Supplementation of Lycium barbarum residue increases the growth rate of Tan sheep by enhancing their feed intake and regulating their rumen microbiome and metabolome

Lycium barbarum residue(LBR),a by-product of L.barbarum processing,is packed with bioactive components and can be potentially utilized as a feed additive in animal husbandry.However,the fundamental understanding of its effectiveness on livestock animals is still lacking,particularly in ruminants.To explore the effects of LBR on the growth performance,rumen fermentation parameters,ruminal microbes and metabolites of Tan sheep,sixteen fattening rams(aged 4 mon)were fed a basal diet(CON,n=8)or a basal diet supplemented with 5%LBR(LBR,n=8).The experiment lasted for 70 d,with 10 d adaptation period and 60 d treatment period.The results showed that the LBR enhanced the average daily feed intake,average daily gain(P<0.05),and ruminal total volatile fatty acids(P<0.01)while decreasing ammonia-nitrogen concentration and rumen pH value(P<0.05).Additionally,the LBR improved the relative abundances of Prevotella,Succiniclasticum,Ruminococcus,Coprococcus,Selenomonas,and Butyrivibrio(P<0.05)and reduced the relative abundances of Oscillospira and Succinivibrio(P<0.05).The LBR altered the ruminal metabolome(P<0.01)by increasing the abundances of ruminal metabolites involved in amino acids(e.g.,L-proline,L-phenylalanine,L-lysine,and L-tyrosine),pyrimidine metabolism(e.g.,uridine,uracil,and thymidine),and microbial protein synthesis(e.g.,xanthine and hypoxanthine).In conclusion,LBR had positive effects on the growth rate of Tan sheep as well as on rumen fermentation parameters,rumen microbiome and rumen metabolome.

Protein glycation:a wolf in sweet sheep’s clothing behind neurodegeneration

At the beginning of the 16th century,Paracelsus coined the maxim:“the dose makes the poison”.This principle can be applied to all living organisms,including organs and cells.The brain and its glial and neuronal cells are no exception.Even small compounds that are essential for the life of brain cells can become truly toxic when overdosed.

Genomic signatures of selection,local adaptation and production type characterisation of East Adriatic sheep breeds

Background The importance of sheep breeding in the Mediterranean part of the eastern Adriatic has a long tradition since its arrival during the Neolithic migrations.Sheep production system is extensive and generally carried out in traditional systems without intensive systematic breeding programmes for high uniform trait production(carcass,wool and milk yield).Therefore,eight indigenous Croatian sheep breeds from eastern Adriatic treated here as metapopulation(EAS),are generally considered as multipurpose breeds(milk,meat and wool),not specialised for a particular type of production,but known for their robustness and resistance to certain environmental conditions.Our objective was to identify genomic regions and genes that exhibit patterns of positive selection signatures,decipher their biological and productive functionality,and provide a"genomic"characterization of EAS adaptation and determine its production type.Results We identified positive selection signatures in EAS using several methods based on reduced local variation,linkage disequilibrium and site frequency spectrum(eROHi,iHS,nSL and CLR).Our analyses identified numerous genomic regions and genes(e.g.,desmosomal cadherin and desmoglein gene families)associated with environmental adaptation and economically important traits.Most candidate genes were related to meat/production and health/immune response traits,while some of the candidate genes discovered were important for domestication and evolutionary processes(e.g.,HOXa gene family and FSIP2).These results were also confirmed by GO and QTL enrichment analysis.Conclusions Our results contribute to a better understanding of the unique adaptive genetic architecture of EAS and define its productive type,ultimately providing a new opportunity for future breeding programmes.At the same time,the numerous genes identified will improve our understanding of ruminant(sheep)robustness and resistance in the harsh and specific Mediterranean environment.

Etiological Agent, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Treatment, Measures for Prevention and Control of Caseous Lymphadenitis Disease in the Small Ruminants with Special Reference to Sheep

Caseous lymphadenitis (CL) is a chronic infectious disease caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (C. pseudotuberculosis) that is transmitted mainly by contact with contaminated exudate wounds. Caseous lymphadenitis affects different species of animals and is considered an occupational zoonotic disease. CL is responsible for important economic losses in the small ruminant industry, which include decreased production, damaged quality of milk and wool, reproductive disorders, total or partial confiscation of carcasses, and depreciation of the skin. Caseous lymphadenitis disease can present in two clinical pictures: a skin or superficial picture and a visceral or deep picture. The presumptive diagnosis of CL in the skin is based on the exploration of superficial lymph nodes. These have little value in diagnosing visceral CL, where the main sign is emaciation. The prevention and control of CL involve identifying the skin condition and debriding the abscesses. In addition to the treatment of superficial lesions, the animal facilities must be repaired and adapted. To avoid exposure of negative herds to CL, new animals must be subjected to observation to identify any of the clinical manifestations. Another form of control is vaccination, though only some countries have commercial vaccines. General information on the etiological agent and its characteristics can be used to improve the understanding of this disease.

