毛量最多,显著高于1994和2009年（P<0.05）,与1992年差异不显著（P>0.05）;除此之外,其他年份的毛细度评分、毛长度和剪毛量均极显著低于最高值（P<0.01）。除2号群外,不同群别各有优势。1、2月份出生的羊较3、4月份好。由此可见,出生年份、群别和出生月份非遗传因素对中国美利奴羊（新疆型）的主要经济性状存在显著影响,因此,在遗传参数估计和遗传评定时应该综合考虑这些因素,从而为获得更为全面、准确的育种值及制定育种方案提供参考依据。     

Genetic parameters among weight, prolificacy, and wool traits of Columbia, Polypay, Rambouillet, and Targhee sheep

Genetic parameters for Columbia, Polypay, Rambouillet, and Targhee sheep were estimated using REML with animal models for prolificacy, weight, and wool traits. All bivariate analyses included a covariance between additive genetic effects for the two traits plus appropriate additional covariances. Number of observations by breed ranged from 5,140 to 7,095 for prolificacy traits, from 7,750 to 9,530 for weight traits, and from 4,603 to 34,746 for wool traits. Heritability estimates ranged from .03 to .11 for prolificacy traits (litter size at birth and litter size at weaning), from .09 to .26 for weight traits (birth weight and average daily gain), and from .25 to .53 for wool traits (fleece weight, fleece grade and staple length). Estimates of direct genetic correlations among prolificacy and among weight traits were positive and ranged from .58 to 1.00 and .18 to 1.00, respectively. Estimates of direct genetic correlation between fleece weight and staple length were positive (.50 to .70) but were negative between fleece weight and fleece grade (-.60 to -.34) and between staple length and fleece grade (-.72 and -.40). Prolificacy and wool traits were essentially uncorrelated. Weight and prolificacy traits were slightly positively correlated. Weight traits had a moderate positive direct genetic correlation with fleece weight and staple length, but were uncorrelated with fleece grade. These estimates of genetic parameters between prolificacy, weight, and wool traits can be used to construct multiple-trait selection indexes for dual-purpose sheep.     

Results of a crossbreeding experiment with sheep for different systems of fat lamb production. I. Reproductive traits

A crossbreeding experiment with sheep was carried out at two of the University's experimental stations between 1969 and 1973. On farm I ewes of five groups of different first crosses were tested against the indigenous purebred Merinoland sheep for five lambing periods. The ewes were kept under an accelerated lambing programme, the lambs were reared artificially. On farm II the same domestic breed was tested against three first cross lines with spring lambing and ewes suckling their lambs for 5 to 8 weeks. Each test group consisted of at least 50 ewes made up of 10 halfsib groups. 10 rams of each of four exotic fat lamb sire lines were hand-mated to the ewes. In addition, purebred and special control matings were carried out. All ewes in the experiment were of the same age.The data were analyzed by least squares procedures for different reproductive traits (gestation length, litter size for lambs born and reared, litter weight, score for lambing difficulties) and by simple one-way classifications for various others (lambs born and reared per ewe and year, lambing frequency, body weight, fleece weight, wool income).Since no significant interactions among main effects were detected for any trait, the presentation of the results emphasizes the general combining ability of the sire and dam lines. No significant differences were found between sire lines on both farms in all traits except gestation length. For the most important reproductive traits the differences between the dam lines were highly significant, the Finnish Landrace crosses being the best in both lambing frequency and number of lambs per litter. The superiority of these crosses cannot be maintained for the number of lambs reared and slaughtered, if, like in farm II, facilities are not available to rear lambs of large litters without high losses.     

Effects of inbreeding on reproduction and wool production of Rambouillet, Targhee, and Columbia ewes.

