• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 1993

Twelve docked and 12 intact Najdi lambs of equal numbers of males and females were slaughtered at 40 kg shorn shrunk body weight, Lipid in all empty body fat components; namely, subcutaneous, intermuscular, intramuscular, omental, mesenteric, channel, perirenal, pericardial, tail, viscera, bone and hide, were determined. Except for ram lambs, which had a lower percentage of lipid in intermuscular partition in loin cut, sex did not influence the relative proportion of subcutaneous or intermuscular fat in each wholesale cut. The data also showed that docking did not change the distribution of lipid in intermuscular and intramuscular fat partitions in each wholesale cut. Docked lambs tended to accumulate lower proportions of the lipid in subcutaneous fat component in the cuts located along the dorsal line than intact lambs. The total amount of lipid deposited in the empty body of ewe lamb was heavier in weight than that of ram lamb. Docking had no effect on the distribution of total lipid in the empty body, except for subcutaneous fat component, being greater in docked lambs than did intact ones. Generally, the highest proportion of fat was associated with subcutaneous depot followed, in order, by intermuscular, mesenteric, tail, intramuscular and omental fat partitions.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.135-138
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• 1993

Twelve intact and 12 docked Najdi lambs of equal numbers of males and females were utilized in the experiment. All lambs were raised under similar conditions until they attained 40 kg shorn and shrunk body weight. Thereafter, lambs were individually fed ad libitum on a diet formulated to contain 11.20 MJ ME/kg and slaughtered after 60 days feeding period. The results showed that Najdi rams averaged 6.14 kg more total gain (p < .05), required 6.80 kg less feed (p < .05) per kg of gain and produced 3.2 and 3.07 kg more (p < .05) carcass and salable cuts weights over the feeding period than comparable ewes. Body wall thickness and kidney and pelvic fat weight were greater (p < .05) for ewes than for rams; dressing percent, longissimus area and fat thickness were not significantly influenced by sex of lambs. Docked lambs kept for 60 days on feed required 1.80 kg less feed (p < .05) per kg of gain and produced 2.21 kg more (p < .05) salable wholesale cuts weight than intact lambs. Docking was not a significant source of variation for total gain, carcass weight, dressing percent, longissimus dorsi area, body wall thickness and fat thickness.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.693-699
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• 2004

Live animal selection programs that favor animals with a minimum amount of carcass fat are used for improving breeding flocks of sheep. To predict carcass characteristics of live sheep using body measurements in breeding flocks, 200 male and female lambs of two fat-tailed Iranian sheep breeds (Moghani and Makui) were used. Depth of soft tissue over the 12th rib of the live animals was measured with ultrasound (ULGR) and with hypodermic needle (NGR). The height at withers (HW), body length (BL), circumference of heart girth (CH) and width of hooks (WH), were measured. All animals were slaughtered; carcasses were cut into joints and dissected. Breed had a significant effect on all of the live easurements. The Moghani breed showed a higher value for HW, CH, ULGR and NGR, compared to that of Makui. Except for soft tissue depths; ULGR, NGR and GR, the male lambs showed higher values in live and carcass measurements than females. Percentages of carcass, total fat and intermuscular fat in females were higher than that of male lambs. In spite of the higher amount of subcutaneous and intermuscular fat in female (which is usually used for their physiological need, such as pregnancy and lactation), the male lambs had a heavier fat-tail than females. There was a wide range of variation of percentage of total carcass fat and total chemical fat content of carcass in the two breeds. Eventually this wide variation could be use by animal breeders for selection of animals with a lesser amount of carcass fat. Live weight of lambs showed a relatively low correlation with percentage of carcass lean, total fat and subcutaneous and intermuscular fat. Total lean meat was predicted with relatively high coefficients of determination in the two breeds ($R^2$=0.61 and 0.89, respectively). Live weight and carcass traits were predicted using simple measurements, but with $R^2$ ranging from 0.53 to 0.93.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1348-1352
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• 2005

