ASReml-based estimation of early genetic parameters in hybrid mutton sheep populations.

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of non-genetic factors on the estimation of genetic parameters of early growth traits in hybrid mutton sheep using ASReml software, in order to provide theoretical basis for screening the optimal hybriding combinations and accelerating the breeding process of new breeds of specialized housed-feeding mutton sheep. We selected the wellgrown hybrid Southhu (Southdown × Hu sheep) and Dorhu (Dorset × Hu sheep) sheep as the research objects, constructed weight correction formulae for SH and DH sheep at 60 and 180 days; and used ASReml software to investigate the effects of non-genetic factors on the estimation of genetic parameters of early growth traits in hybrid sheep. The results showed that the birth month and birth type were found significant for all traits (p < 0.001); the heritability of maternal effects ranged from 0.0709 to 0.1859. It was found that both SH and DH sheep emerged the potential for rapid early growth and development, early growth traits are significantly affected by maternal genetic effects, thereby the maternal effect should be taken into consideration for the purpose of improving accuracy in parameter estimations and therefore increasing the success of breeding programs.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of Guide Black-Fur sheep (Ovis aries).

Guide Black-Fur sheep (GD) is a breed of Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) that lives in the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau region at an altitude of over 4,000 m. However, a lack of genomic information has made it difficult to understand the high-altitude adaptation of these sheep. We sequenced and assembled the GD reference genome using PacBio, Hi-C, and Illumina sequencing technologies. The final assembled genome size was 2.73 Gb, with a contig N50 of 20.30 Mb and a scaffold N50 of 107.63 Mb. The genome is predicted to contain 20,759 protein-coding genes, of which 98.42 have functional annotations. Repeat elements account for approximately 52.2% of the genomic landscape. The completeness of the GD genome assembly is highlighted by a BUSCO score of 93.1%. This high-quality genome assembly provides a critical resource for future molecular breeding and genetic improvement of Tibetan sheep.

Comparative assessment of growth curves in Brazilian white Morada Nova hair sheep breed.

The Morada Nova sheep breed is essential for the economy of the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil, standing out for its adaptability, resistance to parasites and reproductive ability. However, the white variant is endangered, highlighting the importance of studies on its productivity to support conservation efforts. This study focuses on the growth curve of the Morada Nova sheep breed, using nonlinear models and analyzing flock profiles. Total of 764 observations of 165 animals from four farms in Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, were analyzed. Canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) was used for the exploratory analysis and four nonlinear models were used to study the growth curve. Weight from birth to 270 days of age, absolute growth rate (AGR), and the impact of sex on growth curves were assessed. Sex and farm are significant discriminating variables (P < 0.05) for the studied effects (weight and age). Weight was the primary phenotypic biomarker that discriminated between the two indicators, while age was a discriminating indicator only for the core effect. The Gompertz model was the most efficient, presenting the lowest residuals and greatest convergence. The study reveals new information about the growth of Morada Nova sheep, the white variety, including weight differences between the sexes at all analyzed ages and an inflection point before 90 days of age. These discoveries contribute to the understanding of the breed's growth and help in the formulation of conservation strategies.

Insights into the genomic homogeneity of Moroccan indigenous sheep breeds though the lens of runs of homozygosity.

Numerous studies have indicated that Morocco's indigenous sheep breeds are genetically homogenous, posing a risk to their survival in the challenging harsh climate conditions where they predominantly inhabit. To understand the genetic behind genetic homogeneity through the lens of runs of homozygosity (ROH), we analyzed the whole genome sequences of five indigenous sheep breeds (Beni Guil, Ouled Djellal, D'man, Sardi, Timahdite and Admixed).The results from principal component, admixture, Fst, and neighbour joining tree analyses consistently showed a homogenous genetic structure. This structure was characterized by an average length of 1.83 Mb for runs of homozygosity (ROH) segments, with a limited number of long ROH segments (24-48 Mb and > 48 Mb). The most common ROH segments were those ranging from 1-6 Mb. The most significant regions of homozygosity (ROH Islands) were mostly observed in two chromosomes, namely Chr1 and Chr5. Specifically, ROH Islands were exclusively discovered in the Ouled Djellal breed on Chr1, whereas Chr5 exhibited ROH Islands in all breeds. The analysis of ROH Island and iHS technique was employed to detect signatures of selection on Chr1 and Chr5. The results indicate that Chr5 had a high level of homogeneity, with the same genes being discovered across all breeds. In contrast, Chr1 displays some genetic variances between breeds. Genes identified on Chr5 included SLC39A1, IL23A, CAST, IL5, IL13, and IL4 which are responsible for immune response while genes identified on Chr1 include SOD1, SLAMF9, RTP4, CLDN1, and PRKAA2. ROH segment profile and effective population sizes patterns suggests that the genetic uniformity of studied breeds is the outcome of events that transpired between 250 and 300 generations ago. This research not only contributes to the understanding of ROH distribution across breeds but helps design and implement native sheep breeding and conservation strategies in Morocco. Future research, incorporating a broader sample size and utilizing the pangenome for reference, is recommended to further elucidate these breeds' genomic landscapes and adaptive mechanisms.