Research and Application of Compressed Fermented Chestnut Leaf Feed in Fattening Mutton Sheep

Chestnut leaves and bran were evenly mixed according to different mass ratios,and the mixtures were sprayed and inoculated with a certain amount of prepared EM microbial liquid,and then compressed into 70 cm×40 cm×30 cm blocks by a fully automatic yellow-storage block compression and packaging machine.The obtained blocks were packaged and sealed with plastic film,and placed in a freely ventilated place for more than 15 d of anaerobic fermentation,so as to obtain compressed fermented chestnut leaf block feed.[Results]Through the detection and analysis of nutritional components in the compressed fermented chestnut leaf block feed in the laboratory,the protein content was equal to or greater than 10.2%,which was 44.68%higher than that of unfermented chestnut leaf feed;the tannin content was equal to or greater than 638 mg/kg,which was 18.41%lower than that of the original feed;and the crude fiber content was equal to or greater than 19.5%,which was 14.09%lower than that of the original feed.[Conclusions]This study improves the palatability of chestnut leaf feed,increases the use efficiency of feed and reduces feeding cost.It is worth popularizing.

Cysticercus Tenuicollis in Visceral Organs of Goats and Sheep in Uganda: A Case Study in Lira Municipal Abattoir

Cysticercus tenuicollis is a metacestode stage of Taenia hydatigena residing in the visceral organs of small ruminants and its effects cause economic losses due to condemnation of visceral organs in slaughterhouses. This study reports on the prevalence of Cysticercus tenuicollis in small ruminants slaughtered in Lira Municipal Abattoir. A total of 70 sheep and 70 goats were sampled and examined after slaughter for the presence of Cysticercus tenuicollis in the visceral organs using standard meat inspection procedures. An abattoir data collection sheet was used to record data, which was then analysed in SPSS version 20. The study revealed 51.4% of goats and 68.6% of sheep to be infested with Cysticercus tenuicollis. Following the district of origin for the small ruminants, Otuke district had the highest prevalence of the parasite (82.6%), followed by Kole (72.4%), Alebtong (66.7%), Apac (59.4%) and Lira (31.4%). Cysticercus tenuicollis was more frequently seen in the intestines (57.8%) of sheep and goats than in any other visceral organs. The liver had a prevalence of 20.7%, the lungs 17.8%, the kidneys 3.5% and the fetal sac;(15.7%) in goats and (12.9%) in sheep. Cysticercus tenuicollis was detected in 68.8% of females and 58.8% of male small ruminants. It is recommended to routinely deworm goats and sheep by farmers most especially in districts with the highest prevalence of Cysticercus tenuicollis infestation. The sale of the condemned parts of sheep and goats and the feeding of dogs on these contaminated materials should be stopped forthwith. It is also being suggested that a national study be carried out to determine the prevalence and economic impact of Cysticercus tenuicollis in small ruminants.

High-efficiency Embryo Cryopreservation Technology for Mutton Sheep

Embryo cryopreservation is an important part of embryo biotechnology.It plays a key role in the development of quality animal husbandry.However,the effect of in-vivo(in-vitro)embryo freezing of cattle and sheep in China has not reached an expected level,which limits the commercial application of embryo transfer technology.The technical bottleneck that needs to be broken through is that embryos are subject to mechanical damage and protective agent toxicity during freezing and thawing.This paper summarized the successful application of plant antifreeze protein in vitrification preservation of pig embryos,which makes this technology widely used in animal husbandry production,and is of great significance in accelerating the large-scale breeding of improved livestock and saving endangered animals.

