The Rasa Aragonesa sheep is the second most important Spanish breed after the Merino breed. Reported here is the prion protein (PrP) haplotype frequency distribution for scrapie-related codons (136, 154 and 171) and a sequencing study of the complete PrP gene open reading frame for this breed and six other closely related breeds. The study includes four scrapie-affected sheep flocks belonging t...

Homozygous grey and white Karakul lambs die after they have reached weaning age. This is due to a lethal gene causing digestive disturbances. Previous studies revealed that grey and white lambs have large, milk-filled rumens; the phenomenon was attributed to a significant decrease in the number of myenteric ganglia and neurons in the rumen wall. This study was undertaken to determine whether an...

ICAR Technical Series No 3 The development of the Dorper sheep and the Improved Boer Goat are undoubtedly two of the most successful long-term livestock programmes in South Africa. The Dorper is a composite mutton sheep breed developed through crossing an indigenous breed with a British mutton breed and the Improved Boer Goat was developed using a breeding strategy based largely on selection fo...

DNA-based parentage determination accelerates genetic improvement in sheep by increasing pedigree accuracy. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers can be used for determining parentage and to provide unique molecular identifiers for tracing sheep products to their source. However, the utility of a particular "parentage SNP" varies by breed depending on its minor allele frequency (MAF) and...

Massese is an Italian sheep breed, with black or grey coat colour, mainly reared in the Tuscany and Emilia Romagna regions. Recently, the emerging interests in this breed have resulted in the production of Pecorino cheese obtained with only Massese milk. In order to be profitable, this marketing link between Massese breed and its products should be defended against fraudsters who could include ...

Sixty eight adult ewes of Zel sheep breed were screened with forced PCR RFLP method for the detection of the FecB gene and its effects on litter size. Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood of 68 Zel matured ewes with litter size varied from 1 to 2 lambs per ewe lambing. Digestion of the FecB gene (190 base pairs) with AvaII restriction enzyme resulted in none carrier 190 bp band wild type in...

Homozygous grey Karakul lambs are born with a lethal genetic factor responsible for death at weaning age. When put on a high roughage diet under field conditions they develop distended, thin-walled rumens and sand impacted abomasa. Homozygous white Karakul lambs have a similar factor but survive for a longer period. Black Karakul lambs are not affected. The present study was undertaken to compa...

Agricultural sector accounts for about 1/3 of the Iranian GDP and 1/4 of the country workforce. More than 90% of the Iranian food requirements are produced in the country. Animal agriculture covers over 40% of the agricultural activities. More than 57% of the available animal units in the country are sheep and goats. Desertification, deforestation, water shortage, erosion, low efficiency and ou...

Broad diversity among breeds of sheep is a precious industry resource. This breed diversity can be managed to increase performance and profit through use of crossbred ewes mated to rams of a terminal sire breed. Differences among breeds in performance for survival, growth, carcass, wool, and reproductive traits are due to the unique genetic history associated with each breed. Beneficial genetic...