Because of a traditional interest in inbreeding as a tool for breed improvement, it was desirable to evaluate the effects of inbreeding on the most important products of the sheep industry, lamb and wool production. The data for this study were based on 13,807 ewe and 16,470 lamb records from Rambouillet (R), Targhee (T), and Columbia (C) sheep collected over 9 or 10 yr from 54 inbred lines. Average inbreeding of the lambs and ewes involved was near 25 and 20%, respectively. The combined effects of lamb's and dam's inbreeding reduced litter weight weaned at 120 d approximately .5 kg for each percentage of increase in inbreeding in every breed. For ewes and lambs of average inbreeding, the reductions relative to noninbred ewes amounted to 12.4, 10.3, and 11.3 kg for R, T, and C, respectively. The reductions constituted declines in weight weaned per ewe of 34, 25, and 28%. Similarly, net reproduction rate (lambs weaned per ewes put into breeding) was reduced more than one percentage point for each percentage of increase in inbreeding, with net declines at average inbreeding of 31.7, 23.5, and 25.7 percentage points for each breed, respectively. These reductions were equivalent to reductions in net rate of 29, 20, and 23%. The combined effect of lamb and dam inbreeding reduced weaning weight by 3.5, 2.6, and 2.2 kg, which constituted reductions of 10, 7, and 6%, respectively. Reduced weaning weight was approximately 30% as important as reduced net reproduction rate in contributing to the decline in litter weight weaned. Effects on fleece weight were curvilinear and amounted to reductions of .35, .18, and .00 kg, respectively, at levels of average inbreeding; however, Columbia fleece weights declined rapidly at levels exceeding 20% for ewes. Potential selection differentials were reduced 16% at inbreeding levels of 25 and 20% for lambs and dams, respectively, and 62% at levels of 55 and 50%. The average economic loss per ewe in value of production was estimated at $17 for average inbreeding and as high as $36 for inbreeding approaching 50%. It seems that the use of inbreeding as a tool for improving productive merit in sheep is much more certain to be a detriment, economically and genetically, than an advantage.     

Yearling trait comparisons among inbred lines and selected noninbred and randomly bred control groups of Rambouillet, Targhee and Columbia ewes

Inbreeding with concurrent selection was used to develop 26 Rambouillet, 20 Targhee and 10 Columbia inbred lines of sheep. Inbreeding coefficients averaged 30, 29 and 30% for the three breeds, respectively, at the conclusion of the study. A selected noninbred control group and a randomly bred unselected control group were maintained for each breed. Yearling traits were evaluated for 545 Rambouillet, 572 Targhee and 411 Columbia yearling ewes, each belonging to one of the inbred lines or control groups. In each breed, the selected controls were generally of greatest overall merit, the unselected controls intermediate and the inbred lines of least merit. Only a few yearling traits of only a few inbred lines were superior (P less than .05) to those of their appropriate selected control groups. Selection within inbred lines was generally ineffective in offsetting inbreeding depression. However, single trait selection for traits of high heritability, notably yearling weight, clean fleece weight and staple length, appeared to compensate for inbreeding effects on those traits. Deleterious consequences of inbreeding were particularly apparent in yearling weight, average daily gain, type and condition scores, grease and clean fleece weights and index of overall merit. Inbreeding also resulted in fewer neck folds among inbreds of all three breeds. Correlations between the rankings of inbred lines at weaning and yearling ages were high for traits of higher heritability. Superiority of the selected controls in most traits was of about the same magnitude at weaning and yearling ages. In no case did the final overall merit (index value) of an inbred line of any of the three breeds significantly exceed the overall merit of its respective selected control group.     

加什科羊主要经济性状表型关系分析

本文应用通径分析方法对247只1岁母羊的资料整理分析,研究了体长、体重、污毛量等10余项数量性状间的相关关系,结果发现被毛密度、体侧部毛油汗浸润高度、剪毛前体重、体侧部毛长和腹部毛着生是影响产毛量的主要性状,并提出用这五个性状估测产毛量的预测方程和在若干经济性状选择中应注意的事项。     

Genetic relationships between pelt quality, maternal ability, and lamb production in the Gotland sheep breed

