Background： Increasing the polyunsaturated fatty acid （PUFA） content and decreasing the saturated fatty acid （SFA） content of mutton can help to improve its nutritional value for consumers. Several laboratories h...Background： Increasing the polyunsaturated fatty acid （PUFA） content and decreasing the saturated fatty acid （SFA） content of mutton can help to improve its nutritional value for consumers. Several laboratories have evaluated the effects of vitamin E on the fatty acid （FA） composition of muscle in sheep. However, little information is available on wool sheep, even though wool sheep breeds are an important source of mutton, especially in northern China where sheep are extensively farmed. The present study was designed to address the effects of vitamin E on muscle FA composition in male Aohan fine-wool sheep. Methods： Forty-two male Aohan fine-wool lambs （5 mo old） with similar initial body weight were randomly divided into seven groups and fed diets supplemented with 0 （control group）, 20, 100, 200, 1,000, 2,000, or 2,400 IU/sheep/d vitamin E for 12 mo. Three lambs from each group were slaughtered to measure vitamin E and FA content in the Iongissimus lumborum （LL） and gluteus medius （GM） muscles. Results： Vitamin E concentrations in the LL and GM increased significantly after 12 mo of vitamin E supplementation （P 〈 0.05）. However, this increase did not occur in a dose-dependent manner because the muscle vitamin E concentration was highest in the 200 IU/sheep/d group. Dietary vitamin E supplementation also caused a significant reduction in SFA content and an increase in monounsaturated FA （MUFA） content in the LL and GM （P 〈 0.05）. All six doses of vitamin E significantly increased cis9 tronsl -conjugated linoleic acid （cgtl -CLA） content in the LL compared with the control group （P 〈 0.05）. Conclusions： Dietary supplementation with vitamin E increased muscle vitamin E content and improved the nutritional value of mutton by decreasing SFA content and increasing MUFA and c9tl 1-CLA contents in Aohan fine-wool sheep. These effects were greatest in sheep fed a diet containing 200 IU/sheep/d vitamin E.展开更多
Objective] This study aimed to estimate the heritability of Aohan fine-wool sheep＇s main economic characters. [ Method] Half-sib correlation in sire method was adopted to estimate Aohan file-wool sheep＇s Birth Weigh...Objective] This study aimed to estimate the heritability of Aohan fine-wool sheep＇s main economic characters. [ Method] Half-sib correlation in sire method was adopted to estimate Aohan file-wool sheep＇s Birth Weight（BW）, Weaning Litter Weight （WLW）, Weaning Litter Staple Fineness（WLSF）, One-age Staple Fineness（OASF）, One-age Staple Length （ OASL）, One-age Wool Yield（OAWY）, Main Economic Characters of One-age Aohan fine-wool sheep, Two-age Staple Fineness （TASF）, Two-age Staple Length （TASL）, Two-age Wool Yield （TAWY）, Two-age Weight （TAW） after cropping. [ Result] The heritability was 0.1 -0.7. [ Conclusion~ The heritability of Aohan fine-wool sheep＇s main characters was middle-and-high.展开更多
Some charaterasics of female fetal reproductive system were studied in different gestation phases of Chinese northeast fine-wool sheep. The results showed that reproductive system consisted of ovary, oviduct, uterus a...Some charaterasics of female fetal reproductive system were studied in different gestation phases of Chinese northeast fine-wool sheep. The results showed that reproductive system consisted of ovary, oviduct, uterus and genitalia. The fetal ovaries were granular in early phase and became elliptic in later phase. The functional formula of ovarian weight, length and volume was obtained. Primary oocyte was encapsulated by monolayer cells in 7-week fetal ovary cortex. Primordial follicles were formed in 8-week fetal ovary, the follicular cells were sporadically arranged and not always regular. Complete organization of primordial follicles appeared until 10-week gestation, most of them scattered in nests in the following weeks of gestation. Two types of follicular complexes were found in fetal. There were continuous and quick mitosis of oogonia in fetal ovaries, large complexes were formed by oogoniaes encapsulated by multilayer of follicular cells, then they differentiated into small complexes, one or more primary oocytes were formed by mitosis of oogonia, primordial follicles which were caused by follicular cell approaching into them developed.展开更多
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 cell...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.展开更多
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 it...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.展开更多
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 lymphaden...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.展开更多
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. T...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.展开更多
