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Hernández-Herrera DY, Carrillo-González DF, Rincón-Flórez JC. Association of the MC4R gene with growth traits and meat quality in Colombian hair sheep. J Adv Vet Anim Res 2023; 10:449-457. [PMID: 37969798 PMCID: PMC10636090 DOI: 10.5455/javar.2023.j698] [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: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective The objective of this study was to associate the 1016G > A variant of the melanocortin-4 receptor gene with lamb's weight, growth, and meat quality in the Colombian hair sheep breed. Materials and Methods A total of 168 lambs, weights were measured at birth weight (BW), at weaning adjusted weaning weight (AWW), at 6 months [adjusted weight (AW180)], at slaughter adjusted slaughter weight (ASW), daily weight gain preweaning daily gain (preWDG), and postweaning daily gain (postWDG) weaning, and after slaughter, pH, texture, and cook-loss (CL) in the longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle according to the American Meat Science Association methodology. The 1016G > A genotypes were obtained by sequencing. Genotypic and allele frequencies, heterozygosities, and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) were estimated. Using a generalized linear model, the genotype and the allelic substitution effect were associated with the evaluated traits. Results The heterozygous genotype (0.48) and G allele (0.61) were the most frequent. Heterozygosities were similar (0.47), indicating HWE. The genotype affected the BW (p < 0.05), with a higher value for the GG genotype (2.69 kg). AWW (12.75 kg), AW180 (19.67 kg), and ASW (31.21 kg) weights and daily weight gain (preWDG = 115.41 gm; postWDG = 96.16 gm) were not associated. Average pH, Warner-Bratzler shear force, and CL were 5.75 units, 49.46 N, and 32.02%, with no genotype effect. The G > A substitution only affected BW at -388 gm (p < 0.05). Conclusion The 1016G > A variant is polymorphic and affects the BW but not other growth traits or the meat quality of the LTL muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darwin Yovanny Hernández-Herrera
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Grupo de Investigación en Recursos Zoogenéticos, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Palmira, Palmira, Colombia
| | - Diego Fernando Carrillo-González
- Departamento de Zootecnia, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Grupo de Investigación Mejoramiento Genético Animal, Universidad de Sucre, Sincelejo, Colombia
| | - Juan Carlos Rincón-Flórez
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Grupo de Investigación en Recursos Zoogenéticos, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Palmira, Palmira, Colombia
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Haslin E, Allington T, Blumer SE, Boshoff J, Clarke BE, Hancock SN, Kearney GA, Kenyon PR, Krog J, Kubeil LJ, Lockwood A, Refshauge G, Trompf JP, Thompson AN. Management of Body Condition Score between Pregnancy Scanning and Lamb Marking Impacts the Survival of Triplet-Bearing Ewes and Their Lambs. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2057. [PMID: 37443855 DOI: 10.3390/ani13132057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
This study evaluated the impacts of management of body condition score (BCS) between pregnancy scanning and lamb marking on the mortality of triplet-bearing ewes and their lambs at 19 research sites across Southern Australia. Triplet-bearing ewes of Maternal (crossbred or composite) or Merino breed were randomly allocated to treatment at pregnancy scanning at an average of 97 days from the start of joining: High or Low BCS. The BCS of individual ewes was assessed at pregnancy scanning, pre-lambing (average of 137 days from the start of joining) and marking (average of 165 days from the end of joining), and ewe and lamb mortality to marking, recorded for each mob. The average BCS at pregnancy scanning was 3.4 for Maternal ewes and 3.3 for Merino ewes. There were no breed by BCS treatment effects on the BCS of ewes at pregnancy scanning or lamb marking or on the change in BCS between pregnancy scanning and pre-lambing or between pre-lambing and marking. The change in BCS differed between the High and Low BCS treatments, between pregnancy scanning and pre-lambing (0.12 vs. -0.33; p < 0.001) and between pre-lambing and marking (-0.39 vs. 0.07; p < 0.001) but did not differ between breeds. The average BCS at marking for ewes managed at the High and Low BCS treatments was 3.1 and 3.0 for Maternals and 3.0 and 2.8 for Merinos. Survival of triplet-bearing Merino ewes (p < 0.01) and their lambs (p < 0.001) was greater when ewes were managed at the High BCS compared to the Low BCS. The BCS treatment did not impact the survival of Maternal ewes or their lambs. The survival of Merino but not Maternal lambs was higher when ewes were in greater BCS pre-lambing (p < 0.01) and when ewes gained BCS between pregnancy scanning and pre-lambing (p < 0.01). Ewe mortality was lower when ewes gained BCS between pregnancy scanning and pre-lambing (p < 0.05). Merino ewes were more likely to die than Maternal ewes for a given change in BCS between pregnancy scanning and pre-lambing (p = 0.065). Overall, our findings demonstrate that producers should manage the nutrition of triplet-bearing Merino ewes so that ewes are in greater BCS at lambing and/or to gain BCS between pregnancy scanning and lambing to improve ewe and lamb survival. Triplet-bearing Maternal ewes should be managed to gain BCS between pregnancy scanning and lambing to improve ewe survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle Haslin
