Chronic locomotor dysfunction, associated with a thalamic-cerebellar neuropathy, in Australian Merino sheep

1993 ◽  
Vol 70 (6) ◽  
pp. 232-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
CA BOURKE ◽  
MJ CARRIGAN ◽  
CHR DENT
Keyword(s):  
Merino Sheep ◽  
Australian Merino

Effects of inbreeding on four families of Peppin Merinos

1957 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 299 ◽  
Author(s):  
JM Doney
Keyword(s):  
Fibre Diameter ◽  
Genetic Effect ◽  
Direct Consequence ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Single Strain ◽  
Merino Sheep ◽  
Fibre Number ◽  
Per Se ◽  
Fleece Weight ◽  
Australian Merino

The influence of inbreeding on several fleece and body characters in a strain of Australian Merino sheep is reported. The four families from which data were taken were derived from a single strain of Peppin Merinos. Inbreeding without selection has been carried on since the foundation of the families between 1939 and 1944. Inbreeding is responsible for a reduction in body size, fertility, greasy and clean fleece weight, and wrinkle score, but has relatively little influence on the fleece components (yield, staple length, fibre diameter, and density of fibre population). It follows that the reduction in fleece weight is a direct consequence of a decrease in total fibre number. Since the reduction in fibre number is likely to be a correlated effect of low pre-natal and early post-natal growth rates, it is suggested that the inbreeding has had no genetic effect on the several independent systems involved in adult wool production but has affected only those associated with fitness and vigour. The depression due to inbreeding therefore may not be caused by specific gene fixation but by increased homozygosity per se.

Genetic studies of South Australian Merino sheep. 2. Environmental effects on wool and body traits at 15-16 months of age

1981 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 657 ◽  
Author(s):  
IP Gregory ◽  
RW Ponzoni
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Multiple Birth ◽  
Production Traits ◽  
Merino Sheep ◽  
Main Production ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Fleece Weight ◽  
Main Components ◽  
Australian Merino

The effects of years, sex, type of birth (i.e. whether or not multiple birth) and age of dam on 26 wool and body traits of South Australian Merino sheep were estimated by least-squares analysis. Years and sex had highly significant effects on all traits. Of the main production traits, type of birth had a significant effect on body weight, greasy and clean fleece weight and total wool follicle number, while age of dam only had a significant effect on body weight and greasy fleece weight. The possible consequences of failing to correct body weight and greasy and clean fleece weights for type of birth and age of dam were considered and it was concluded that, although in some years correction of these traits may not be warranted, in other years correction may be necessary to prevent selection against fecundity and an increase in the generation interval. The main components contributing to the 6.0 % difference between fleece weights of singles and twins were surface area, total follicle number and wrinkle score. The difference between fleece weights of animals from older ewes and animals from maidens was only 1.5 %; surface area was the main contributor to this deviation.

The Agouti gene: a positional candidate for recessive self-colour pigmentation in Australian Merino sheep

1999 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 1099 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. M. Parsons ◽  
M. R. Fleet ◽  
D. W. Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Mapping ◽  
Economic Importance ◽  
The Self ◽  
Positional Candidate ◽  
Chromosome 13 ◽  
Merino Sheep ◽  
Merino Wool ◽  
Agouti Gene ◽  
Mapping Information ◽  
Australian Merino

The occurrence of self-colour pigmentation in the Australian Merino wool flock is of considerable economic importance. The Agouti gene is believed to be responsible for the recessive expression of pigmented fleece. Using comparative mapping information we have investigated the putative homologous ovine map positon of the Agouti gene for linkage to the recessive self-colour phenotype of Australian Merino sheep. Significant results were observed with microsatellites previously mapped to ovine chromosome 13. Comparative data suggest that the ovine Agouti gene would map to the same chromosome, making the Agouti gene a positional candidate for the self-colour phenotype.

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis in Australian Merino sheep: a new animal model

2001 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 37-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imke Tammen ◽  
Roger W. Cook ◽  
Frank W. Nicholas ◽  
Herman W. Raadsma
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis ◽  
Merino Sheep ◽  
Ceroid Lipofuscinosis ◽  
Australian Merino

Microsatellite-based genetic variation and differentiation of selected Australian Merino sheep flocks

2016 ◽  
Vol 136 ◽  
pp. 137-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Al-Atiyat ◽  
W. Flood ◽  
I. Franklin ◽  
B. Kinghorn ◽  
A. Ruvinsky
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Merino Sheep ◽  
Australian Merino

Response to selection in Australian Merino sheep. VII. Phenotypic and genetic parameters for some wool follicle characteristics and their correlation with wool and body traits

1975 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 937 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Jackson ◽  
T Nay ◽  
HN Turner ◽  
Turner H Newton
Keyword(s):  
Control Systems ◽  
Genetic Control ◽  
Genetic Parameters ◽  
Unit Area ◽  
Fibre Diameter ◽  
Environmental Correlations ◽  
Merino Sheep ◽  
Wool Follicle ◽  
Australian Merino