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 c...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.展开更多
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 c...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.展开更多
Five hybridomas stably secreting monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) to androstenedione were prepared by using artificially synthesized androstenedione-11α-succinyl conjugate with bovine serum albumin (BSA) as antigen. The...Five hybridomas stably secreting monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) to androstenedione were prepared by using artificially synthesized androstenedione-11α-succinyl conjugate with bovine serum albumin (BSA) as antigen. These McAbs showed slightly high cross-reactivity with testosterone (8.1—12.3%) and estrone (0.8—2.5%) and high affinities ranging from 2.0×10~7 to 2.8×10~8 L/M. They were all of the IgG_1 subclass. Xinjiang finewool ewes which were passively immunized with McAbs had higher circulating levels of progesterone (P) and luteinizing hormone (LH) than those of control ewes in two oestrous cycles and these changes led to increased ovulation rate and twin lambs born in young ewes.展开更多
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 Chi...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.展开更多
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 ...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.展开更多
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 ...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.展开更多
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 So...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.展开更多
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 embr...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.展开更多
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...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.展开更多
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 re...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.展开更多
[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 20...[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.展开更多
基金financially supported by projects 200903060CARS-39 from China Agricultural Ministry
文摘Background： Increasing the polyunsaturated fatty acid （PUFA） content and decreasing the saturated fatty acid （SFA） content of mutton can help to improve its nutritional value for consumers. Several laboratories have evaluated the effects of vitamin E on the fatty acid （FA） composition of muscle in sheep. However, little information is available on wool sheep, even though wool sheep breeds are an important source of mutton, especially in northern China where sheep are extensively farmed. The present study was designed to address the effects of vitamin E on muscle FA composition in male Aohan fine-wool sheep. Methods： Forty-two male Aohan fine-wool lambs （5 mo old） with similar initial body weight were randomly divided into seven groups and fed diets supplemented with 0 （control group）, 20, 100, 200, 1,000, 2,000, or 2,400 IU/sheep/d vitamin E for 12 mo. Three lambs from each group were slaughtered to measure vitamin E and FA content in the Iongissimus lumborum （LL） and gluteus medius （GM） muscles. Results： Vitamin E concentrations in the LL and GM increased significantly after 12 mo of vitamin E supplementation （P 〈 0.05）. However, this increase did not occur in a dose-dependent manner because the muscle vitamin E concentration was highest in the 200 IU/sheep/d group. Dietary vitamin E supplementation also caused a significant reduction in SFA content and an increase in monounsaturated FA （MUFA） content in the LL and GM （P 〈 0.05）. All six doses of vitamin E significantly increased cis9 tronsl -conjugated linoleic acid （cgtl -CLA） content in the LL compared with the control group （P 〈 0.05）. Conclusions： Dietary supplementation with vitamin E increased muscle vitamin E content and improved the nutritional value of mutton by decreasing SFA content and increasing MUFA and c9tl 1-CLA contents in Aohan fine-wool sheep. These effects were greatest in sheep fed a diet containing 200 IU/sheep/d vitamin E.
基金supported by Key Projected Supported by Ministry of National Science and Technology and Agricultural Science and Technology Achievement Reformer Fund projects (04EFN211500036)
文摘Objective] This study aimed to estimate the heritability of Aohan fine-wool sheep＇s main economic characters. [ Method] Half-sib correlation in sire method was adopted to estimate Aohan file-wool sheep＇s Birth Weight（BW）, Weaning Litter Weight （WLW）, Weaning Litter Staple Fineness（WLSF）, One-age Staple Fineness（OASF）, One-age Staple Length （ OASL）, One-age Wool Yield（OAWY）, Main Economic Characters of One-age Aohan fine-wool sheep, Two-age Staple Fineness （TASF）, Two-age Staple Length （TASL）, Two-age Wool Yield （TAWY）, Two-age Weight （TAW） after cropping. [ Result] The heritability was 0.1 -0.7. [ Conclusion~ The heritability of Aohan fine-wool sheep＇s main characters was middle-and-high.