- School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Tennent Drive, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
| | - Travis Allington
- Centre for Animal Production and Health, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Sarah E Blumer
- Centre for Animal Production and Health, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Johan Boshoff
- Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law, University of New England, Elm Avenue, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
| | - Bronwyn E Clarke
- Centre for Animal Production and Health, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Serina N Hancock
- Centre for Animal Production and Health, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | | | - Paul R Kenyon
- School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Tennent Drive, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
| | - Jarryd Krog
- Centre for Animal Production and Health, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Lyndon J Kubeil
- Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, 89 Sydney Road, Benalla, VIC 3672, Australia
| | - Amy Lockwood
- Centre for Animal Production and Health, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Gordon Refshauge
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Cowra Agricultural Research and Advisory Station, 296 Binni Creek Road, Cowra, NSW 2351, Australia
| | - Jason P Trompf
- J.T. Agri-Source, 2A Bradley Drive, Melbourne, VIC 3082, Australia
| | - Andrew N Thompson
- Centre for Animal Production and Health, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
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Garrett K, Marshall CJ, Beck MR, Maxwell TMR, Logan CM, Gregorini P. A diverse diet as an alternative to ryegrass can improve the total antioxidant status of dams at lambing. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2022.885436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this experiment was to determine if providing ewes in the final trimester of pregnancy with choice from diverse diet components would reduce markers of oxidative and metabolic stress in ewes and improve lamb birth weights relative to ewes offered only one forage species, repetitively. Fifty-four, twin bearing Coopworth ewes [initial live weight (LW) = 69.82 ± 1.16 kg] were blocked by weight onto iso-energetic diets with either choice from taxonomically diverse plants [DIV; spatially separated strips of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)] or a ryegrass only diet (RYE) for the final third of gestation. The ewes offered the DIV diet birthed 8.9% heavier lambs (5.64 ± 0.20 kg) than RYE ewes (5.18 ± 0.20 kg; P = 0.03). In addition, the DIV ewes had greater (P < 0.01) glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidant status, and lower (P = 0.01) plasma non-esterified fatty acid concentrations than the RYE fed ewes 24 h after lambing. The results indicate that the DIV diet can improve antioxidant status and reduce some markers of oxidative and metabolic stress at lambing compared to a conventional RYE diet.
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Changes in Digestive Microbiota, Rumen Fermentations and Oxidative Stress around Parturition Are Alleviated by Live Yeast Feed Supplementation to Gestating Ewes. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7060447. [PMID: 34199914 PMCID: PMC8228133 DOI: 10.3390/jof7060447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: In ruminants, physiological and nutritional changes occur peripartum. We investigated if gastro-intestinal microbiota, rumen metabolism and antioxidant status were affected around parturition and what could be the impact of a daily supplementation of a live yeast additive in late gestating ewes. Methods: Rumen, feces and blood samples were collected from 2 groups of 14 ewes one month and a few days before parturition, and 2 weeks postpartum. Results: In the control ewes close to parturition, slight changes in the ruminal microbiota were observed, with a decrease in the concentration F. succinogenes and in the relative abundance of the Fibrobacteres phylum. Moreover, a decrease in the alpha-diversity of the bacterial community and a reduced relative abundance of the Fibrobacteres phylum were observed in their feces. Control ewes were prone to oxidative stress, as shown by an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, a lower total antioxidant status, and higher glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in the blood. In the yeast supplemented ewes, most of the microbial changes observed in the control group were alleviated. An increase in GPx activity, and a significant decrease in MDA concentration were measured. Conclusions: The live yeast used in this study could stabilize gastro-intestinal microbiota and reduce oxidative stress close to parturition.
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