Using of Microsatellites to Study the Genetic Polymorphisms of SRYm18 Region in Iraqi Sheep

The origin of animals is usually determined by their paternal genotypes of the genes on the Y chromosome. In addition to the genes and their polymorphisms in the genome of mitochondria that are inherited through dams. In view of the lack of studies focusing on the genes of the Y chromosome in the world and their absence in Iraq. The aim of the present study was to identify the multiple genetic polymorphisms of the SRYM18 gene in the Arabi and Awassi sheep raised in Iraq. The study was conducted in the Genetic Engineering Laboratories - College of Agriculture, University of Basra, as well as in the Basra Genome Laboratory. The amplification of the SRYM18 gene showed genetic polymorphisms and gave a gene segment of (103-880) bp. The number of alleles of the SRYm18 gene was 13 alleles in the Arabi and 16 alleles in the Awassi breeds. The equilibrium test showed that the two breeds were under equilibrium. The two breeds were identical with nine alleles, while the number of special alleles for the Arabi breed was two, while the Awassi breed was distinguished by five. The number of rare alleles reached 20, of which seven were of the Arabi breed, and 13 of them were of the Awassi breed. Mean expected heterozygosity was 0.6386 with nonsignificant Fis for Arabi breed (0.1541) but significant for Awassi breed (0.2213). Mean neutrality was close to lower bound (0.1721) and (0.1270) for Arabi and Awassi breeds respectively

The effect of follicle size and cryoprotectants on nuclear maturation and early embryonic development of vitrified - thawed Awassi sheep oocytes (Ovis aries)

In this study, two experiments were conducted to study the effect of both the follicle size and the cryoprotectants dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and ethylene glycol (EG) on the main phases of nuclear maturation (Experiment I), cleavage stages and embryo quality (Experiment II) of Awassi sheep oocytes. Follicles were classified into two groups: small follicles (SF) (1-2 mm) and large follicles (LF) (> 2 mm). Oocytes were vitrified in three solutions: A (30% DMSO), B (30% EG) and C (15% DMSO and 15% EG). In Experiment I, the resulting vitrified-thawed oocytes in solution C achieved the best rates after the control group (fresh), respectively as the rates of maturation, germinal vesicle (GV), metaphase II(M-II), arrest, and lyses were 85.71% (P = 0.04), 8.33% (P = 0.02), 72.92% (P = 0.04); LF group, 15.25% (P = 0.04), and 5.08% (P = 0.04); SF group, respectively. In Experiment II, the same group of oocytes achieved the best rates after the control group, as the rates of fertilization, cleavage, 2-16 cell, Type3, blastocyst, and Type1 embryos were 63.28% (P = 0.001), 57.46% (P = 0.001), 40.38% (P = 0.04), 38.46% (P = 0.04); LF group, 30.00% (P = 0.01), and SF group 36.67% (P = 0.001), respectively, while the vitrified-thawed oocytes in A solution (SF group) reached the highest rate of Type 2 embryo quality (58.06%; P = 0.01). No significant differences were noticed in the germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), metaphase I (M-I) and morula stage. Vitrification of oocytes obtained from follicles with a diameter of more than 2 mm in a cocktail solution of DMSO (15%) and EG (15%) led to a significant increase in the yield and quality of the resulting sheep embryos.

Study of mtDNA COI Gene Polymorphism and Relationship With Some Productive Traits in Awassi Sheep

This study was carried out in two locations (the field part), first in the Ruminants Researches Station (20 km west of Baghdad), and the second in the Aldawar research station located in Anbar governorate (Up to 35 km west of Ramadi city), which included 87 animals from Awassi sheep. As for the laboratory part, it took place in two locations, the first in the Animal Breeding and Improvement Laboratory of the Ruminant Research Department, and the second in the Scientific Progress Laboratory/Baghdad. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between polymorphism of mtDNA-COI gene and growth traits, milk yield, and lactation period in Awassi sheep. DNA was extracted from the blood and the polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique was used to amplify the COI gene. DNA sequencing analysis. The results showed that there are 6 SNPs in a COI gene, there polymorphism for this gene also appeared (TT, CC). The 1st site (5566), CC polymorphism achieved the highest percentages (39.09) compared with TT polymorphism, with an allelic frequency of 0.57. While it appeared in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th sites the polymorphism TT and CC with percentages (79.31 and 20.69)%, (58.42 and 41.38)%, (20.69 and 79.31), (79.31 and 20.69)%, and with the allele frequency (0.79 and 0.21), (0.59 and 0.41), (0.21 and 0.79), (0.79 and 0.21) respectively. there were significant differences (P<0.05) of COI polymorphism in birth weight, weaning weight and gain from birth to weaning as the TT recorded the highest average for both traits (3.82, 25.39 and 21.57 kg respectively). The mean of daily milk yield for TT polymorphism was 330.21 gm/day, which significant (P<0.05) the CC polymorphism, no significant between COI polymorphism and lactation period. It was possible to conclude from this study the possibility of COI gene polymorphism in the development of genetic improvement strategies and breeding programs that achieved the best productive performance sheep.