Genetic diversity of United States Rambouillet, Katahdin and Dorper sheep.

BACKGROUND: Managing genetic diversity is critically important for maintaining species fitness. Excessive homozygosity caused by the loss of genetic diversity can have detrimental effects on the reproduction and production performance of a breed. Analysis of genetic diversity can facilitate the identification of signatures of selection which may contribute to the specific characteristics regarding the health, production and physical appearance of a breed or population. In this study, breeds with well-characterized traits such as fine wool production (Rambouillet, N = 745), parasite resistance (Katahdin, N = 581) and environmental hardiness (Dorper, N = 265) were evaluated for inbreeding, effective population size (Ne), runs of homozygosity (ROH) and Wright's fixation index (FST) outlier approach to identify differential signatures of selection at 36,113 autosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). RESULTS: Katahdin sheep had the largest current Ne at the most recent generation estimated with both the GONe and NeEstimator software. The most highly conserved ROH Island was identified in Rambouillet with a signature of selection on chromosome 6 containing 202 SNPs called in an ROH in 50 to 94% of the individuals. This region contained the DCAF16, LCORL and NCAPG genes that have been previously reported to be under selection and have biological roles related to milk production and growth traits. The outlier regions identified through the FST comparisons of Katahdin with Rambouillet and Dorper contained genes with known roles in milk production and mastitis resistance or susceptibility, and the FST comparisons of Rambouillet with Katahdin and Dorper identified genes related to wool growth, suggesting these traits have been under natural or artificial selection pressure in these populations. Genes involved in the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathways were identified in all FST breed comparisons, which indicates the presence of allelic diversity between these breeds in genomic regions controlling cytokine signaling mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: In this paper, we describe signatures of selection within diverse and economically important U.S. sheep breeds. The genes contained within these signatures are proposed for further study to understand their relevance to biological traits and improve understanding of breed diversity.

Sheep litter size heredity basis using genome-wide selective analysis.

Sheep are important herbivorous domestic animal globally, and the Chinese indigenous sheep breed has a multitude of economically significant variations due to the diverse geographical and ecological conditions. In particular, certain native breeds exhibit a visible high litter size phenotype due to the selection pressure of natural and artificial for thousands of years, offering an ideal animal model for investigating sheep's fecundity. In this study, selective signal analysis was performed on public whole-genome sequencing data from 60 sheep across eight breeds to identify candidate genes related to litter size. Results revealed that a total of 34,065,017 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified from all sheep, and 65 candidate genes (CDGs) were pinpointed from the top 1% of interacted windows and SNPs between the pairwise fixation index (FST, >0.149543) and cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH, >0.701551). A total of 41 CDGs (e.g. VRTN, EYA2 and MCPH1) were annotated to 576 GO terms, of which seven terms were directly linked to follicular and embryonic development (e.g. TBXT, BMPR1B, and BMP2). In addition, 73 KEGG pathways were enriched by 21 CDGs (e.g. ENTPD5, ABCD4 and RXFP2), mainly related to Hippo (TCF4, BMPR1B and BMP2), TGF-ß (BMPR1B and BMP2), PI3K-Akt (ITGB4, IL4R and PPP2R5A) and Jak-STAT signalling pathways (IL20RA and IL4R). Notably, a series of CDGs was under strong selection in sheep with high litter size traits. These findings result could improve the comprehension of the genetic underpinnings of sheep litter size. Furthermore, it provides valuable CDGS for future molecular breeding.

Gene expression in the Longissimus dorsi muscle related to meat quality from tropical hair lambs.