The aim of the present investigation was to study the genetic relationships between pelt quality traits (shade of fleece, size of curl, score for fleece colour, score for curl, score for quality of hair, score for thickness of fleece, sum of pelt scores, and overall score) on one hand and maternal ability, live weight, and carcass traits on the other hand for the Gotland sheep breed. Data were received from the Swedish Sheep Recording Scheme and included observations on 4-month weight (4MW) and pelt quality for 51,402 lambs and on weight (CW), fatness (FAT), and fleshiness (FLESH) of the carcass for 12,440 lambs. The lambs were born during the period 1991–2003. When maternal genetic and permanent environmental effects were included in the model direct heritabilities for the pelt quality traits varied between 0.16 and 0.25. Maternal heritabilities (0.01 to 0.05) and common environmental variances as a fraction of the total phenotypic variances (0.07 to 0.10) were low. Maternal heritabilities were higher for 4MW (0.11) and CW (0.12) than for the pelt quality traits. Direct-maternal genetic correlations were both for the pelt quality traits and for 4MW and CW generally negative and low to medium high. Direct genetic correlations between pelt quality traits on one hand and 4MW, CW, FAT or FLESH on the other hand were low (− 0.16 to 0.12). Maternal genetic correlations between pelt quality traits and 4MW or CW were positive and high (0.38 to 0.96). It was concluded that breeding for increased growth and improved carcass quality would not influence pelt quality negatively or vice versa. If maternal genetic effects are considered for 4MW and CW in the breeding program for the Gotland sheep breed, selection for maternal effects on 4MW and CW will have positive effects both on lamb weight and pelt quality.     

Prevalence and effect of subclinical ovine progressive pneumonia virus infection on ewe wool and lamb production

The prevalence of infection with ovine progressive pneumonia (OPP) virus and its effects on ewe wool and lamb production were investigated in a flock of 2,976 ewes of 6 breed types (Rambouillet, Targhee, Columbia, Polypay, 1/4 cross Finnsheep, and 1/2 cross Finnsheep). Prevalence of seropositivity was significantly (P less than or equal to 0.01) lower among Rambouillet and Targhee breeds (44 and 42%, respectively), intermediate in Polypay, Columbia, and 1/4 cross Finnsheep (approximately 53%), and higher among 1/2 cross Finnsheep (62%). Seropositivity increased with age in all breed types from 11% at 1 year of age to 93% at greater than or equal to 7 years of age. Lateral disease transmission is indicated by linear increase of seropositivity prevalence with increasing age, including that in sheep greater than 6 years old. Subclinical infection with OPP virus had no apparent detrimental effect on number of lambs born, lamb viability, birth weight, number of lambs weaned, or growth rate of single and twin lambs, compared with findings for noninfected sheep in the same flock. Mature ewe body weight and grease fleece weight did not differ between subclinically infected seropositive and seronegative ewes. Subclinical infection with OPP virus does not appear to have an adverse economic effect on ewe wool and lamb production. Culling rate attributable to clinical manifestation of infection with OPP virus must be accurately determined before the true effects of virus infection on production can be determined and an eradication program can be recommended.     

Estimation of (co)variance components and genetic parameters of greasy fleece weights in Muzaffarnagari sheep

Variance components and genetic parameters for greasy fleece weights of Muzaffarnagari sheep maintained at the Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom, Mathura, India, over a period of 29 years (1976 to 2004) were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood (REML), fitting six animal models including various combinations of maternal effects. Data on body weights at 6 (W6) and 12 months (W12) of age were also included in the study. Records of 2807 lambs descended from 160 rams and 1202 ewes were used for the study. Direct heritability estimates for fleece weight at 6 (FW6) and 12 months of age (FW12), and total fleece weights up to 1 year of age (TFW) were 0.14, 0.16 and 0.25, respectively. Maternal genetic and permanent environmental effects did not significantly influence any of the traits under study. Genetic correlations among fleece weights and body weights were obtained from multivariate analyses. Direct genetic correlations of FW6 with W6 and W12 were relatively large, ranging from 0.61 to 0.67, but only moderate genetic correlations existed between FW12 and W6 (0.39) and between FW12 and W12 (0.49). The genetic correlation between FW6 and FW12 was very high (0.95), but the corresponding phenotypic correlation was much lower (0.28). Heritability estimates for all traits were at least 0.15, indicating that there is potential for their improvement by selection. The moderate to high positive genetic correlations between fleece weights and body weights at 6 and 12 months of age suggest that some of the genetic factors that influence animal growth also influence wool growth. Thus selection to improve the body weights or fleece weights at 6 months of age will also result in genetic improvement of fleece weights at subsequent stages of growth.     