Comparison of Growth and Development Traits among Crossbreds of Dorset and Local Sheep Varieties in Gansu Province

In order to improve the meat production performance of local sheep varieties in Gansu Province, Dorset was introduced to crossbreed with the local sheep varieties, including Tan sheep, Small Tail Han sheep and Mongolia sheep. The offspring of different crossbreeding combinations were sampled randomly at different growth stages, and their growth and development traits were measured so as to screen out the best crossbreeding mode. The results showed that under the same crossbreeding mode, the growth rate of F3 was higher than that of F2, and of F2 was higher than that of F1. Among the F3 population, the growth rates of Dorset ×Han and Dorset × Mongolia hybrids were higher. Compared with those of Dorset ×Tan F3 hybrids, the body weights of male and female Dorset × Han and Dorset ×Mongolia F3 hybrids were increased by 5.59%, 4.40%, 5.93% and 3.76%, respectively. Among the F2 population, the growth rates of Dorset × Han and Dorset ×Mongolia hybrids were also higher. The body weights of male and female Dorset ×Han and Dorset × Mongolia F2 hybrids were higher than those of Dorset × Tan ×Han F2 hybrids by 5.99%, 3.67%, 9.80% and 5.00%, respectively. In the F1 population, the growth rates of Dorset × Han and Dorset × Mongolia hybrids were higher.Compared with those of Tan × Han F1 hybrids, the body weights of male and female Dorset × Han and Dorset × Mongolia F1 hybrids were increased by 11.32%,5.22%, 7.60% and 7.20%, respectively. Therefore, in the feeding area of Small Tai Han sheep, Mongolia sheep and Tan sheep, Dorset was the best sire for producing hybrid lambs. The economic benefit of crossbred offspring was obvious.

Seasonal Variation of Physiological and Biochemical Indexes of White-tibetan Sheep

In this study, to understand the variation regulation of physiological and biochemical indexs of White-Tibetan sheep with seasons, the physiological and bio- chemical indexs of White-Tibetan sheep in Hongyuan Areas of Sichuan Province in four seasons were measured. The results showed that the respiratory change range of white-Tibetan sheep in four seasons was from （32.74±21.33） to （49.96±17.62） times/min, and the variation ranges of body temperature and heart rate were from （39.27±1.05） to （39.73±0.31） ℃ and from （88.75±8.32） to （104.63±10.39） times/min, respectively. The indexes of WBC, MCV, MCH and MCHC in autumn and winter were extremely significantly lower than those in spring and summer, while RBC,HCT and RDW-CV in autumn and winter were extremely significantly higher than those in spring and summer, HGB and PLT changed in different seasons with no signifi- cance. The indexes of AST,TP, ALB, GLO and LDH in summer and autumn were relatively higher than those in winter and spring, while the indexes of PCHE, GLU, CHOL and CA in summer and autumn were relatively lower than those in winter and spring, however, the indexes of ALT and ALP were relatively higher in spring and autumn.

A computational framework for improving genetic variants identification from 5,061 sheep sequencing data

Background Pan-genomics is a recently emerging strategy that can be utilized to provide a more comprehensive characterization of genetic variation.Joint calling is routinely used to combine identified variants across multiple related samples.However,the improvement of variants identification using the mutual support information from mul-tiple samples remains quite limited for population-scale genotyping.Results In this study,we developed a computational framework for joint calling genetic variants from 5,061 sheep by incorporating the sequencing error and optimizing mutual support information from multiple samples’data.The variants were accurately identified from multiple samples by using four steps:(1)Probabilities of variants from two widely used algorithms,GATK and Freebayes,were calculated by Poisson model incorporating base sequencing error potential;(2)The variants with high mapping quality or consistently identified from at least two samples by GATK and Freebayes were used to construct the raw high-confidence identification(rHID)variants database;(3)The high confidence variants identified in single sample were ordered by probability value and controlled by false discovery rate(FDR)using rHID database;(4)To avoid the elimination of potentially true variants from rHID database,the vari-ants that failed FDR were reexamined to rescued potential true variants and ensured high accurate identification variants.The results indicated that the percent of concordant SNPs and Indels from Freebayes and GATK after our new method were significantly improved 12%-32%compared with raw variants and advantageously found low frequency variants of individual sheep involved several traits including nipples number(GPC5),scrapie pathology(PAPSS2),sea-sonal reproduction and litter size(GRM1),coat color(RAB27A),and lentivirus susceptibility(TMEM154).Conclusion The new method used the computational strategy to reduce the number of false positives,and simulta-neously improve the identification of genetic variants.This strategy did not incur any extra cost by using any addi-tional samples or sequencing data information and advantageously identified rare variants which can be important for practical applications of animal breeding.

