The main objective of this study was to assess the concentration various minerals (Ca, P, Mg, Cu, Zn, Fe) in blood sheep, followed by biochemical analysis order reveal possible associations season and breed. conducted sampling four herds: Suffolk (n=20), Merino Lithuanian blackhead (n=20) Charolaise (n=7). first collection April last one performed February. highest level Ca estimated ewes, lowe...

This paper reports a benefit-cost analysis of the value of mulesing to Australian sheep producers. It was estimated that the average Australian sheep producer receives a benefit of approximately $1.84 per sheep each year from mulesing their lambs. If flocks did not routinely mules their lambs, it was predicted that they would need a significant increase in on-farm labour. The high cost of this ...

Three Merino sheep were given 3 g/kg of dried, finely-milled Homeria glauca (Natal yellow tulp) plant material intraruminally. Plasma glucose, cortisol, catecholamines and lactate were measured hourly and also at the moment of death. Rising plasma glucose was shown to be associated with rising plasma cortisol and catecholamines, and the metabolic component of tulp-associated acidosis was shown ...

The domestic sheep (Ovis aries) has been an economically and culturally important farm animal species since its domestication around the world. A wide array of sheep breeds with abundant phenotypic diversity exists including domestication and selection as well as the indigenous breeds may harbor specific features as a result of adaptation to their environment. The objective of this study was to...

We aimed to quantify the number, type and arrangement of skin follicles in Huacaya and Suri alpaca skin and correlate their follicle characteristics with fibre traits of harvested fibre and compared these relationships with those of Merino sheep. Fibre and skin samples were collected from the mid-side of 12 Huacaya alpacas, 24 Suri alpacas and 10 Merino sheep. The mean fibre diameter (MFD s.e.)...

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Spirulina supplementation, sire breed and sex on the wool characteristics of purebred and crossbred Merino weaned lambs under a single pasture-based management system. Lambs sired by Merino, White Suffolk, Dorset, Black Suffolk breeds were randomly allocated into 3 treatments – the control group grazing without Spirulina (0 mL), low (100...

This study was conducted to estimate genetic distances among Akkaraman, Morkaraman, Awassi, Merino, Karakul, Kivircik, Imroz, Daglic and Karayaka sheep breeds reared in Turkey based on simple polymorphic blood protein types by using various methods including horizontal strach gel electrophoresis and polyacrilamyde gel electrophoresis (PAGE). NJ and UPGMA trees were constructed based on genetic ...

The Merino sheep represents the most prevalent sheep breed in Poland and is one of the most genetic-stable sheep races. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the responses of Polish Merino sheep to three thermal conditions: thermoneutral (16.5 degrees C, group I), mild heat stress (30 degrees C, group II), and severe heat stress (50 degrees C, group III). During the experiment heart ...

Substantial rhythms in clean wool, wax and suint production have been observed for dry, spring-shorn Merino ewes maintained od a uniform plane of nutrition in exposed pens. Changes can be related directly to mean daily temperatures. Reversed rhythms were recorded for dry, spring-shorn, grazing sheep where both nutrition and climate were changing. Thus climate corrections would enhance the nutri...

Sporidesmin is the mycotoxin that causes facial eczema disease (FE) in New Zealand (NZ) livestock. In an artificial sporidesmin dosing test, the introduced Finnish Landrace sheep breed was found to be significantly more tolerant to FE than the introduced Texel breed. This finding enables cross-breeding strategies to improve disease tolerance. Combining published data with the current study, a t...