The present study describes the expression of genes in the Longissimus dorsi muscle related to meat quality of hair lambs finished in an Integration Crop-Livestock system. Twenty-eight non-castrated lambs of two breeds, Somalis Brasileira and Santa Inês, at 120 ± 15 days of age, with an average initial live weight of 18 ± 3.1 kg, were kept in a pasture-based finishing system with supplementation. Upon reaching 28 kg body weight, animals were sent for slaughter. Samples of the Longissimus dorsi and Biceps femoris muscle were harvested for analyses of gene expression and physicochemical properties. Significant differences were detected between the breeds for tissue and chemical composition, whereas the physical aspects did not differ. We observed the expression of six genes related to lipid synthesis (acetyl-CoA carboxylase [ACACA], fatty acid synthase [FAS], stearoyl-CoA desaturase [SCD], lipoprotein lipase [LPL], cell death-inducing DFFA-like effector A [CIDEA], and thyroid hormone responsive [THRSP]) and six genes related to molecular synthesis (myostatin [MSTN], growth differentiation factor 8 [GDF8], insulin-like growth factor 1 [IGF1], insulin-like growth factor 2 [IGF2], delta-like 1 homolog [DLK1], and growth hormone receptor [GHr]) in both breeds. The Santa Inês breed and the Somalis Brasileira showed similar expression patterns of genes related to lipogenesis and myogenesis of the Longissimus dorsi muscle, with the exception of the THRSP gene, in which the Somalis Brasileira have more receptors for the action of thyroid hormones, which resulted in greater thickness of fat in the carcass (subcutaneous fat) and higher lipid content in the chemical composition of the meat.

Profiling several key milk miRNAs and analysing their signalling pathways in dairy sheep breeds during peak and late lactation.

BACKGROUND: The comprehensive understanding of microRNAs (miRNAs) in sheep milk during various lactation periods and their impact on milk yield and composition remains limited. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the expression patterns of four highly expressed miRNAs in sheep milk and their association with milk composition and yield parameters during peak and late lactation stages. METHODS: A total of 40 healthy 4-year-old Akkaraman (n = 20) and Awassi (n = 20) ewes registered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye were used in the present study. For miRNA isolation from milk, the Qiagen miRNeasy Serum/Plasma Advanced Kit was utilised following the manufacturer's instructions. The expression levels of miRNAs were assessed using Qiagen miRNA PCR Assays. RESULTS: The significant fold changes in the expression levels of oar-miR-30a-5p, oar-miR-148a and oar-miR-181a were observed between peak and late lactation periods in the Awassi sheep breed. Conversely, only oar-miR-30a-5p and oar-miR-148a exhibited statistically significant changes in the Akkaraman sheep breed during the same lactation periods. Furthermore, oar-miR-21-5p demonstrated a significant fold change exclusively in peak lactation compared to Akkaraman and Awassi ewes. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the expression of the analysed miRNAs is influenced by both the lactation stage and different sheep breeds. This study offers valuable insights into the relationship between key miRNA expressions in sheep milk and milk composition and yield parameters during peak and late lactation, contributing to the existing knowledge in this field.

Ovine KRT81 Variants and Their Influence on Selected Wool Traits of Commercial Value.

Keratins are the main structural protein components of wool fibres, and variation in them and their genes (KRTs) is thought to influence wool structure and characteristics. The PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism technique has been used previously to investigate genetic variation in selected coding and intron regions of the type II sheep keratin gene KRT81, but no variation was identified. In this study, we used the same technique to explore the 5' untranslated region of KRT81 and detected three sequence variants (A, B and C) that contain four single nucleotide polymorphisms. Among the 389 Merino × Southdown cross sheep investigated, variant B was linked to a reduction in clean fleece weight, while C was associated with an increase in both greasy fleece weight and clean fleece weight. No discernible effects on staple length or mean-fibre-diameter-related traits were observed. These findings suggest that variation in ovine KRT81 might influence wool growth by changing the density of wool follicles in the skin, the density of individual fibres, or the area of the skin producing fibre, as opposed to changing the rate of extrusion of fibres or their diameter.

Genomic Characterization of Quality Wool Traits in Spanish Merino Sheep.