甘肃高山细毛羊枯草季放牧与暖棚舍饲饲养对比试验

枯草期选甘肃高山细毛羊成年母羊180只,后备母羊38只,羔羊40只,进行为期171 d的放牧与舍饲对比试验。结果表明:试验组(暖棚舍饲)平均每只成年母羊、后备母羊和羔羊体质量分别增加5.1、9.8和6.9 kg,增幅为:11.72%、30.81%和32.86%;对照组(放牧)每只成年母羊、后备母羊和羔羊体质量分别平均下降7.3、5.0和1.0 kg;试验末,试验组成年母羊和后备母羊体质量极显著高于对照组(P0.01),试验组羔羊体质量显著高于对照组(P0.05)。羊毛长度试验组成年母羊、后备母羊和羔羊羊毛每只分别平均增长3.9、3.8和2.7 cm,试验组成年母羊和后备母羊比对照组提高10.4%和16.0%,羔羊比对照组降低11.2%,试验组和对照组差异不显著(P0.05)。试验组各年龄段产羊毛量分别达5.24、4.56和3.79 kg,比对照组分别提高60.24%、73.38%和49.80%,差异极显著(P0.01)。试验组纯收入分别为成年母羊5.35元/只,后备母羊45.65元/只,羔羊59.57元/只,对照组由于掉膘损失严重,成年母羊和后备母羊分别损失28.32和13.05元/只,羔羊收益29.3元/只。     

和田多胎红羊体尺对体重影响的研究

为了和田多胎红羊(暂用名)类群未来的扩群发展,对和田多胎红羊公羊及母羊体重与体尺的相关关系进行了研究,旨在为今后和田多胎红羊的选育及生产提供理论依据.试验随机选取100只成年公羊及100只成年母羊,测量其体重(y)、体高(x1)、体斜长(x2、胸围(x3)、管围(x4)、脂尾长(x5)、脂尾宽(x6)、脂尾厚(x7),...     

Genotypic expression at different ages: II. Wool traits of sheep.

Genetic parameters for wool traits for Columbia, Polypay, Rambouillet, and Targhee breeds of sheep were estimated with single- and multiple-trait analyses using REML with animal models. Traits considered were fleece grade, fleece weight, and staple length. Total number of observations ranged from 11,673 to 34,746 for fleece grade and fleece weight and from 3,500 to 11,641 for staple length for the four breeds. For single-trait analyses, data were divided by age of ewe: young ages (age of 1 yr), middle ages (ages of 2 and 3 yr), and older ages (age greater than 3 yr). Heritability estimates averaged over breeds for fleece grade decreased from .42 at a young age to .37 for older ages. For fleece weight, heritability estimates averaged .52, .57, and .55 within the successively older groups. Heritability estimates for staple length averaged .54 for young and middle age classes. Few older ewes had staple length measurements. After single-trait analyses, new data sets were created for three-trait analyses with traits defined by three age classes when animals were measured. Heritability estimates with three-trait analyses, except for a few cases, were somewhat greater than those from single-trait analyses. For fleece grade, the genetic correlations averaged over breeds were .72 for young with middle, .42 for young with older, and .86 for middle with older age classes. For fleece weight, the average genetic correlations were .81, .83, and .98. For staple length, the average genetic correlation for young with middle age classes was .82. Estimates of genetic correlations across ages varied considerably among breeds. The average estimates of correlations suggest that fleece grade may need to be defined by age, especially for the Columbia and Rambouillet breeds. For fleece weight and staple length, however, the average correlations suggest no need to define those traits by age.     

