• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.1162-1172
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• 2000

The research was conducted to quantify farm and household characteristics of sheep farmers, evaluate farmer access to and the effectiveness of livestock services in sheep farming areas, and examine regional constraints to improving sheep productivity and profitability in Nepal. A rapid diagnostic socioeconomic survey of 200 sheep farmers was carried out in 1996 and all four ecological regions (Trans-Himalayan, Mountains, Hills and Terai), each with a distinct local sheep breed, were represented in the survey. Six major constraints were identified: (a) poor performance of local sheep breeds, (b) a serious seasonal deficit of pasture and other feed, (c) the lack of an organized market for wool and meat, (d) poor access to agricultural credit, (e) primitive shearing equipment, and (f) an inadequate supply of drinking water for sheep. Strategies to assist farmers develop their sheep management skills, improve access and quality of support services, improved technology adaptable to local conditions and effective linkages with local carpet and meat industry are likely to overcome the constraints and alleviate persistent poverty faced by sheep farmers in Nepal.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.701-709
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• 2001

Yeso sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) grazed on various types of plants, and the fiber content in these plants was low. The tastes of yeso sika deer for existing feeds for ruminant livestock resembled those of sheep. Though the digestibility of these feeds in yeso sika deer was slightly lower than that in sheep, the nutritive values of DCP and TDN were similar between the two species, suggesting that feed for sheep can be utilized. Therefore, in small-scale farming of yeso sika deer, the feeding amount in feeding planning can be determined using the feeding standards for sheep. However, when concentrates are fed, correction of TDN is necessary. In large-scale pasturage, the nutritional intake in summer is adequate because yeso sika deer graze on various types of wild plants. In winter, they mainly graze on sasa (Sasa senanensis), and supplementary food may be necessary to supply TDN. Thus, since yeso sika deer graze on many types of wild plants, existing feeds for ruminant livestock can be used. In addition, plant biomasses except concentrates that do not cause competition with existing livestock may be effectively utilized in yeso sika deer, suggesting their importance as animal resources. The data on the intake and nutritive values of Sasa senanensis can be parameters for estimating the appropriate inhabitant number of wild yeso sika deer in wintering areas.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Grassland Science Conference
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• 2005.02a
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• pp.47-56
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• 2005

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.1041-1047
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• 2011

Data on 2,365 Mecheri sheep (1,201 males and 1,164 females), maintained at the Mecheri Sheep Research Station, Pottaneri, India, and recorded between 1979 and 2006, were analysed to study the growth related traits and their genetic control. The body weights at different ages (i.e. at birth, weaning (3 months), 6, 9 and 12 months) were recorded and collected from the birth and growth registers maintained in the farm. The average weights of Mecheri sheep at birth, and at 12 months of age were $2.24{\pm}0.01$ and $16.81{\pm}0.15$ kg respectively. The pre- and post-weaning average daily weight gains were $63.84{\pm}0.75$ and $29.52{\pm}0.43$ g respectively. Study revealed a significant difference with the period of lambing on body weight, weight gain and efficiency in weight gain at different stages of growth. Males were heavier and had a higher weight gain than females at almost all stages of growth and the differences tended to increase with age. The direct heritability estimates increased from birth to six months of age and then decreased. The direct heritabilities of all body weights at different stages of growth were low to moderate in magnitude and the values at birth, weaning, six, nine and 12 months of age were 0.08, 0.17, 0.21, 0.13 and 0.10 respectively. For the estimation of heritability at birth and three months body weights, the direct additive genetic and maternal additive genetic effects have to be taken into account and for the estimation of six months weight, the direct additive genetic and maternal permanent environmental effects have to be included in the model. The estimates of heritability, phenotypic and genetic correlations among the different body weights indicated that the selection for improving the body weights at different traits should be done on the basis of three or six months weight because of higher heritability estimates and having higher genetic correlations with other traits.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.1340-1350
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• 2022

Objective: Luxi Black Head sheep (LBH) is the first crossbreed specialized for meat production and was developed by crossbreeding Black Head Dorper sheep (DP) and Small Tailed Han sheep (STH) in the farming areas of northern China. Research on the genomic variations and selection signatures of LBH caused by continuous artificial selection is of great significance for identifying the genetic mechanisms of important traits of sheep and for the continuous breeding of LBH. Methods: We explored the genetic relationships of LBH, DP, and several Mongolian sheep breeds by constructing phylogenetic tree, principal component analysis and linkage disequilibrium analysis. In addition, we analysed 29 whole genomes of sheep. The genome-wide selection signatures have been scanned with four methods: heterozygosity (H_P), fixation index (F_ST), cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH) and the nucleotide diversity (𝜃_π) ratio. Results: The genetic relationships analysis showed that LBH appeared to be an independent cluster closer to DP. The candidate signatures of positive selection in sheep genome revealed candidate genes for developmental process (HoxA gene cluster, BCL2L11, TSHR), immunity (CXCL6, CXCL1, SKAP2, PTK6, MST1R), growth (PDGFD, FGF18, SRF, SOCS2), and reproduction (BCAS3, TRIM24, ASTL, FNDC3A). Moreover, two signalling pathways closely related to reproduction, the thyroid hormone signalling pathway and the oxytocin signalling pathway, were detected. Conclusion: The selective sweep analysis of LBH genome revealed candidate genes and signalling pathways associated with developmental process, immunity, growth, and reproduction. Our findings provide a valuable resource for sheep breeding and insight into the mechanisms of artificial selection.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.1119-1126
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to compare the goodness of fit of four lactation curve models: Wood's Gamma model (WD), Wilmink (WL), and Pollott's multiplicative two (POL2) and three parameters (POL3) and to determine the environmental factors affecting the complete lactation curve of F1 dairy sheep under organic management. A total of 5,382 weekly milk yields records from 150 ewes, under organic management were used. Residual mean square (RMS), determination coefficients ($R^2$), and correlation (r) analysis were used as an indicator of goodness of fit for each model. WL model best fitted the lactation curves as indicated by the lower RMS values (0.019), followed by WD (0.023), POL2 (0.025) and POL3 (0.029). The four models provided total milk yield (TMY) estimations that were highly correlated (0.93 to 0.97) with observed TMY (89.9 kg). The four models under estimated peak yield (PY), whereas POL2 and POL3 gave nearer peak time lactation estimations. Ewes lambing in autumn had higher TMY and showed a typical curve shape. Higher TMY were recorded in second and third lambing. Season of lambing, number of lambing and type of lambing had a great influenced over TMY shaping the complete lactation curve of F1 dairy sheep. In general terms WL model showed the best fit to the F1 dairy sheep lactation curve under organic management.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.8
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• pp.1192-1199
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• 1999