The native Spanish Merino breed was the founder of all the other Merino and Merino-derived breeds worldwide. Despite the fact that this breed was created and improved to produce the highest quality fine wool, the global wool market crisis led to the wholescale crossing of most of the herds with breeds for meat purposes. Nevertheless, there are still some purebred animals with a high potential for producing quality wool. The objective of this study was to characterize the current wool quality of the breed and identify genes associated with these parameters. To achieve this, over 12,800 records from the most representative animals of the breed (registered in the herd book) were analyzed using the Australian OFDA 2000 system, for parameters such as fiber diameter (FD), standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), fibers over 15 microns (>15%), staple length (SL), and comfort factor (CRV). Additionally, animals with the most extreme FD values were whole-genome sequenced using NGS. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) determined the association of 74 variants with the different traits studied, which were located in 70 different genes. Of these genes, EDN2, COL18A1, and LRP1B, associated with fibers over 15%, and FGF12 and ADAM17, associated with SL, play a key role in hair follicle growth and development. Our study reveals the great potential for recovering this breed for fine wool production, and identifies five candidate genes whose understanding may aid in that selection process.

Construction of a high-density genetic map and QTL localization of body weight and wool production related traits in Alpine Merino sheep based on WGR.

BACKGROUND: The Alpine Merino is a new breed of fine-wool sheep adapted to the cold and arid climate of the plateau in the world. It has been popularized in Northwest China due to its superior adaptability as well as excellent production performance. Those traits related to body weight, wool yield, and wool fiber characteristics, which are economically essential traits in Alpine Merino sheep, are controlled by QTL (Quantitative Trait Loci). Therefore, the identification of QTL and genetic markers for these key economic traits is a critical step in establishing a MAS (Marker-Assisted Selection) breeding program. RESULTS: In this study, we constructed the high-density genetic linkage map of Alpine Merino sheep by sequencing 110 F1 generation individuals using WGR (Whole Genome Resequencing) technology. 14,942 SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) were identified and genotyped. The map spanned 2,697.86 cM, with an average genetic marker interval of 1.44 cM. A total of 1,871 high-quality SNP markers were distributed across 27 linkage groups, with an average of 69 markers per LG (Linkage Group). Among them, the smallest genetic distance is 19.62 cM for LG2, while the largest is 237.19 cM for LG19. The average genetic distance between markers in LGs ranged from 0.24 cM (LG2) to 3.57 cM (LG17). The marker density in the LGs ranged from LG14 (39 markers) to LG1 (150 markers). CONCLUSIONS: The first genetic map of Alpine Merino sheep we constructed included 14,942 SNPs, while 46 QTLs associated with body weight, wool yield and wool fiber traits were identified, laying the foundation for genetic studies and molecular marker-assisted breeding. Notably, there were QTL intervals for overlapping traits on LG4 and LG8, providing potential opportunities for multi-trait co-breeding and further theoretical support for selection and breeding of ultra-fine and meaty Alpine Merino sheep.

A single base pair duplication in the SLC33A1 gene is associated with fetal losses and neonatal lethality in Manech Tête Rousse dairy sheep.

We recently discovered that the Manech Tête Rousse (MTR) deficient homozygous haplotype 2 (MTRDHH2) probably carries a recessive lethal mutation in sheep. In this study, we fine-mapped this region through whole-genome sequencing of five MTRDHH2 heterozygous carriers and 95 non-carriers from various ovine breeds. We identified a single base pair duplication within the SLC33A1 gene, leading to a frameshift mutation and a premature stop codon (p.Arg246Alafs*3). SLC33A1 encodes a transmembrane transporter of acetyl-coenzyme A that is crucial for cellular metabolism. To investigate the lethality of this mutation in homozygous MTR sheep, we performed at-risk matings using artificial insemination (AI) between heterozygous SLC33A1 variant carriers (SLC33A1_dupG). Pregnancy was confirmed 15 days post-AI using a blood test measuring interferon Tau-stimulated MX1 gene expression. Ultrasonography between 45 and 60 days post-AI revealed a 12% reduction in AI success compared with safe matings, indicating embryonic/fetal loss. This was supported by the MX1 differential expression test suggesting fetal losses between 15 and 60 days of gestation. We also observed a 34.7% pre-weaning mortality rate in 49 lambs born from at-risk matings. Homozygous SLC33A1_dupG lambs accounted for 47% of this mortality, with deaths occurring mostly within the first 5 days without visible clinical signs. Therefore, appropriate management of SLC33A1_dupG with an allele frequency of 0.04 in the MTR selection scheme would help increase overall fertility and lamb survival.

SNPS within the SLC27A6 gene are highly associated with Hu sheep fatty acid content.