运用贝叶斯方法估计中国美利奴羊(新疆型)毛用性状及繁殖性状的遗传参数

为了解中国美利奴羊（新疆型）近年来遗传结构的变化趋势以及探讨毛用性状与繁殖性状的遗传关系,需要进一步研究这些性状的遗传力以及它们之间的关系。本研究收集额敏县聚鑫细毛羊养殖专业合作社1985-2018年中国美利奴羊（新疆型）共计9 428只羊毛生产记录和1987-2018共计5 887只年繁殖记录,运用BLUPF90软件结合Gibbs抽样方法,利用单性状模型对中国美利奴（新疆型）毛用性状（细度支数、等级、总评分、毛长、污毛重和鉴定时体重）和繁殖性状（配种次数、妊娠天数、胎产羔数和总产羔数）进行方差组分和遗传力估计,利用双性状模型分析毛用性状与繁殖性状之间的遗传相关与表型相关。结果显示,中国美利奴羊（新疆型）毛用性状细度支数、等级、总评分、毛长、污毛重、鉴定时体重的遗传力估计值分别为0.471±0.020、0.088±0.030、0.114±0.018、0.426±0.025、0.328±0.041、0.317±0.046;繁殖性状配种次数、妊娠天数、胎产羔数及总产羔数的遗传力估计值分别为0.056±0.009、0.022±0.010、0.120±0.018、0.163±0.016;毛用性状与胎产羔数、总产羔数之间的遗传相关范围为-0.031~0.286,鉴定时体重与胎产羔数（0.286）、总产羔数（0.204）遗传相关最高,细度支数与胎产羔数（-0.143）、总产羔数（-0.048）呈负的遗传相关;毛用性状与胎产羔数、总产羔数之间的表型相关范围为-0.210~0.216,毛长与总产羔数（0.216）表型相关最高,细度支数与胎产羔数（-0.137）、总产羔数（-0.210）呈显著负表型相关。本研究结果发现,毛用性状与繁殖性状之间存在一定的关系,这一结果可为今后制定中国美利奴羊育种规划提供数据基础,为选育优质高产、繁殖性能好的细毛羊提供理论依据,从而进一步提高细毛羊产业经济效益。     

Estimates of (co)variance components and genetic parameters for body weights and first greasy fleece weight in Malpura sheep

Estimates of (co)variance components and genetic parameters were calculated for birth weight (BWT), weaning weight (WWT), 6 month weight (6WT), 9 month weight (9WT), 12 month weight (12WT) and greasy fleece weight at first clip (GFW) for Malpura sheep. Data were collected over a period of 23 years (1985–2007) for economic traits of Malpura sheep maintained at the Central Sheep & Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan, India. Analyses were carried out by restricted maximum likelihood procedures (REML), fitting six animal models with various combinations of direct and maternal effects. Direct heritability estimates for BWT, WWT, 6WT, 9WT, 12WT and GFW from the best model (maternal permanent environmental effect in addition to direct additive effect) were 0.19 ± 0.04, 0.18 ± 0.04, 0.27, 0.15 ± 0.04, 0.11 ± 0.04 and 0.30 ± 0.00, respectively. Maternal effects declined as the age of the animal increased. Maternal permanent environmental effects contributed 20% of the total phenotypic variation for BWT, 5% for WWT and 4% for GFW. A moderate rate of genetic progress seems possible in Malpura sheep flock for body weight traits and fleece weight by mass selection. Direct genetic correlations between body weight traits were positive and ranged from 0.40 between BWT and 6WT to 0.96 between 9WT and 12WT. Genetic correlations of GFW with body weights were 0.06, 0.49, 0.41, 0.19 and 0.15 from birth to 12WT. The moderately positive genetic correlation between 6WT and GFW suggests that genetic gain in the first greasy fleece weight will occur if selection is carried out for higher 6WT.     