基金Supported by Heilongjiang Province Nature Science Fund(ZJN04-02)
文摘Some charaterasics of female fetal reproductive system were studied in different gestation phases of Chinese northeast fine-wool sheep. The results showed that reproductive system consisted of ovary, oviduct, uterus and genitalia. The fetal ovaries were granular in early phase and became elliptic in later phase. The functional formula of ovarian weight, length and volume was obtained. Primary oocyte was encapsulated by monolayer cells in 7-week fetal ovary cortex. Primordial follicles were formed in 8-week fetal ovary, the follicular cells were sporadically arranged and not always regular. Complete organization of primordial follicles appeared until 10-week gestation, most of them scattered in nests in the following weeks of gestation. Two types of follicular complexes were found in fetal. There were continuous and quick mitosis of oogonia in fetal ovaries, large complexes were formed by oogoniaes encapsulated by multilayer of follicular cells, then they differentiated into small complexes, one or more primary oocytes were formed by mitosis of oogonia, primordial follicles which were caused by follicular cell approaching into them developed.
文摘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.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFD1300905)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31960672)+3 种基金the Key Research and Development Program of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region,China(2021BEF02020)the Top Discipline Construction Project of Pratacultural Science(NXYLXK2017A01)the Science and Technology Development Project of Jilin Province,China(20200201140JC)the Technology Cooperation High-Tech Industrialization Project of Jilin Province,China and the Chinese Academy of Sciences,(2022SYHZ0020).
文摘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.
文摘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.
文摘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.
基金supported by Croatian Science Foundation project IP-2018–01-8708-Application of NGS methods in the assessment of genomic variability in ruminants–“ANAGRAMS”the EU Operational Program Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014–2020 project KK.01.1.1.04.0058—Potential of microencapsulation in cheese productionthe project No.QK1919156 of the Ministry of Agriculture,Czech Republic.
文摘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.
基金Supported by The Fourth Batch of High-end Talent Project in Hebei ProvinceCentral Government-guided Local Science and Technology Development Project(226Z5504G)+1 种基金Tangshan Talent Funding Project(A202202005)Agricultural Science and Technology Achievement Promotion Project of Hebei Province(JNK 24083).
文摘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.
基金Project supported by one of the National Research Subjects in the Seventh Five-Year Science and Technology Plan and the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘Five hybridomas stably secreting monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) to androstenedione were prepared by using artificially synthesized androstenedione-11α-succinyl conjugate with bovine serum albumin (BSA) as antigen. These McAbs showed slightly high cross-reactivity with testosterone (8.1—12.3%) and estrone (0.8—2.5%) and high affinities ranging from 2.0×10~7 to 2.8×10~8 L/M. They were all of the IgG_1 subclass. Xinjiang finewool ewes which were passively immunized with McAbs had higher circulating levels of progesterone (P) and luteinizing hormone (LH) than those of control ewes in two oestrous cycles and these changes led to increased ovulation rate and twin lambs born in young ewes.
基金Supported by Key Project of Qiqihar Science and Technology Program(ZDTG-202201)Qiqihar Innovation Incentive Project(CNGG-2021015)。
文摘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.
基金Superior Farms sheep producersIBEST for their supportfinancial support from the Idaho Global Entrepreneurial Mission
文摘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.
文摘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.
文摘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.
基金financially supported by the Science and Technology Major Project of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China(2020ZD0007)the Major Program of the Inner Mongolia Natural Science Foundation,China(2020ZD10)+3 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32160172)the Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region(2020BS03003 and 2020BS03022)the National Transgenic Project of China(2016ZX0801000-002 and 2016ZX08010005-001)the Science and Technology Major Project of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China(zdzx2018065)。
文摘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.
基金funded by the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province,China(2008085QC158)the University Natural Science Research Project of Anhui Province(KJ2019A0165)。
文摘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.
文摘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.
基金Supported by Research Project of the Xinjiang Minority Science and Technology Talent Special Training Program(2020D03018)Natural Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region(2021D01B76)Education Department Cultivation Project of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region(XJEDU2022P040).
文摘[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.