Fatty acids (FA) are an important factor affecting meat quality and human health, and the important role of the solute carrier family 27 member 6 (SLC27A6) in FA metabolism has been demonstrated in several species. However, the expression profile of the SLC27A6 in different tissues and the effect of its polymorphism on FA in sheep are currently unknown. This study aimed to explore the differences in FAs in the longissimus dorsi (LD) of 1,085 Hu sheep, the expression profile of SLC27A6, and confirm the effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on FA phenotypes. We found that many FA phenotypes differ significantly across different seasons, and winter promoted the deposition of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The mRNA expression level of SLC27A6 in the lung was significantly higher than that in the heart, testis, and LD. A total of 16 SNPs were detected in the SLC27A6, and 14 SNPs were successfully genotyped by improved multiplex ligase detection reaction (iMLDR) technology. Correlation analysis showed that 7 SNPs significantly affected at least one FA phenotype. Among them, SNP14 contributes to the selection of lamb with low saturated fatty acid content and high PUFA content. Combined genotypes also significantly affected a variety of beneficial FAs such as C18:3n3, C20:4n6, C22:6n3, and monounsaturated fatty acids. This study suggests that SLC27A6 plays an important role in FA metabolism and SNPs that are significantly associated with FA phenotype could be used as potential molecular markers for later targeted regulation of FA profiles in sheep.

Estimation of the genetic parameters of sheep growth traits based on machine vision acquisition.

In the realm of animal phenotyping, manual measurements are frequently utilised. While machine-generated data show potential for enhancing high-throughput breeding, additional research and validation are imperative before incorporating them into genetic evaluation processes. This research presents a method for managing meat sheep and collecting data, utilising the Sheep Data Recorder system for data input and the Sheep Body Size Collector system for image capture. The study aimed to investigate the genetic parameter changes of growth traits in Ujumqin sheep by comparing machine-generated measurements with manual measurements. The dataset consisted of 552 data points from the offspring of 75 breeding rams and 399 breeding ewes. Six distinct random regression models were assessed to pinpoint the most suitable model for estimating genetic parameters linked to growth traits. These models were distinguished based on the inclusion or exclusion of maternal genetic effects, maternal permanent environmental effects, and covariance between maternal and direct genetic effects. Fixed factors such as individual age, individual sex, and ewe age were taken into account in the analysis. The genetic parameters for the yearling growth traits of Ujumqin sheep were calculated using ASReml software. The Akaike information criterion, the Bayesian information criterion, and fivefold cross-validation were employed to identify the optimal model. Research findings indicate that the most accurate models for manually measured data revealed heritability estimates of 0.12 ± 0.15 for BW, 0.05 ± 0.07 for body slanting length, 0.03 ± 0.07 for withers height, 0.15 ± 0.12 for hip height, 0.11 ± 0.11 for chest depth, 0.13 ± 0.13 for shoulder width, and 0.53 ± 0.15 for chest circumference. The optimal models for machine-predicted data showed heritability estimates of 0.1 ± 0.09 for body slanting length, 0.14 ± 0.12 for withers height, 0.55 ± 0.15 for hip height, 0.34 ± 0.15 for chest depth, 0.26 ± 0.15 for shoulder width, and 0.47 ± 0.16 for chest circumference. In manually measured data, genetic correlations ranged from 0.35 to 0.99, while phenotypic correlations ranged from 0.07 to 0.90. In machine data, genetic correlations ranged from -0.05 to 0.99, while phenotypic correlations ranged from 0.03 to 0.84. The results suggest that machine-based estimations may lead to an overestimation of heritability, but this discrepancy does not impact the selection of breeding models.

Transcriptome analysis reveals the effects of Schizochytrium sp. on the meat quality attributes of Tan lambs.

Schizochytrium sp., a feed additive, positively affects the quality of animal meat. In this study, the molecular mechanisms through which dietary Schizochytrium sp. affects the meat quality characteristics of Tan lambs were investigated using transcriptomic techniques. The findings demonstrate that the lambs supplemented with Schizochytrium sp. had a larger loin eye area and a higher average daily gain and intramuscular fat content (P < 0.05). They also had lower drip loss (at 24 and 48 h) and shear force (P < 0.05). Further, 745 genes were differentially expressed between lambs supplemented with Schizochytrium and the control group. Moreover, KEGG pathway analysis showed that the ECM-receptor interaction pathway, which is related to muscle generation and intramuscular fat deposition, was significantly enriched in the lambs administered a diet containing Schizochytrium sp. Herein, we identified some pivotal genes linked to muscular system development and lipid metabolism. Thus, using Schizochytrium sp. may boost the meat quality of Tan lambs by modifying the expression of genes related to hub pathways. The results supply a new basis to determine the molecular mechanisms through which Schizochytrium sp. supplementation regulates the meat quality characteristics of sheep.