Most breeds of sheep in Iran are adapted to their agro ecological niches where it is likely that they were also artificially selected by their owners. In general, most of sheep breeds are multipurpose producing lambs, wool and milk. To compare the physical and chemical composition of the carcasses of ten Iranian native fat-tailed sheep breeds, 243 male lambs (6-7 months of age) of ten fattailed, Iranian breeds of sheep, Sanjabi (S), Ghezel (G), Afshari (A), Mehrabani (M), Lori (L), Lori Bakhtiari (LB), Kordi Khorasan (K), Sangesari (Sa), Baluchi (B) and Chal (C) were studied. Lamb breed group had a significant (p<0.05) effect on all the carcass traits measured. The LB and C lambs showed the same live weight which was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the other breeds. Carcass dressing- out percentage in S lambs was lowest (p<0.05), but not different from G lambs. K and Sa breeds showed the highest (p<0.05) carcass dressing-out percentage. The S lambs had the highest (p<0.05) lean meat percent. Lean meat percentage was not significantly (p>0.05) different in the G, A, M and C breeds. The Sa and K breeds showed the lowest lean meat percent. The S lambs showed the lowest (p<0.05) fat percent in their carcass, while K and Sa showed the highest (p<0.05). Subcutaneous fat in K, Sa and B was higher (p<0.05) than the other breeds. Lambs of S, G, A and M breeds had the lowest subcutaneous fat in their carcasses (p>0.05). Intramascular fat was significantly (p<0.05) lower in M, S and C despite the fact that this values were highest in B and K lambs. The K and Sa breeds had highest fat-tail percentage (p<0.05) in their carcass, whereas S and G showed lowest. Lambs of G, S and A breeds had higher bone percent than other breeds (p<0.05). Lowest bone percent (p<0.05) was seen in K and Sa lambs. The carcass moisture percent was not significantly (p>0.05) different in S, G, A, M, L and C breeds. M lambs showed the lowest crude protein percentage and S breed the highest (p<0.05). There were no significant (p>0.05) differences among other lamb breeds for this trait. Chemical fat percentage was the same in S, G, A, C and M breeds, but significantly (p<0.05) lower from LB, K, Sa and B. Ash percent in S, G and A had no significant (p>0.05) difference. According to higher lean meat and lower fat percentages in the carcass, the ranking of breeds would be S, G, A, M and C.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.796-802
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• 2009

The effects of docking on growth traits, fattening performance, carcass characteristics and blood biochemical parameters were investigated using 24 fat-tailed Sanjabi single-born male lambs raised from a large commercial sheep herd. The lambs were randomly divided into two groups. One group (n = 12) were docked at two days of age with rubber-rings using an elastrator. The second group (n = 12) were left intact. After weaning (90 days), all lambs were moved to rustic rangelands for 40 days. Then all the lambs were fed concentrates ad libitum for 60 days during the fattening period. Growth traits, body weight and average daily gain (kg) were recorded at the end of the weaning and fattening periods. Blood biochemical parameters including urea, total protein, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) were measured during the fattening period. Finally, at the end of the fattening period, eight lambs (4 intact and 4 docked lambs) were slaughtered in order to determine carcass characteristics. Fat-tail docking had no effect (p>0.05) on lamb growth from birth to weaning. Body weight and average daily gain of docked lambs were significantly higher (p<0.05) than for intact lambs at the end of the fattening period. There was no difference in carcass measurements between the two groups, except for chest depth and leg weight which were higher (p<0.05) in docked lambs. During the fattening period, cholesterol and LDL of docked lambs were less than in intact lambs (p<0.05). The current results indicated that docking with rubber rings causes an improvement in growth traits during the fattening period and leads to desirable carcass characteristics compared to intact lambs; interestingly, this procedure had a significant effect on the lowering of blood cholesterol and LDL of docked lambs.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.1134-1145
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with Allium mongolicum Regel extracts on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, fat color, and concentrations of three branched-chain fatty acids related to flavor in ram lambs. Methods: Sixty 3-month-old, male, small-tailed Han sheep were selected and randomly allocated into four groups in a randomized block design. Four feeding treatments were used: i) a basal diet without supplementation as the control group (CK); ii) the basal diet supplemented with 10 g/lamb/d Allium mongolicum Regel powder as the AMR group; iii) the basal diet supplemented with 3.4 g/lamb/d Allium mongolicum Regel water extract as the AWE group; and iv) the basal diet supplemented with 2.8 g/lamb/d Allium mongolicum Regel ethanol extract as the AFE group. Results: The results demonstrated that the dry matter intake was lower for the AFE group than that in other groups (p = 0.001). The feed conversion ratio was greater for the AFE than that in other groups (p = 0.039). Dietary supplementation with Allium mongolicum Regel powder and its extracts decreased the concentrations of 4-methyloctanoic acid (MOA) (p<0.001), 4-ethyloctanoic acid (EOA) (p<0.001), and 4-methylnonanoic acid (MNA) (p = 0.044) in perirenal adipose tissue compared to those observed in the CK lambs. Dietary supplementation with Allium mongolicum Regel powder and its extracts decreased the concentrations of MOA (p<0.001) and EOA (p<0.001) in dorsal subcutaneous adipose tissue compared to those in the CK lambs. The concentrations of MOA (p<0.001) and EOA (p = 0.002) in omental adipose tissue were significantly affected by treatment, although there was a tendency for lower MNA (p = 0.062) in AMR, AWE, and AFE lambs than that in CK lambs. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that Allium mongolicum Regel and its extracts could significantly promote feed efficiency, although dry matter intake decreased and could decrease the MOA and EOA concentrations related to characteristic flavor and odor of body fat in lambs, except for tail adipose tissue.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.965-972
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• 2020