Four numerical characteristics-follicle depth, follicle curvature, number of follicles per unit area of skin, and ratio of number of secondary to number of primary follicles-describing the size, shape, and arrangement of wool follicles have been measured in Peppin Merino sheep at 4-5 months (weaning), 15-16 months (two-tooth shearing) and at later ages ranging from 2 1/2 to 7 1/2 years. Estimates of their repeatability, heritability and phenotypic, genetic, and environmental correlations with 10 wool and body characteristics are reported. All four follicle characteristics were found to be highly inherited and sufficiently correlated with wool characteristics to be of interest to both the wool biologist and the sheep breeder. Fixed environmental effects influenced the expression of some follicle characteristics, while others, notably follicle curvature at any age, were unaffected, and therefore potentially more useful as practical selection aids. Groups of sheep selected for clean wool weight with control of (i) fibre diameter and wrinkle score, and (li) crimp frequency and wrinkle score, exhibited changes in the four follicle characteristics, which agreed with what the genetic correlation estimates would predict. The role of follicle characteristics in the biology of genetic control of wool growth is portrayed by fitting causal models invoking follicle characteristics as intermediates between the gene and the wool character. The analysis separates three independent genetic control systems, the identity of which corresponds closely to factors postulated in previous theoretical studies.

Body composition of Romney-Southdown cross and Merino sheep foetuses at a constant age and a constant body weight

1964 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 309-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. K. Stephenson
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Body Composition ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Muscle Tissue ◽  
Hind Limb ◽  
Body Shape ◽  
Carcass Composition ◽  
The Body ◽  
Merino Sheep ◽  
Australian Merino

1. Body shape and carcass composition have been measured in a dated series of Romney-Southdown cross and Australian Merino sheep foetuses.2. Large differences in shape exist between the two breed groups and these result from growth rate differences in certain components of the bone and muscle tissue.3. Carcass composition at any particular foetal weight, however, is more uniform. In relation to body weight, the Merino has a higher proportion of bone in the body but the proportion of muscle is the same in both breed groups. Nevertheless, the distribution of muscle tissue is changed as there s i a higher proportion of muscle in the hind limb of the Romney-Southdown cross.

Factors influencing the time required to shear Merino sheep and its importance as a breeding objective

1981 ◽  
Vol 21 (111) ◽  
pp. 387 ◽  
Author(s):  
BJ McGuirk ◽  
R Ponzoni ◽  
KD Atkins ◽  
AR Gilmour ◽  
FHW Morley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
No Production ◽  
Merino Sheep ◽  
First Order ◽  
Merino Wool ◽  
Breeding Objective ◽  
Skin Fold ◽  
Fleece Weight ◽  
Time Required ◽  
Wool Industry ◽  
Australian Merino

Two sets of observations have been made on the time required to shear (TRS) Merino sheep. The first, in 1951, involved 98 rams and 75 ewes from one medium Peppin bloodline. Then, in 1975, TRS was recorded on 79 rams and 143 ewes from five different bloodlines, from a number of Merino strains. The effect of different production characters on TRS was estimated by least squares analysis, in models that included the effects of shearer, sex, bloodline (1975 only) and all first order interactions. In the 1951 data, TRS increased with increasing greasy fleece weight and with increasing skin fold in the rams (P <0.05). No production character had a significant effect on TRS in the ewes. In the 1975 data, TRS increased with increasing greasy fleece weight, skin fold, face cover and body weight in at least one sex, and when data from the two sexes were pooled (P <0.05). Skin fold and greasy fleece weight had the largest and most consistent effect. There were also significant differences between the bloodlines in TRS, which were found to be associated with differences between the bloodlines in skin fold, greasy fleece weight, and to a lesser extent, face cover. After studying the likely economic benefit of reducing TRS by selection, we concluded that under current economic situations, where any reduction in TRS would lower only the ancillary costs associated with shearing (shed hands, classing, etc.). TRS is not an important breeding objective for the Australian Merino wool industry.

Glutathione concentrations in the red cells of Merino sheep

1988 ◽  
Vol 110 (2) ◽  
pp. 401-403
Author(s):  
M. De La Haba ◽  
A Moreno ◽  
D. Llanes ◽  
E. M. Tucker
Keyword(s):  
Reduced Glutathione ◽  
Dominant Gene ◽  
Recessive Gene ◽  
Bimodal Distribution ◽  
Similar Type ◽  
Red Cells ◽  
Apparent Discrepancy ◽  
Merino Sheep ◽  
Cysteine Synthetase ◽  
Australian Merino

Tasmanian Merino sheep show a bimodal distribution in the concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH) in their red cells, 40% of sheep having GSH values of around 27 mg GSH/100 ml red cells and 60% with values of about 92 mg GSH/100 ml red cells (Tucker & Kilgour, 1972). The GSH deficiency was shown to be due to an impaired activity of γ-glutamyl cysteine synthetase (γ-GC-S), the enzyme catalysing the first step of GSH biosynthesis (Tucker, Kilgour & Young, 1976). Family data indicated that the deficiency in this strain of Merinos was under the control of a dominant gene, designated GSHL (Tucker et al. 1976). In contrast, Board, Roberts & Evans (1974) reported that a similar type of GSH deficiency in Australian Merino sheep was under the control of a recessive gene. The reasons for this apparent discrepancy remain unresolved.

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