Effect of Different Level of Zeolite and Perlite on The Physiological Performance of Awassi Lambs

A total of 24 male Awassi lamb aged (4-6) months were used, to determine the effect of different level of zeolite and perlite on the physiological traits of Awassi sheep. Results show that te use of zeolite led to the presence of high significant differences at the level (P ≤ 0.05) of the studied values between the experimental groups and according to the weeks of the study, as the values varied between different weeks in the characteristics of the biochemical blood parameters and values, which are (both cholesterol values, the values of high-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins, and fats). All treatments of zeolite and perylite and their mixture outperformed the control group, while the fourth treatment T4 outperformed the other treatments, followed by the third treatment T3 over the studied treatments T2 and T1.

Prediction of Lambs Growth From Milk Production and Its Composition in Awassi Sheep and Description of Growth Curve of Non-Linear Function

This study was undertaken at the Ruminant’s Research Station, Office of Agricultural Research/Ministry of Agriculture (20 km west of Baghdad). 102 ewes were used in this study from 1/1/2020- 1/10/2021 to study prediction of lambs growth from milk production and its composition in Awassi sheep and description of growth cure of non–linear function. Simple regression was used to examine relationship between growth traits such as gain, weaning weight, weight at 6 months of age and milk production and its composition. Regression of weaning weight was positive and highly significant (P≤ 0.01) with daily milk yield (DMY) and significant (P≤0.05) with dam’s milk protein percentage (MPP), Analysis of regression also showed significant positive increasing (p≤ 0.05) in lambs' weight at six months of age with increasing of DMY and MPP, where coefficient of regression (CR) amount to 5.006 kg/kg and 0.663 kg/% respectively. Results showed that CR of gain from birth to weaning was highly significant with dam’s DMY, whereas was significant with MPP. Both DMY and MPP had significant and positive relationship with gain between birth weight and weight at six months, where amount of CR was 4.859 kg/kg and 0.619 kg/% with determination coefficient (R2) amount to 0.31 and 0.19 sequentially. Also, positive and significant regression was noticed for gain from birth to 6 months with MPP and milk Solids Not-Fat(SNF) percentages. Exponential functions also were used according to analysis of non-linear regression with calculated R2 for growth in Awassi lambs. Results showed that relationship which derives from regression weight at 6 months on weight at weaning according to equation WT6^=a+b WWT2 is considered the best because increasing value of R2 which was 0.69. we conclude, possibility prediction in lamb’s growth from birth to six months depend on DMY and MPP, also dependence non-linear functions gave an important results to describe growth curves between weaning to 6 months.

Effect of suckling and weaning systems on age, weight at puberty, and some reproductive traits in Awassi sheep: تأثير نظم الرضاعة والفطام في العمر والوزن عند البلوغ الجنسي وبعض الصفات التناسلية في الأغنام العواسية

A flock of seventy-two Awassi ewes aged five years were used in this study to evaluate the effects of three suckling system (24, 15, 9) hours and two weaning system at the weight of (15 and 20) Kg on age, weight at puberty, scrotum circumference and size and some characteristics of semen of Awassi lambs. Suckling and weaning systems had a significant effect (p≤0.05) on age and weight at puberty for males and the benefit of the suckling group for 24 hours and the weaning system of 20 kg. At 5 and 6 months of age, the suckling system had a significant effect (p≤0.05) on the circumference and size of the scrotum. At 6,7 and 8 months, the influence of the weaning system on the circumference and size of the scrotum, with the superiority of the suckling group 24 hours and the weaning system of 20 kg, a gradual and significant increase (p≤0.05) in the circumference and size of the scrotum was observed with age, and a significant improvement (p≤0.05) was observed in the characteristics of semen as the measurement period progresses. The lambs in the 24-hour suckling group gave the best semen consistency at puberty and after 4 weeks of puberty, and the 24-hour suckling group was superior than suckling group 9 hours in individual motility of sperm at puberty, and the interaction coefficients had a significant effect on age, weight at puberty, circumference and size of the scrotum at 5,6-and 7- months of age. The interaction between treatment effect on the size of semen in the second collection after puberty and its consistency at puberty also at the second collection the interaction had a significant effect (p≤0.05) on the individual and mass motility of the sperms at puberty and in the mass motility on the second collection of semen. Suckling and weaning systems had no significant effect on age and weight at puberty for female except for the superiority of the second interaction treatment on the third in weight at puberty which reached 37.88 and 27.80 kg respectively. The aim of this study was to find out the effect of suckling and weaning system for reaching sexual puberty and determining the age and weight at puberty in male and female Awassi sheep in addition to their effect on the circumference and size of the testicle and some of the semen characteristics of lambs, which are important characteristics for raising reproductive efficiency of the flock. The study recommends following the 24-hour suckling system and 20 kg weaning system, which leads to approach male lambs at a lower age and higher weight at sexual puberty.