Objective: Astragalus membranaceus root is a well-known traditional Chinese herbal medicine with many biological active constituents. This study was conducted to examine the effects of Astragalus membranaceus root powder (AMP) on growth performance, serum antioxidant and immune response in finishing lambs. Methods: A total of thirty-six Guangling fat-tailed ram lambs (body weight = 19±2 kg, mean±standard deviation) were randomly assigned to one of six treatments for a 40 d feeding period, with the first 10 d for adaptation. Treatments consisted of the lambs' basal diets with addition of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 g/kg of diet of AMP. Results: Response to supplementation level of AMP was quadratic (p≤0.032) for final weight and ADG with the greatest at 10 g/kg of diet, but dry matter intake was not affected (p≥0.227) by treatments. The increase of AMP supplementation resulted in a quadratic response in contents of triglyceride and creatinine (p<0.05), with the lowest values for 10 and 20 g/kg of diet, respectively. A linear and quadratic decrease was observed in activity of alkaline phosphatase in serum of lambs. As the AMP supplementation increased, the activities of total superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capacity increased linearly (p≤0.018) and hydroxyl radical (OH^-) decreased linearly (p = 0.002). For catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA), quadratic (p≤0.001) effects were observed among treatments, with the greatest CAT and lowest MDA values at 10 g/kg AMP. Additionally, supplementing AMP up to a level of 10 or 15 g/kg of diet quadratically increased immunoglobulin and interleukin contents in the serum. Conclusion: The results indicated that AMP can be used as natural feed additive in the ration of lambs to improve ADG, antioxidant status, and immune functions, and the optimal dose was 10 g/kg of diet under the condition of this experiment.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.11-14
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• 2003

To evaluate the ewe reproductive performances of three Iranian local sheep breeds, namely Moghani, Chal and Zel, 27 rams and 473 ewes were used as the foundation flock in a crossbreeding program. The three breeds were crossed amongst themselves reciprocally. Ram breed and ewe breed showed a two-way interaction on apparent fertility. The Zel ewes showed higher fertility than the Chal and Moghani ewes (94.4 vs 77.3 and 84.6%). Prolificacy among main and individual mating groups were not significantly different (p>0.05). Zel ewes were 22.3 and 14.8% more reproductive (p<0.05) than Chal and Moghani ewes, respectively. Zel and Moghani ewes showed higher (p<0.05) ewe productivity than Chal ewes. Ram breed had a significant (p<0.05) effect on ewe efficiency. The Zel rams were not completely successful to mate with Chal ewes, this caused a to way-interaction between ram and ewe breeds. The Zel ewes mated with Chal and Moghani rams showed 26.1 and 28.5% more efficiency than those mated with Zel rams. This observation strongly supports the use of crossbreeding to improve the efficiency of the Zel ewes. With decreasing lamb mortality, through supplemented feeding of lambs in pre-weaning period, and increasing litter weight, through crossbreeding, it should be possible to improve the efficiency of Zel ewes even better than Chal and Moghani ewes. Small body size of Zel ewes that needs the lower maintenance requirements would be a well advantageous to using Zel ewes as the dam herd to produce commercial lambs in north area of Iran.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.19.1-19.6
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to estimate variance components and genetic parameters for growth curve parameters in Guilan sheep. Studied traits were parameters of Brody growth model which included A (asymptotic mature weight), B (initial animal weight) and K (maturation rate). The data set and pedigree information used in this study were obtained from the Agricultural Organization of Guilan province (Rasht, Iran) and comprised 8647 growth curve records of lambs from birth to 240 days of age during 1994 to 2014. Marginal posterior distributions of parameters and variance components were estimated using TM program. The Gibbs sampler was run 300000 rounds and the first 60000 rounds were discarded as a burn-in period. Posterior mean estimates of direct heritabilities for A, B and K were 0.39, 0.23 and 0.039, respectively. Estimates of direct genetic correlation between growth curve parameters were 0.57, 0.03 and -0.01 between A-B, A-K and B-K, respectively. Estimates of direct genetic trends for A, B and K were positive and their corresponding values were $0.014{\pm}0.003$ (P < 0.001), $0.0012{\pm}0.0009$ (P > 0.05) and $0.000002{\pm}0.0001$ (P > 0.05), respectively. Residual correlations between growth curve parameters varied form -0.52 (between A-K) to 0.48 (between A-B). Also, phenotypic correlations between growth curve parameters varied form -0.49 (between A-K) to 0.47 (between A-B). The results of this study indicated that improvement of growth curve parameters of Guilan sheep seems feasible in selection programs. It is worthwhile to develop a selection strategy to obtain an appropriate shape of growth curve through changing genetically the parameters of growth model.