Two cultivars of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.), "Dinninup" and "Seaton Park" were sown at Shenton Park Field Station, Western Australia, in May 1992 and 1993. The characteristics of Dinninup related to animal production were compared with Seaton Park under grazing conditions with herbage utilization efficiencies of 60% in 1992 and 65% in 1993. The results showed that Dinninup and Seaton Park had similar dry matter digestibility (77-78%) and dry matter production (1,290 kg/ha in 1992; 930 kg/ha in 1993) before flowering initiation even though Dinninup had more (p<0.05) branches, leaves and petioles per plant. After flowering, the herbage on offer of Dinninup was higher (p<0.05) and dry matter digestibility was lower (p<0.05) than that of Seaton Park while the sward structure was similar for both cultivars. The variation in nutritive value among plant parts increased with maturation. Leaf was more digestible than stem and petiole with a higher nitrogen content, and stem had the lowest dry matter digesitibility and nitrogen content in late of the season. Sheep did not show any preference for Seaton Park over Dinninup. The predicted bodyweight gain of sheep grazing pure Seaton Park and Dinninup swards using Grazfed software indicated that sheep grazing Dinninup were predicted to have a similar bodyweight gain in early growing stage and a significantly lower gain after flowering compared with those grazing Seaton Park.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.205-210
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• 2020

Echinococcosis occurs mainly in areas with heavy livestock farming, such as Central Asia, America, and Australia. Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.) infection causes echinococcosis in intermediate hosts, such as sheep, cattle, goats, camels, and horses. Numerous cases of echinococcosis occur in Uzbekistan as stock farming is a primary industry. Epidemiological and genetic studies of E. granulosus s.l. are very important for mitigating its impact on public health and the economy; however, there are no such studies on E. granulosus s.l. in Uzbekistan. In the present study, to determine which genotypes exist and are transmitted, we isolated Echinococcus sp. from definitive hosts (one isolate each from jackal and dog) and intermediate hosts (52 isolates from humans and 6 isolates from sheep) in Uzbekistan and analyzed the isolates by sequencing 2 mitochondrial DNA components (cox1 and nad1). The results showed that all of isolates except one belonged to the E. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) G1 and G3 genotypes. Phylogenetic analysis based on cox1 sequences showed that 42 isolates from humans, 6 isolates from sheep, and one isolate from jackal were the G1 genotype, whereas the remaining 8 isolates from human and the one isolate from dog were the G3 genotype. These results suggest that the G1 and G3 genotypes of E. granulosus s.s. are predominant in Uzbekistan, and both wild animals and domestic animals are important for maintaining their life cycle. Only one isolate from human sample was confirmed to be E. eqiinus (G4 genotype), which is known to be for the first time.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.593-601
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• 2017

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate heat tolerance using heat tolerance indices, physiological, physical, thermographic, and hematological parameters in Santa Ines and Morada Nova sheep breeds in the Federal District, Brazil. Methods: Twenty-six adult hair sheep, one and a half years old, from two genetic groups (Santa Ines: 12 males and 4 females; Morada Nova: 7 males and 3 females) were used and data (rectal temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate, skin temperatures; hematological parameters) were collected during three consecutive days, twice a day (morning and afternoon), with a total of six repetitions. Also physical parameters (biometric measurements, skin and hair traits) and heat tolerance indices (temperature-humidity index, Iberia and Benezra) were evaluated. The analyses included analyses of variance, correlation, and principal components with a significance level of 5%. Results: The environmental indices, in general, indicate a situation of thermal discomfort for the animals during the afternoon. Breed significantly influenced (p<0.001) physiological and physical characteristics of skin, hair, biometric measurements and Iberia and Benezra heat tolerance indices. Santa Ines animals were bigger and had longer, greater number and darker hair, thicker skin, greater respiratory rate and Benezra index and lower Iberia index compared with Morada Nova breed. Conclusion: Although both breeds can be considered adapted to the environmental conditions of the region, Morada Nova breed is most suitable for farming in the Midwest region. The positive correlation found between the thermographic temperatures and physiological parameters indicates that this technique can be used to evaluate thermal comfort. Also, it has the advantage that animals do not have to be handled, which favors animal welfare.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.507-510
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• 2005

This study was carried out to analyze the pork market of Mongolia and to find the continuous export possibility of Korean pork. The main results are as follows; First, pork consumption in Mongolia relies on import because pork production is not sufficient and pork price is high compared to beef or sheep meat. Second, Korean pork parts for export to Mongolia are pork fat and rear leg. Third, the authorities concerned have to keep a good relationship between Korean pork market and Mongolian pork market to export Korean pork to Mongolia when Korea pig farming is in depression.