Effects of LPA on the development of sheep in vitro fertilized embryos and attempt to establish sheep embryonic stem cells

Lysophosphatidic acid(LPA)is a small molecule glycerophospholipid,which regulates multiple downstream signalling pathways through G-protein-coupled receptors to achieve numerous functions on oocyte maturation and embryo development.In this study,sheep in vitro fertilized embryos were applied to investigate the effects of LPA on early embryos development and embryonic stem cell establishment.At first,the maturation medium containing estrus female sheep serum and synthetic oviduct fluid(SOF)were optimized for sheep IVF,and then the effects of LPA were investigated.From 0.1 to 10μmol L^(–1),LPA had no significant effect on the cleavage rate(P>0.05),but the maturation rate and blastocyst rate increased dependently with LPA concentration(P<0.05),and the blastocyst morphology was normal.When the LPA concentration was 15μmol L^(–1),the maturation rate,cleavage rate and blastocyst rate decreased significantly(P<0.05),and the blastocyst exhibited abnormal morphology and could not develop into highquality blastocyst.Besides,the exogenous LPA increases the expression of LPAR2,LPAR4,TE-related gene CDX-2and pluripotency-related gene OCT-4 in sheep early IVF embryos with the raise of LPA concentration from 0.1 to 10μmol L^(–1).The expression of LPAR2,LPAR4,CDX-2 and OCT-4 from the LPA-0.1μmol L^(–1)to LPA-10μmol L^(–1)groups in early embryos were extremely significant(P<0.05),while the expression of these genes significantly decreased in 15μmol L^(–1)LPA-treated embryos compared with LPA-10μmol L^(–1)group(P<0.05).The inner cell mass in 15μmol L^(–1)LPA-treated embryos was also disturbed,and the blastocysts formation was abnormal.Secondly,the sheep IVF blastocysts were applied to establish embryonic stem cells.The results showed that LPA made the blastocyst inoculated cells grow towards TSC-like cells.They enhanced the fluorescence intensity and mRNA abundance of OCT-4 and CDX-2 as the concentration increased from 0 to 10μmol L^(–1),while 15μmol L^(–1)LPA decreased OCT-4 and CDX-2 expression in the derived cells.The expression of CDX-2 and OCT-4 in the blastocyst inoculated cells of LPA-1μmol L^(–1)group and LPA-10μmol L^(–1)group extremely significantly increased(P<0.05),but there was significant decrease in LPA-15μmol L^(–1)group compared with LPA-10μmol L^(–1)group(P<0.05).Meanwhile,the protein expression of LPAR2 and LPAR4 remarkably increased after treatment of LPA at 10μmol L^(–1)concentration.This study references the IVF embryo production and embryonic stem cell research of domestic animals.

Gait analysis in swine,sheep,and goats after neurologic injury:a literature review

Medical research on neurologic ailments requires representative animal models to validate treatments before they are translated to human clinical trials.Rodents are the predominant animal model used in neurological research despite limited anatomic and physiologic similarities to humans.As a result,functional testing designed to assess locomotor recovery after neurologic impairment is well established in rodent models.Comparatively,large r,more clinically relevant models have not been as well studied.To achieve similar locomotor testing standardization in larger animals,the models must be accessible to a wide array of researchers.Non-human primates are the most relevant animal model fo r translational research,however ethical and financial barriers limit their accessibility.This review focuses on swine,sheep,and goats as large animal alternatives for transitional studies between rodents and non-human primates.The objective of this review is to compare motor testing and data collection methods used in swine,sheep,and goats to encourage testing standardization in these larger animal models.The PubMed database was analyzed by searching combinations of swine,sheep,and goats,neurologic injuries,and functional assessments.Findings were categorized by animal model,data collection method,and assessment design.Swine and sheep were used in the majority of the studies,while only two studies were found using goats.The functional assessments included open pen analysis,treadmill walking,and guided free walking.Data collection methods included subjective behavioral rating scales and objective tools such as pressure-sensitive mats and image-based analysis software.Overall,swine and sheep were well-suited for a variety of assessment designs,with treadmill walking and guided free walking offering the most consistency across multiple trials.Data collection methods varied,but image-based gait analysis software provided the most robust analysis.Future studies should be conducted to standardize functional testing methods after neurologic impairment in large animals.

