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Results for “wool length”

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4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2026

Genome-wide association study reveals candidate genes associated with body weight and wool traits in Ordos fine-wool sheep.

BACKGROUND: The Ordos fine-wool sheep is a high-quality fine-wool breed in China, renowned for its excellent wool quality, meat production, and adaptability to the arid and semi-arid regions of Inner Mongolia. Body weight and wool traits are important economic characteristics in sheep breeding. This study aimed to identify genetic loci associated with body weight (BW), wool length (WL), and wool fineness (WF) in Ordos fine-wool sheep. METHODS: A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted in 388 Ordos fine-wool sheep genotyped using the GenoBaits® Ovine 40K SNP panel. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with BW, WL, and WF were identified, and candidate genes located near the SNPs reaching the suggestive threshold were subjected to functional annotation and enrichment analysis. RESULTS: A total of 22 SNPs were identified as potentially associated with BW, WL, and WF traits, corresponding to 27 annotated genes. Functional annotation highlighted six potential candidate genes, including LAMA2, ARHGAP18, IGFBP2, IGFBP5, CA10, and AXIN1, which may play important roles in regulating body weight and wool growth in sheep. CONCLUSIONS: The identified genes provide valuable candidate loci for BW, WL, and WF traits in Ordos fine-wool sheep. The results of this study provide preliminary references for further exploration of the genetic mechanisms of wool traits in Ordos fine-wool sheep and the development of molecular breeding markers.

GWAS↗
PubMed1979

Variations in plasma thyroxine concentrations throughout one year in penned sheep on a uniform feed intake.

Plasma total thyroxine (T4) concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay throughout one year in 10 sheep maintained indoors under natural light and consuming a constant amount of feed. Plasma T4 concentrations varied throughout the year, the highest and lowest values occurring in the spring and autumn months respectively. The mean of all observations was 5.4 +/- 0.1 microgram/dl. The changes observed did not appear to correlate with changes in ambient temperature, day length or with reported changes in wool growth.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMed2026

Integrating transcriptomics and metabolomics reveals the molecular landscape of sperm maturation driven by regional differentiation in the epididymis of Guizhou-Guiqian semi-fine wool sheep.

Epididymal regionalized differentiation is crucial for sperm maturation. However, little is known about the synergistic remodeling mechanisms of different epididymal segments at the transcriptional and metabolic levels during sexual maturation in ruminants (especially sheep). We investigated the caput, corpus, and cauda epididymidis of pre-pubertal (2-month-old) and post-pubertal (7-month-old) Guizhou-Guiqian semi-fine wool sheep using histology, RNA sequencing, and metabolomics. Post-pubertal tissues exhibited increased luminal diameters, cilia lengths, and abundant cauda spermatozoa. Transcriptomic analysis revealed increasing differentially expressed genes (DEGs) along the caput-corpus-cauda axis (4642, 6103, and 7698 DEGs, respectively). Metabolomics detected 786 unique differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs). Region-specific analysis showed that in the caput, up-regulated pathways (fructose/mannose metabolism; HK2, ALDOA, HKDC1) provide energy and substrates for initial sperm motility. In the corpus, down-regulated genes associated with extracellular matrix and tight junctions suggested epithelial barrier remodeling to establish an immune-tolerant microenvironment. The cauda specifically up-regulated the pentose phosphate pathway (FBP1, GPI) and glutathione metabolism, maintaining redox homeostasis for long-term sperm storage. Additionally, glycerophospholipid metabolism was enriched across all segments, where PEMT, AGPAT5, and LCAT likely regulate sperm plasma membrane fluidity. In conclusion, during sexual maturation, the caput drives energy metabolism and glycosylation, the corpus establishes immune tolerance, and the cauda maintains antioxidant homeostasis. The glycerophospholipid network throughout the across all epididymal segments synergistically remodels sperm membrane. This study reveals the underlying multi-omics regulatory mechanisms of epididymal functional differentiation, providing a theoretical basis for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of sperm maturation in this breed and for the molecular breeding of early reproductive performance in rams.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

The blowfly strike problem of sheep in New South Wales.

A field survey was undertaken between 1972-76 to reappraise the nature of the blowfly problem in New South Wales. For 2 years, 1972-1974, some 80,000 sheep were kept under observation and 12,481 strikes were reported, most due to Lucilia cuprina. Breech strike was still the basic problem but tail strike associated with scouring had become an important component where pastures have been improved. Breech strike was controlled at minimal cost by managerial practices such as docking tails the correct length--second joint-space palpable ventrally (midway down the vulval orifice in ewes) for radically mulesed lambs and the third joint-space (tip of vulva in ewes) for all other lambs-mulesing at lamb marking, mid-season crutching, determining the cause of scouring and applying the appropriate preventative or remedial measures. Thus the use of insecticides could be reserved for the control of body strike in young sheep in the odd wet years and poll strike in horned rams. Major outbreaks of body strike occurred in 1973/74. Body strike worried graziers most because of its unpredictability, sudden onset and scale. and only failing insecticides were available for control.

Animals↗