1
|
Castillo PE, Macedo RJ, Arredondo V, Zepeda JL, Valencia-Posadas M, Haubi CU. Morphological Description and Live Weight Prediction from Body Measurements of Socorro Island Merino Lambs. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1978. [PMID: 37370488 DOI: 10.3390/ani13121978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to describe the morphology and estimate live weight from body measurements of Socorro Island Merino lambs. A group of Socorro Island Merino lambs was recorded from birth to year for live weight, rump width, rump length, withers height, body length, cannon bone perimeter, and chest girth, width, and depth. The effect of the lamb type on body measurements and live weight was analyzed using ANOVA, Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to estimate the relationship between body measurements and live weight, multiple linear regressions were fitted to obtain prediction equations of live weight from the body measurements and finally, chest girth was used to generate prediction equations using linear and exponential models. At birth and at year, differences were observed in body measurements, especially those related to the thoracic region, with crossbred males showing the highest values. Live weight was correlated with almost all the body measurements, with the highest coefficients observed with chest girth, chest width, and chest depth. Live weight can be accurately predicted from multiple regression equations using several body measurements, but using only chest girth (CG) as a predictor, the exponential equation W0-365 = 0.9142 exp(0.0462 CG) showed the best accuracy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Rafael Julio Macedo
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad de Colima, Tecomán 28100, Mexico
| | - Victalina Arredondo
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad de Colima, Tecomán 28100, Mexico
| | - José Luis Zepeda
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad de Colima, Tecomán 28100, Mexico
| | - Mauricio Valencia-Posadas
- Departamento de Veterinaria y Zootecnia, División de Ciencias de la Vida, CIS, Universidad de Guanajuato, Irapuato 36824, Mexico
| | - Carlos Urban Haubi
- Departamento de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes 20900, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hümmelchen H, Wenisch S, Brügemann K, König S, Wagner H. [Phenotyping the sheep tail - Presentation of characterization methods in the context of breeding for short-tailedness]. Tierarztl Prax Ausg G Grosstiere Nutztiere 2023; 51:6-14. [PMID: 36913936 DOI: 10.1055/a-2007-1483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In order to establish targeted breeding for short-tailedness, a suitable method must initially be found that allows phenotyping of the sheep tail beyond tail length. In this study, in addition to assessing body measurements, more advanced studies such as ultrasonography and radiology were performed on the caudal spine of sheep for the first time. The objective of this work was to analyze the physiological variation of tail lengths and vertebrae within a merino sheep population. It also aimed to validate the use of sonographic gray scale analysis and perfusion measurement on the sheep tail. MATERIAL AND METHOD Tail length and circumference in centimeters were measured in 256 Merino lambs on the first or second day of life. At 14 weeks of age the caudal spine of these animals was examined radiographically. Sonographic gray scale analysis and measurement of the perfusion velocity of the caudal artery mediana were also performed in a portion of the animals. RESULTS The tested method of measurement showed a standard error of 0,08 cm and a coefficient of variation of 0,23% for tail length and 0,78% for tail circumference. The animals had a mean tail length of 22,5±2,32 cm and a mean tail circumference of 6,53±0,49 cm. The mean caudal vertebrae count for this population was 20,4±1,6. The use of a mobile radiographic unit is well suited for imaging the caudal spine in sheep. It was demonstrated that the caudal median artery could be imaged for measurement of perfusion velocity (cm/s), and sonographic gray-scale analysis also showed good feasibility. The mean gray scale value is 19,74±4,5 and the modal value for the most commonly found gray scale pixels is 191,53±120,2. The mean perfusion velocity for the caudal artery mediana is 5,83±3,04 cm/s. CONCLUSION The results show that the methods presented are well suited for further characterization of the ovine tail. For the first time, gray values for the tail tissue and the perfusion velocity of the caudal artery mediana were determined.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Hümmelchen
- Klinik für Geburtshilfe, Gynäkologie und Andrologie der Groß- und Kleintiere, Justus-Liebig-Universität, Gießen
| | - Sabine Wenisch
- Institut für Veterinär-Anatomie, -Histologie und -Embryologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität, Gießen
| | - Kerstin Brügemann
- Institut für Tierzucht und Haustiergenetik, Justus-Liebig-Universität, Gießen
| | - Sven König
- Institut für Tierzucht und Haustiergenetik, Justus-Liebig-Universität, Gießen
| | - Henrik Wagner
- Klinik für Geburtshilfe, Gynäkologie und Andrologie der Groß- und Kleintiere, Justus-Liebig-Universität, Gießen