MicroRNA-370-5p inhibits pigmentation and cell proliferation by downregulating mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 8 expression in sheep melanocytes

In mammals,microRNAs(miRNAs)play key roles in multiple biological processes by regulating the expression of target genes.Studies have found that the levels of miR-370-5p expression differ significantly in the skins of sheep with different hair colors;however,its function remains unclear.In this study,we investigated the roles of miR-370-5p in sheep melanocytes and found that the overexpression of miR-370-5p significantly inhibited cell proliferation(P<0.01),tyrosinase activity(P=0.001)and significantly reduced(P<0.001)melanin production.Functional prediction revealed that the 3′-untranslated region(UTR)of MAP3K8 has a putative miR-370-5p binding site,and the interaction between these two molecules was confirmed using luciferase reporter assays.In situ hybridization assays revealed that MAP3K8 is expressed in the cytoplasm of melanocytes.The results of quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting analyses revealed that overexpression of miR-370-5p in melanocytes significantly inhibits(P<0.01)MAP3K8 expression via direct targeting of its 3′UTR.Inhibition of MAP3K8 expression by siRNA-MAP3K8 transfection induced a significant inhibition(P<0.01)of melanocyte proliferation and significant reduction(P<0.001)in melanin production,which is consistent with our observations for miR-370-5p.Target gene rescue experiments indicated that the expression of MAP3K8 in melanocytes co-transfected with miR-370-5p and MAP3K8-cDNA(containing sites for the targeted binding to miR-370-5p)was significantly rescued(P≤0.001),which subsequently promoted significant increases in cell proliferation(P<0.001)and melanin production(P<0.01).Collectively,these findings indicate that miR-370-5p plays a functional role in inhibiting sheep melanocyte proliferation and melanogenesis by downregulating the expression of MAP3K8.

Phylogenetic Relationship and Molecular Divergence Dating Using SRY Gene Polymorphism about Four Ladoum Sheep Lineages in Senegal

Animal genetic resources are playing a vital role in livestock production and are essential to food security. The present study aims to contribute to a better understanding genetic local sheep breeds and to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships through the evolution of the SRY gene in four different lineages of Ladoum sheep raised in Senegal. After a brief analysis of genetic diversity, the phylogenetic relationships and molecular dating were inferred through haplotype networks and four phylogenetic reconstruction methods. The different haplotype networks are constructed with NETWORK ver. 5.0.0.0 using the Median-Joining method. Phylogenetic trees were reconstructed using neighbor-joining, maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. The robustness of the nodes in phylogenetic trees of the three first methods was assessed by 1000 bootstraps. For Bayesian inference, the posterior probability distribution of the trees was estimated by 4 MCMC chains. 5,000,000 generations were performed for each of the chains by sampling the different parameters every 1000 generations. Results show a low polymorphism. Haplotypic diversity is much higher than the average nucleotide divergence between all pairs of haplotypes. The majority and central haplotype indicates a close relationship between “Batling” and “Tyson” individuals. “Birahim” lineage is very distinct from the rest. Phylogenetic trees confirm two genetically separate clades between “Birahim” and the other lineages. The period of divergence between “Birahim” lineage versus the common ancestor of the other three lineages was 2504 years ago. The polyphyly revealed in “Birahim” lindicates that this lineage does not contain the common ancestor of all individuals who compose it. It could therefore be derived from two or more sheep breeds with a common ancestor, Ovis aries. The monophyletic clade appears to be a group including a common ancestor and all of its genetic descendants. This group, bringing together the other three lineages, is in the process of being structured into sub-lineages. This study is the first to show that there are only two genetic lines within ladoum sheep in Senegal.

Effects of Antimicrobial Peptides on Production,Slaughter Performance and Blood Routine of Tan Sheep