High-throughput DNA sequence analysis elucidates novel insight into the genetic basis of adaptation in local sheep.

Understanding how evolutionary factors related to climate adaptation and human selection have influenced the genetic architecture of domesticated animals is of great interest in biology. In the current study, by using 304 whole genomes from different geographical regions (including Europe, north Africa, Southwest Asia, east Asia, west Africa, south Asia, east Africa, Australia and Turkey), We evaluate global sheep population dynamics in terms of genetic variation and population structure. We further conducted comparative population analysis to study the genetic underpinnings of climate adaption to local environments and also morphological traits. In order to identify genomic signals under selection, we applied fixation index (FST) and also nucleotide diversity (θπ) statistical measurements. Our results revealed several candidate genes on different chromosomes under selection for local climate adaptation (e.g. HOXC12, HOXC13, IRF1, FGD2 and GNAQ), body size (PDGFA, HMGA2, PDE3A) and also morphological related traits (RXFP2). The discovered candidate genes may offer newel insights into genetic underpinning of regional adaptation and commercially significant features in local sheep.

Ancient Sheep Genomes Reveal Four Millennia of North European Short-Tailed Sheep in the Baltic Sea Region.

Sheep are among the earliest domesticated livestock species, with a wide variety of breeds present today. However, it remains unclear how far back this diversity goes, with formal documentation only dating back a few centuries. North European short-tailed (NEST) breeds are often assumed to be among the oldest domestic sheep populations, even thought to represent relicts of the earliest sheep expansions during the Neolithic period reaching Scandinavia <6,000 years ago. This study sequenced the genomes (up to 11.6X) of five sheep remains from the Baltic islands of Gotland and Åland, dating from the Late Neolithic (∼4,100 cal BP) to historical times (∼1,600 CE). Our findings indicate that these ancient sheep largely possessed the genetic characteristics of modern NEST breeds, suggesting a substantial degree of long-term continuity of this sheep type in the Baltic Sea region. Despite the wide temporal spread, population genetic analyses show high levels of affinity between the ancient genomes and they also exhibit relatively high genetic diversity when compared to modern NEST breeds, implying a loss of diversity in most breeds during the last centuries associated with breed formation and recent bottlenecks. Our results shed light on the development of breeds in Northern Europe specifically as well as the development of genetic diversity in sheep breeds, and their expansion from the domestication center in general.

Geometric morphometric evaluation of mandibles of four sheep breeds: Bardoka, Ivesi, Polish Mountain sheep and Turcana.

The enduring relationship between humans and domestic sheep has evolved over millennia, showcasing diverse uses such as meat, milk, wool, leather and fur, shaped by geographical, historical, cultural and social factors. The sheep breeds discussed include the Ivesi from Southeastern Anatolia, known for its varied animal products; the resilient Turcana breed of Romania; Kosovo's Bardoka, valued for its triple-purpose characteristics; and Poland's Polish Mountain Sheep, uniquely utilized for milk production in cheese making. Sheep, with their enduring relationship with humans and significant economic importance, have attracted scientific interest in morphometric studies of their mandibles, yielding valuable data applicable across various fields including basic anatomy, veterinary clinical anatomy, zooarchaeology and veterinary forensic medicine. Traditional morphometric studies rely on statistical methods to compare length, depth and angular ratios between anatomical formations, often highlighting differences between specific points but not fully revealing shape variations between distinct groups. Geometric morphometric analysis has emerged as a preferred method in recent years, enabling shape analyses using coordinate data from various imaging techniques, facilitating a comprehensive examination of mandibular morphometrics among sheep breeds across different countries. This study involved four sheep breeds from different countries, namely Ivesi from Turkey, Bardoka from Kosovo, Polish Mountain Sheep from Poland and Turcana from Romania, with a total of 70 mandibles sourced from various veterinary faculties. Mandibular photographs were meticulously captured, focusing on the right side of mandible pairs and placing landmarks and semi-landmarks along the entire edge, enabling geometric morphometric analysis using tpsUtil, tpsDig2 and MorphoJ software. The analysis included principal component analysis, canonical variate analysis and discriminant function analysis for pairwise comparisons, facilitating a comprehensive examination of mandibular shape variations among the different sheep breeds. Using geometric morphometric methods, this study analysed mandibles from four distinct sheep breeds sourced from different countries, revealing notable variations in regions such as the ramus mandibula, angulus mandibula and incisive areas, attributed to genetic, geographical and dietary influences, highlighting the importance of continued research to better comprehend these shape differences.