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Lagler DK, Hannemann E, Eck K, Klawatsch J, Seichter D, Russ I, Mendel C, Lühken G, Krebs S, Blum H, Upadhyay M, Medugorac I. Fine-mapping and identification of candidate causal genes for tail length in the Merinolandschaf breed. Commun Biol 2022; 5:918. [PMID: 36068271 PMCID: PMC9448734 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03854-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Docking the tails of lambs in long-tailed sheep breeds is a common practice worldwide. But this practice is associated with pain. Breeding for a shorter tail could offer an alternative. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the natural tail length variation in the Merinolandschaf and to identify causal alleles for the short tail phenotype segregating within long-tailed breeds. We used SNP-based association analysis and haplotype-based mapping in 362 genotyped (Illumina OvineSNP50) and phenotyped Merinolandschaf lambs. Genome-wide significant regions were capture sequenced in 48 lambs and comparatively analyzed in various long and short-tailed sheep breeds and wild sheep subspecies. Here we show a SNP located in the first exon of HOXB13 and a SINE element located in the promotor of HOXB13 as promising candidates. These results enable more precise breeding towards shorter tails, improve animal welfare by amplification of ancestral alleles and contribute to a better understanding of differential embryonic development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Karl Lagler
- Population Genomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, Lena-Christ-Str. 48, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
- Tierzuchtforschung e.V. München, Senator-Gerauer-Str. 23, 85586, Poing, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Hannemann
- Population Genomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, Lena-Christ-Str. 48, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Kim Eck
- Population Genomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, Lena-Christ-Str. 48, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
- Tierzuchtforschung e.V. München, Senator-Gerauer-Str. 23, 85586, Poing, Germany
| | - Jürgen Klawatsch
- Population Genomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, Lena-Christ-Str. 48, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
- Tierzuchtforschung e.V. München, Senator-Gerauer-Str. 23, 85586, Poing, Germany
| | - Doris Seichter
- Tierzuchtforschung e.V. München, Senator-Gerauer-Str. 23, 85586, Poing, Germany
| | - Ingolf Russ
- Tierzuchtforschung e.V. München, Senator-Gerauer-Str. 23, 85586, Poing, Germany
| | - Christian Mendel
- Institute for Animal Breeding, Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture, Prof.-Dürrwaechter-Platz 1, 85586, Poing, Germany
| | - Gesine Lühken
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, JLU Gießen, Ludwigstr. 21, 35390, Gießen, Germany
| | - Stefan Krebs
- Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis, Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - Helmut Blum
- Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis, Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - Maulik Upadhyay
- Population Genomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, Lena-Christ-Str. 48, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Ivica Medugorac
- Population Genomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, Lena-Christ-Str. 48, 82152, Martinsried, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kalds P, Luo Q, Sun K, Zhou S, Chen Y, Wang X. Trends towards revealing the genetic architecture of sheep tail patterning: Promising genes and investigatory pathways. Anim Genet 2021; 52:799-812. [PMID: 34472112 DOI: 10.1111/age.13133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Different sheep breeds have evolved after initial domestication, generating various tail phenotypic patterns. The phenotypic diversity of sheep tail patterns offers ideal materials for comparative analysis of its genetic basis. Evolutionary biologists, animal geneticists, breeders, and producers have been curious to clearly understand the underlying genetics behind phenotypic differences in sheep tails. Understanding the causal gene(s) and mutation(s) underlying these differences will help probe an evolutionary riddle, improve animal production performance, promote animal welfare, and provide lessons that help comprehend human diseases related to fat deposition (i.e., obesity). Historically, fat tails have served as an adaptive response to aridification and climate change. However, the fat tail is currently associated with compromised mating and animal locomotion, fat distribution in the animal body, increased raising costs, reduced consumer preference, and other animal welfare issues such as tail docking. The developing genomic approaches provide unprecedented opportunities to determine causal variants underlying phenotypic differences among populations. In the last decade, researchers have performed several genomic investigations to assess the genomic causality underlying phenotypic variations in sheep tails. Various genes have been suggested with the prominence of several potentially significant causatives, including the BMP2 and PDGFD genes associated with the fat tail phenotype and the TBXT gene linked with the caudal vertebrae number and tail length. Although the potential genes related to sheep tail characteristics have been revealed, the causal variant(s) and mutation(s) of these high-ranking candidate genes are still elusive and need further investigation. The review discusses the potential genes, sheds light on a knowledge gap, and provides possible investigative approaches that could help determine the specific genomic causatives of sheep tail patterns. Besides, characterizing and revealing the genetic determinism of sheep tails will help solve issues compromising sheep breeding and welfare in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Kalds
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.,Department of Animal and Poultry Production, Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Arish University, El-Arish, Egypt
| | - Q Luo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - K Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - S Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Y Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - X Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| |
Collapse
|