[Objectives]This study was conducted to analyze effects of antimicrobial peptides added to the diet of Tan sheep on their production, slaughter performance and blood composition. [Methods] Ninety two four-month-old Tan sheep were randomly divided into two treatment groups according to their body weight, 46 in each group. The control check group(CK) was feed with conventional diet, and the experimental group was fed with the addition of antimicrobial peptide on the basis of the conventional diet, with the added amount of 2.5 g/sheep per day. The experimental period was 60 d. [Results] The incidence rate was 75.06% lower in the experimental group than in the CK. The average daily weight gain per sheep was 11.27% higher in the experimental group than in the CK(P<0.05). The feed conversion ratio was 8.45% lower in the experimental group than in the CK(P<0.05). The average daily gross profit per sheep was 12.12% higher in the experimental group than in the CK. For slaughter performance, the data difference of each item was not significant. The PH at 45 min and 24 h after slaughter was within the normal range of fresh mutton. The cooked meat percentage and water loss rate showed no significant differences(P>0.05). The marbling ranged from 2.45 to 2.50, indicating that the fat content was moderate, and the difference between groups was not significant(P>0.05). The flesh color ranged from 3.00 to 3.15, between light red and bright red, belonging to the normal color of mutton, and the difference between groups was not significant(P>0.05). The shear force was between 2.50 and 2.65, without a significant difference between groups(P>0.05). The white blood cells, lymphocytes and platelets in the experimental group were lower than those in the CK(P<0.01). The erythrocytes and hemoglobin in the erythrocyte group were higher than those in the CK(P<0.05). The neutrophils and monocytes in the experimental group were lower than those in the CK(P<0.05). [Conclusions] This study provides a technical basis for the rational use of antimicrobial peptides and their application in ruminants.

Isolation and Identification of Pathogens Causing Foot Rot Disease of Bayinbuluk Sheep in Xinjiang

[Objective]The paper was to investigate the pathogenicity of Fusobacterium necrophrum in Bayinbuluk sheep of Xinjiang.[Method]The pathogens of 60 rotten limb tissue samples were isolated and identified from 2019 to 2021.The pathogenicity and bacteria were detected by using artificial infection test,bacterial identification instrument and high performance liquid mass spectrometer.[Result]A total of 3 pathogenic bacteria were isolated from foot rot disease of Bayinbuluk sheep,namely F.necrophrum,Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli,indicating a mixed infection.All of the isolates could cause death in mice,and the fatality rate of mice was 50%.[Conclusion]Foot rot disease is more common in the Bayinbuluk sheep flock in Hejing County of Xinjiang,and the disease can be controlled effectively by doing a good job of sanitary disinfection in the enclosure.

Study on Breeding Practices and Reproductive Performance of Black-Head Somali Sheep under Traditional Management System: The Case of Awbarre District, Eastern Ethiopia

The study was conducted in the Awbarre district of the Fafen zone of the Somali regional state of Ethiopia. The objective of the study was to assess the breeding practices and reproductive performance of Black-head Somali sheep under a traditional management system. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select targeted kebeles and households, respectively. A total of 120 households were selected from four kebeles, each of 30 households, based on the production system and sheep population. Semi-structured questionnaires, group discussions, key informants interviews and field observations were used to generate the required data. The primary purpose of keeping sheep was for income generation, followed by saving as a future asset. The majority (89.2%) of the respondents separated male and female animals during herding. The selection criteria for breeding rams were appearance, growth, pedigree, and color while for breeding ewes were appearance, adaptability, pedigree, color, and lamb growth. The overall weaning age of Black-head Somali sheep in the study area was 3.7 months for both males & females. The castration of male sheep was common for the purpose of fattening, fattening with breeding control and breeding control as well. The castration is mainly performed during the summer and autumn and the methods of castration were both traditional and modern methods, the traditional castration method being the most important one in pastoral areas. The age of sexual maturity was 7.64 months for rams and 8.97 months for ewe’s male and female lambs in the pastoral area and 8.42 & 8.38 for rams & ewes in agro-pastoral and overall lambing interval was 11 months. On average, the ewe of Black-head Somali sheep in pastoral & agro-pastoral could produce 9.49 & 9.57 lambs, respectively in their lifetime. As the pastoralists and agro-pastoralists indicated the source of the breeding ram was their own, so the exchange of breeding ram is recommended to minimize the risk of inbreeding and further studies of on-farm performance investigation would be necessary to be carried out so as to understand the uniqueness of the breed better.