高山美利奴羊重要经济性状遗传参数估计

本研究旨在估计高山美利奴羊重要经济性状的遗传参数,为优化高山美利奴羊选育方案、建设品种完整结构、进行遗传评估及实施育种值选种提供理论技术支撑。采用甘肃省绵羊繁育技术推广站2003—2018年高山美利奴羊核心群数据资料,基于ASReml运用单性状个体动物模型和多性状个体动物模型估计高山美利奴羊体重、产羔数、产毛量、净毛量、净毛率、羊毛纤维直径、羊毛纤维直径变异系数、毛丛长度等重要经济性状的遗传参数。结果表明:高山美利奴羊产羔数为低等遗传力,其他所有性状均为中高等遗传力;大部分经济性状间呈正遗传相关,体重、产毛量、羊毛纤维直径与净毛率间呈负遗传相关,羊毛纤维直径变异系数与体重、产毛量、纤维直径呈负遗传相关。     

Multivariate characterisation of the phenotypic traits of Djallonke and Sahel sheep in Northern Ghana

The characterisation of the small ruminant populations in developing countries will play a major role in the maintenance of the genetic resources as the basis for future improvement in livestock production. The present study aimed at morphological characterisation of the two main breeds of sheep in Ghana by assessing variation within and between breed populations using principal component and discriminant analyses. The two breeds were the Sahel and the Djallonke sheep of both sexes and of two groups namely, young (1 year old, consisting of 74 animals) and mature sheep (≥2 years old, comprising 219 animals). The analysis of variance revealed significant (P?<?0.05) differences in the morphological traits of the Sahel and the Djallonke sheep breeds with higher values recorded for the former. Sexual dimorphism was in favour of male animals in all the morphological traits examined. Mature animals also had comparative advantage over the young. Two principal components were extracted to discern the structure of the two genetic groups. The most discriminating traits between the two sheep breeds were rump height, height at withers, neck girth and pin-bone width. Mahalanobis distance between the two genetic groups was 5.723 (P?<?0.0001). The developed discriminant functions clearly discriminated and classified the Sahel and the Djallonke sheep into their breeds of origin, thus yielding 100, 93.4 and 90.4 % accurate classification for the rams, ewes and the overall sheep population, respectively. The present approach would greatly help in establishing management and conservation policies for the sustainable production of the two Ghanaian sheep breeds.     

Detection of QTL for greasy fleece weight in sheep using a 50 K single nucleotide polymorphism chip

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have introduced an influential tool in the search for quantitative trait loci (QTL) influencing economically important traits in sheep. To identify QTL associated with greasy fleece weight, a GWAS with 50 K single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was performed in a Baluchi sheep population. Association with greasy fleece weights was tested using the software Plink. The results of our GWAS provided three novel SNP markers and candidate genes associated with greasy fleece weight. A total of three chromosome-wide significant associations were detected for SNP on chromosomes 17 and 20 affecting greasy fleece weight across the four shearing. One of the significant SNP markers was located within ovine known genes namely FAM101A. Further investigation of these identified regions in validation studies will facilitate the identification of strong candidate genes for wool production in sheep.     

乾华肉用美利奴羊生长规律及生长曲线拟合

乾华肉用美利奴羊是我国新培育的具有肉毛兼用特性的绵羊新品种,为了解舍饲条件下乾华肉用美利奴羊的生长发育规律,分别测定了0～24月龄乾华肉用美利奴公、母羊的体重,运用Logistic和Gompertz两种模型对其体重进行了拟合分析.结果表明:两种模型的拟合度R2均在0.95以上,拟合效果好,其中Gompertz模型对体重的拟合效果优于Logistic模型;乾华肉用美利奴羊公、母羊体重的拐点月龄分别为6.37和2.44个月,拐点体重为49.68和23.02 kg,最大日增重为218.59和249.38 g·d-1;各个月龄的公羊体重显著高于母羊,公、母羊体重绝对生长高峰分别出现在3～6和0～3月龄,与生长模型拟合结果相吻合.本研究结果为指导乾华肉用美利奴羊的早期选育和饲养管理提供了理论参考.