The Australian Merino is the most important genetic resource for the wool and the lamb and sheep meat industries of Australia. In this paper estimated genetic parameters for ultrasound scan and wool traits at yearling and hogget age are presented for Merino sheep. Results indicate that it is possible to breed Merino sheep that perform well for both ultrasound scan and wool characteristics when ...

During the early days of the development of the Australian Merino sheep, selection of sheep was based on subjective classing, which is still in practice. Showing of stud animals was also based on subjective classing. With this method some characteristics become fashionable, because of the perceived positive associations with production and fitness. However, some can only be described as fancy t...

Introduction Merino ewes are the backbone of the Australian sheep industry and this is likely to be the case for some time. Stocking rate will remain a key profit driver in Merino enterprises and to maintain or improve profitability producers will need to continually adapt their production systems to deal with even larger changes in feed supply between seasons and years. The reproductive perfor...

Reproductive wastage is a key issue for sheep producers, both regionally and globally. The reproductive output of farm animals can be influenced by physiological and environmental factors. Rapid and reliable quantification of physiological stress can provide a useful tool for designing and testing on-farm management interventions to improve farm animal welfare and productivity. In this study, w...

Changthangi is a high-altitude sheep breed of India that adapted to cold and hypoxic climate Himalayas. In the present study, we analysed population structure contrasted it with selected Indian European commercial breeds detect genomic regions under positive selection. The Illumina OvineSNP50v1 genotype data on 292 animals from seven different i.e., (n = 29), Garole 26), Deccani 24), Tibetan 37...

The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are a group of inherited neurodegenerative diseases characterised by the accumulation of autofluorescent lipopigment in a variety of tissues. At least six different forms of NCL occur in humans and the disease has been identified in various animal species, including sheep. Clinical features of NCL are dementia, loss of vision, motor disturbances, and pr...

Domestication and selection are processes that conserve the pattern of genetic diversities between and within populations. Identification of genomic regions that are targets of selection for phenotypic traits is one of the main aims of research in animal genetics. An approach for identifying divergently selected regions of the genome is to compare FST values among loci to estimate the genetic v...

Five Merino and five Dorper sheep were artificially infested with the sheep scab mite Psoroptes ovis and the effect of infestation on their haematology, serum protein levels and live mass recorded for a period of 14 weeks. The reaction of the Merino sheep to infestation was more severe than that of the Dorper sheep. Haematological values fluctuated within the normal range during the assessment ...

Sheep production is affected by genetic and non-genetic factors. A knowledge of these factors is essential for efficient management and for the accurate estimation of breeding values. The objective of this study was to establish the non-genetic factors which affect birth weight and weaning weight in Dorper, Mutton Merino and indigenous Sabi sheep breeds. A total of 2,625 birth and weaning weigh...