Improving the Local Sheep in Gansu via Crossing with Introduced Sheep Breeds Dorset and Borderdale

In order to improve the meat performance of local sheep in Gansu Province,Dorset and Borderdale were introduced to crossbreed with local sheep which were Tan sheep,Small-tail Han sheep and Mongolia sheep. The offspring under different crossbreeding combinations were sampled randomly at the different growing stage to measure their growth traits so as to select optimize the crossbreeding mode. The results indicated that,for the same crossbreeding mode,the growth rate of progeny was in order F3】 F2】 F1; for the F3 progeny,the combinations Dorset- Borderdale- Small tail Han sheep and Dorset- Borderdale- Mongolia sheep gave a higher growth rate,with a body weight of 1. 57%,3. 17%,8. 23%,1. 15% higher in male and female individuals than the counterparts of Dorset and Tan sheep and Small tail Han sheep; for the F2 progeny,the combinations Dorset- Borderdale- Small tail Han sheep and Dorset- Borderdale- Mongolia sheep also gave a higher growth rate,with a body weight of 2. 15%,4. 53%,9. 21% and 2. 75% higher in male and female individuals than the counterparts of Dorset and Tan sheep and Small tail Han sheep; for the F1 progeny,the combination Borderdale and Small tail Han sheep assumed a higher growth rate,with a body weight of 3. 23%,6. 07%,7. 42% and 8. 66% higher in male and female individuals than the counterparts of Borderdale- Mongolia sheep and Tan sheep- Small tail Han sheep,respectively. Therefore,in the Small-tail Han sheep and Mongolia sheep producing regions,the F2 or F3progeny bred by using Dorset or Borderdale sheep as male parent to cross with local breeds,or the hybrid lambs of Small-tail Han sheep and Borderdale sheep as highly qualified commodity,would produce significant economic benefit. Moreover,the novel breeds obtained by crossing were the valuable genetic resource for breeding meat sheep.

Analysis of Physiological and Biochemical Indexes of White-tibetan Sheep at Different Months of Age

To study the physiological and biochemical indexes of White-tibetan sheep in plateau environment, we measured the physiological and biochemical inde- xes of White-tibetan sheep at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18,21 and 24 months of age. The results showed that the body temperature, respiration and heart rate of White-ti- betan sheep at 3 - 24 months of age were （38.89 ±0. 56） - （39.83 ± 0.32） ℃, （26.00±6.67 ） - （58.64 ± 12.67 ） times/rain and （ 83.90 ± 7.64） - （111.36 ±7.46） times/rain, respectively. The blood physiological indexes of WBC, HCT and RDW-CV at 3, 6, 15 and 18 months of age were lower than those at 9, 12, 21 and 24 months of age. On the contrary, the indexes of RBC, MCV, MCH and MCHC at 3, 6, 15 and 18 months of age were higher than those at 9, 12, 21 and24 months of age, while HGB and PLT did not vary with months of age. For blood biochemical indexes, ALT, AST, TP, ALB, LDH and CHOL reached the maximums at 21 months of age, while ALP, PCHE and GLU reached the maximums at 3 months of age. Besides, the GLO and GA reached the maxi- mums at 18 and 24 months of age, respectively. The physiological and biochemical indexes of White-tibetan sheep followed certain rules in growth and development process, and might be affected by plateau climate and season.

Developmental Changes of the FAS and HSL mRNA Expression and Their Effects on the Content of Intramuscular Fat in Kazak and Xinjiang Sheep

Twenty-four male Kazak sheep and 30 Xinjiang fine wool sheep at different ages were selected to investigate the development-dependent expression levels of fatty acid synthase （FAS） gene and hormone-sensitive lipase （HSL） gene in muscle and their effects on the contents of intramuscular fat （IMF）. Longissimus dorsal muscle was sampled to measure IMF and total RNA was extracted to determine FAS and HSL mRNA expression levels by real-time PCR. The results showed that： l） The IMF content increased continuously with growth and showed significant differences （P 〈 0.05） between different age groups in male Kazak sheep, but in Xinjiang fine wool sheep there was no such difference observed. Furthermore, the IMF contents in Kazak were much higher （P 〈 0.01） than that of the other breed from day 30 to 90. 2） FAS mRNA expression level was the highest （P 〈 0.05） on day 0 in Kazak sheep and then declined with growth, in the other breed the gene showed a d‘ecline-rise-decline-rise＇ expression manner as the animals grew. HSL mRNA expression level had a similar model in two breeds, in Kazak sheep it was the highest on day 0 （P 〈 0.05） and in Xinjiang fine wool sheep on day 30 （P 〈 0.01）, then both decreased after this term. 3） In male Kazak sheep, FAS and HSL mRNA expression level were both negatively related to IMF content （r= -0.485 （P = 0.02）, r= -0.423 （P = 0.05））, and the ratio of FAS/HSL expression exhibited significantly negatively related IMF contents. In male Xinjiang sheep, there were no obvious relationship between FAS and HSL expression and IMF content （P 〉 0.05）.