Genome wide association studies for carcass traits measured by video image analysis in crossbred lambs.

This is the first UK genome wide association study investigating potential links between Video Image Analysis (VIA) carcass traits and molecular polymorphisms in crossbred sheep. Phenotypic and genotypic data were collected from two crossbred lamb populations: Texel x Scotch Mule (TxSM, n = 2330) and Texel x Lleyn (TxL, n = 3816). Traits measured included live weights at birth, eight weeks and weaning (∼15 weeks). VIA-predicted traits included total weights and weights of fat, muscle and bone in the whole carcass and primal (hind leg, saddle, shoulder) regions. Within-breed heritabilities estimated for the VIA traits ranged from 0.01 to 0.70, indicating potential for inclusion of some traits in breeding programmes. The two crossbred populations differed in SNPs associated with different traits. Two SNPs on chromosomes two (s74618.1) and eight (s68536.1), respectively, reached genome-wise significance for TxSM, explaining <1% of trait variance, for whole carcass fat and muscle weights, hind leg and saddle fat weights and shoulder bone weights. For TxL, four SNPs reached genome-wise significance, on chromosome two for hind leg muscle weight (OAR2_117,959,202 and OAR2_11804335), on chromosome 10 for whole carcass bone weight (OAR19_8,995,957.1), and on chromosome 19 for weaning weight (s40847.1), each explaining <1% of trait genetic variation. Differences in apparent genetic control of carcass traits may be influenced by the lambs' cross-breed, but also by management decisions affecting environmental variance and trait definitions, which should be understood in order to define protocols for incorporation of carcass traits into (cross)breeding programmes. IMPLICATIONS: Combining VIA-measured carcass traits with conventional production traits in a breeding programme could potentially improve the production and product quality of meat sheep. Phenotypes for VIA traits could be collected relatively easily if VIA machines were present at all abattoir sites. The current study and future Genome Wide Association Studies may help to identify potentially informative molecular markers, that explain large proportions of the genetic variance observed in VIA-measured carcass traits. Including this information in the estimation of breeding values could increase the accuracy of prediction, increasing the potential rate of genetic improvement for product quality. This study confirms the polygenic architecture of the investigated carcass traits, with a small number of molecular markers that each explain a small amount of genetic variation. Further studies across breed types are recommended to further test and validate molecular markers for traits related to lamb carcass quality, as measured by video image analysis.

Population Genomic History of the Endangered Anatolian and Cyprian Mouflons in Relation to Worldwide Wild, Feral, and Domestic Sheep Lineages.

Once widespread in their homelands, the Anatolian mouflon (Ovis gmelini anatolica) and the Cyprian mouflon (Ovis gmelini ophion) were driven to near extinction during the 20th century and are currently listed as endangered populations by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. While the exact origins of these lineages remain unclear, they have been suggested to be close relatives of domestic sheep or remnants of proto-domestic sheep. Here, we study whole genome sequences of n = 5 Anatolian mouflons and n = 10 Cyprian mouflons in terms of population history and diversity, comparing them with eight other extant sheep lineages. We find reciprocal genetic affinity between Anatolian and Cyprian mouflons and domestic sheep, higher than all other studied wild sheep genomes, including the Iranian mouflon (O. gmelini). Studying diversity indices, we detect a considerable load of short runs of homozygosity blocks (<2 Mb) in both Anatolian and Cyprian mouflons, reflecting small effective population size (Ne). Meanwhile, Ne and mutation load estimates are lower in Cyprian compared with Anatolian mouflons, suggesting the purging of recessive deleterious variants in Cyprian sheep under a small long-term Ne, possibly attributable to founder effects, island isolation, introgression from domestic lineages, or differences in their bottleneck dynamics. Expanding our analyses to worldwide wild and feral Ovis genomes, we observe varying viability metrics among different lineages and a limited consistency between viability metrics and International Union for Conservation of Nature conservation status. Factors such as recent inbreeding, introgression, and unique population dynamics may have contributed to the observed disparities.