Developing breeding objectives for Australian Cashmere Goats

AbstractBreeding strategies for sustainable livestock production in developing countries are discussed with reference to breeding objectives in more uniform environments of temperate regions and to those in stressful and highly variable environments of the tropics. The relative importance of breeding objectives to be based not on single performance traits but also on fitness traits is discussed in relation to production efficiency. With particular reference to breeding strategies for dairy production the following aspects are referred to: assessment of scope for performance improvement; the rôle of local breeds in stressful environments; the need for potential assessment and options for breed improvement; the use of exotic breeds; and the need for comparative field performance test as part of improvement schemes.

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Short communication: Melatonin implantation during the non-growing period of cashmere increases the cashmere yield of female Inner Mongolian cashmere goats by increasing fiber length and density

Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.5424/sjar/20181614-11053 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. e06SC01 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ziyuan Wu ◽

Chunhui Duan ◽

Yan Li ◽

Tao Duan ◽

Fang Mo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Treatment Group ◽

Fiber Length ◽

Short Communication ◽

Fiber Diameter ◽

Contributing Factors ◽

Initial Body Weight ◽

Melatonin Treatment ◽

Growing Period ◽

Cashmere Goats

This study aimed to evaluate if melatonin implantation at the end of April and June was able to increase cashmere production in female Inner Mongolian cashmere goats and to search for contributing factors accounting for the melatonin increasing in cashmere production. One hundred and fifty female Inner Mongolian cashmere goats (initial body weight 37.2 ± 3.3 kg) were randomly assigned to either a control (n=75) or a treatment (n=75) group. Goats in the treatment group were implanted with melatonin (2 mg/kg of body weight) on April 30 and June 30, 2014 while goats in the control received no treatment. Melatonin implantation increased cashmere yield by 23.4% while increasing the length and density of the cashmere fiber by 19.8% and 11.4%, whereas it decreased cashmere fiber diameter by 4.4%. Melatonin treatment had no effect on doe growth, litter size or birth and weaning weights of kid. Melatonin implantation promoted cashmere yield by increasing fiber length and density without impacting the performance of goats and their offspring. Therefore, melatonin implantation during the cashmere non-growing period (late April and June) is an effective way to increase cashmere yield and improve cashmere characteristics of goats.

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Using WGCNA (weighted gene co-expression network analysis) to identify the hub genes of skin hair follicle development in fetus stage of Inner Mongolia cashmere goat

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0243507 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (12) ◽

pp. e0243507

Author(s):

Zhihong Wu ◽

Erhan Hai ◽

Zhengyang Di ◽

Rong Ma ◽

Fangzheng Shang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Network Analysis ◽

Hair Follicle ◽

Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Hair Follicles ◽

Functional Enrichment ◽

Follicle Development ◽

Hub Genes ◽

Cashmere Goats ◽

Hair Follicle Development

Objective Mature hair follicles represent an important stage of hair follicle development, which determines the stability of hair follicle structure and its ability to enter the hair cycle. Here, we used weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify hub genes of mature skin and hair follicles in Inner Mongolian cashmere goats. Methods We used transcriptome sequencing data for the skin of Inner Mongolian cashmere goats from fetal days 45–135 days, and divided the co expressed genes into different modules by WGCNA. Characteristic values were used to screen out modules that were highly expressed in mature skin follicles. Module hub genes were then selected based on the correlation coefficients between the gene and module eigenvalue, gene connectivity, and Gene Ontology (GO)/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. The results were confirmed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results Ten modules were successfully defined, of which one, with a total of 3166 genes, was selected as a specific module through sample and gene expression pattern analyses. A total of 584 candidate hub genes in the module were screened by the correlation coefficients between the genes and module eigenvalue and gene connectivity. Finally, GO/KEGG functional enrichment analyses detected WNT10A as a key gene in the development and maturation of skin hair follicles in fetal Inner Mongolian cashmere goats. qPCR showed that the expression trends of 13 genes from seven fetal skin samples were consistent with the sequencing results, indicating that the sequencing results were reliable.n

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