Search results for "Sheep"
showing 10 items of 279 documents
Diagnostic polymorphisms in the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene allow discrimination between cattle, sheep, goat, roe buck and deer by PCR-RFLP
2004
Abstract Background As an alternative to direct DNA sequencing of PCR products, random PCR-RFLP is an efficient technique to discriminate between species. The PCR-RFLP-method is an inexpensive tool in forensic science, even if the template is degraded or contains only traces of DNA from various species. Results Interspecies-specific DNA sequence polymorphisms in the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene were analyzed using PCR-RFLP technology to determine the source (i.e., species) of blood traces obtained from a leaf. Conclusions The method presented can be used for the discrimination of cattle (Bos taurus), sheep (Ovis aries), goat (Capra hircus), roe buck (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Ce…
Study on Consumer Attitudes for Sheep Meat Consumption
2018
Abstract This paper presents data on sheep breeding in Romania and on a international level. The main objectives of the national breeding program will be presented. A study has been conducted to find out how consumers perceive buying sheep meat and their attitudes towards it. Strong effort is needed to promote the consumption of sheep meat, which will lead to the support of the sheep sector. It is necessary to form a strong consumer preference for sheep meat by communicating the positive (natural product) and durable characteristics of the product.
Prehatching maternal investment and offspring immunity in the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca).
2007
Maternal investment in offspring immunity via egg quality may be an adaptive evolutionary strategy shaped by natural selection. We investigated how maternal investment in eggs can influence offspring immunity by conducting two experiments. First, we manipulated foraging performance of the mothers before egg laying by attaching a small weight to their back feathers. During the nestling period, we investigated offspring total antibody production at the age of 7 days and after antibody challenge, and conducted a partial cross-fostering design to separate the effects of the experiment and rearing-related variation on offspring immunity. In a separate experiment, partial cross-fostering with ant…
The nucleotide and deduced amino acid structures of sheep and pig fetuin. Common structural features of the mammalian fetuin family
1992
This study was initiated to gain further insight into the structural features of the mammalian fetuin family. The cDNA structures of sheep and pig fetuin were determined. The cDNA insert encoding sheep (pig) fetuin comprised 1550 (1470) nucleotides, including 54 (46) nucleotides encoding a signal peptide of 18 (15) residues and 1038 (1041) nucleotides encoding the 346 (347) amino acids of the mature plasma protein. The predicted amino-terminal sequence of the mature pig fetuin was confirmed by the amino-terminal sequence of the purified protein. However, two alternative sheep amino-terminal sequences were found in fetuin purified from the plasma of a single sheep fetus; the minor product wa…
Genetic selection for reduced Somatic Cell Counts in sheep milk: A review
2015
Mastitis is an inflammation of the udder, mainly caused by bacteria, and leads to economic loss, due to discarded milk, reduced milk production, reduced milk quality and increased health costs in both dairy sheep and cattle. Selecting for increased genetic resistance to mastitis can be done directly or indirectly, with the indirect selection corresponding to a prediction of the bacteriological status of the udder based on traits related to the infection. The most frequently used indirect method is currently milk somatic cell count (SCC) or somatic cell score (SCS). This review reports the state of the art relating to the genetic basis of mastitis resistance in sheep and explores the opportu…
Genetic parameters for somatic cell score according to udder infection status in Valle del Belice dairy sheep and impact of imperfect diagnosis of in…
2010
Abstract Background Somatic cell score (SCS) has been promoted as a selection criterion to improve mastitis resistance. However, SCS from healthy and infected animals may be considered as separate traits. Moreover, imperfect sensitivity and specificity could influence animals' classification and impact on estimated variance components. This study was aimed at: (1) estimating the heritability of bacteria negative SCS, bacteria positive SCS, and infection status, (2) estimating phenotypic and genetic correlations between bacteria negative and bacteria positive SCS, and the genetic correlation between bacteria negative SCS and infection status, and (3) evaluating the impact of imperfect diagno…
The hemagglutinin of Staphylococcus saprophyticus is a major adhesin for uroepithelial cells.
1996
The 160-kDa hemagglutinin of Staphylococcus saprophyticus also serves as a fibronectin-binding protein, and the two activities may be present on different parts of the molecule. Bacteria expressing the 160-kDa hemagglutinin bound in large numbers to histological sections of human ureters, whereas nonhemagglutinating bacteria did not bind. Binding was decreased by an antiserum to the 160-kDa protein and by a preparation of sheep erythrocyte membranes. Fibronectin had no effect. We therefore conclude that binding of S. saprophyticus to uroepithelial cells is mediated by the hemagglutinating activity of the 160-kDa surface protein.
Economic values for production and functional traits in Valle del Belice dairy sheep using profit functions
2011
Abstract A deterministic static model was used to estimate the economic values (EV) of production (MY, milk yield; BW, birth weight; and ADG, average daily gain) and functional traits (ASR, adult survival rate; LSR, lamb survival rate; FE, fertility; PR, prolificacy; and LW ewe , mature weight of ewe) in Valle del Belice dairy sheep. In this study, values for the biological parameters and the production traits used in the model were taken from real data, by surveying 15 Valle del Belice farmers and reflected the production circumstances of pasture based dairy production systems. In this system feed cost accounted for 95% of total variable costs, whereas fixed costs were low and reflected tr…
Transformation of raw ewes' milk applying “Grana” type pressed cheese technology: development of extra-hard “Gran Ovino” cheese
2019
Abstract This work was carried out to pursue a double objective: to improve the hygienic safety of cheeses produced from raw ewes' milk; and to produce a new typology of raw ewes' milk through the application of “Grana” technology for which the name “Gran Ovino” was chosen. With this in mind, raw milk from an individual farm was transformed under controlled conditions at a dairy pilot plant. The production technology included the partial skimming of the evening and morning milk mixture by cream surfacing and the addition of a natural whey starter cultures (NWSC) prepared with four selected Streptococcus thermophilus strains (PON6, PON244, PON261 e PON413). Ten microbial groups were investig…
STUDY OF MASTITIS IN DAIRY SHEEP USING SURVIVAL ANALYSIS
2013
Mastitis is the most prevalent disease present in livestock species leading to economic loss. In dairy sheep, it caused mainly from bacterial infections. The aim of this work was to investigate the risk of having mastitis in Valle del Belice dairy ewes during the first lactation, due to environmental or contagious pathogens, using a survival analysis approach. All test‐day records from primiparous ewes were collected from five flocks. All test‐day were grouped in two data sets, one with mastitis due to environmental pathogens (ENV) and the other with mastitis due to contagious pathogens (CON). In this analysis the follow up period of a ewe was the lactation, consequently all the record bega…