Environmental influence on Merino sheep wool quality through the lens of seasonal variations in fibre diameter

Gonzalez, Ezequiel Bernardo; Sacchero, Diego Mariano; Easdale, Marcos Horacio

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2020.104248

Cited by 12 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Well known for its exceptional white fleece and the abundant production of soft, fine, and curly wool, Merino sheep represent a key genetic resource thanks to their ability to face harsh climatic conditions, poor quality feeding and arid landscapes. Moreover, Merinos display an extraordinary ability to adapt and perform in an extensive production system, in a wide range of environmental conditions spanning from the Mediterranean to the Continental European and Asian climates as well as subtropical, and both warm and cold arid lands [ 23 – 25 ]. To date, the genetic determinism of Merino adaptability has been poorly investigated while relevant efforts have been made to identify the loci involved in wool and production traits [ 26 – 29 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A comprehensive analysis of the genetic diversity and environmental adaptability in worldwide Merino and Merino-derived sheep breeds

et al. 2023

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Background To enhance and extend the knowledge about the global historical and phylogenetic relationships between Merino and Merino-derived breeds, 19 populations were genotyped with the OvineSNP50 BeadChip specifically for this study, while an additional 23 populations from the publicly available genotypes were retrieved. Three complementary statistical tests, Rsb (extended haplotype homozygosity between-populations), XP-EHH (cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity), and runs of homozygosity (ROH) islands were applied to identify genomic variants with potential impact on the adaptability of Merino genetic type in two contrasting climate zones. Results The results indicate that a large part of the Merino’s genetic relatedness and admixture patterns are explained by their genetic background and/or geographic origin, followed by local admixture. Multi-dimensional scaling, Neighbor-Net, Admixture, and TREEMIX analyses consistently provided evidence of the role of Australian, Rambouillet and German strains in the extensive gene introgression into the other Merino and Merino-derived breeds. The close relationship between Iberian Merinos and other South-western European breeds is consistent with the Iberian origin of the Merino genetic type, with traces from previous contributions of other Mediterranean stocks. Using Rsb and XP-EHH approaches, signatures of selection were detected spanning four genomic regions located on Ovis aries chromosomes (OAR) 1, 6 and 16, whereas two genomic regions on OAR6, that partially overlapped with the previous ones, were highlighted by ROH islands. Overall, the three approaches identified 106 candidate genes putatively under selection. Among them, genes related to immune response were identified via the gene interaction network. In addition, several candidate genes were found, such as LEKR1, LCORL, GHR, RBPJ, BMPR1B, PPARGC1A, and PRKAA1, related to morphological, growth and reproductive traits, adaptive thermogenesis, and hypoxia responses. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive dataset that includes most of the Merino and Merino-derived sheep breeds raised in different regions of the world. The results provide an in-depth picture of the genetic makeup of the current Merino and Merino-derived breeds, highlighting the possible selection pressures associated with the combined effect of anthropic and environmental factors. The study underlines the importance of Merino genetic types as invaluable resources of possible adaptive diversity in the context of the occurring climate changes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A comprehensive analysis of the genetic diversity and environmental adaptability in worldwide Merino and Merino-derived sheep breeds

et al. 2023

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“…Economic losses associated with temperature stress in the livestock industry include slow growth rates, reduced fertility, increased veterinary costs, animal diseases, unfavorable milk quantity and quality, inconsistent carcass quality and composition, reduced market weights, and increased animal welfare issues [59,60]. Livestock are susceptible to heat stress due to their metabolic rate and growth, high production levels, and speciesspecific characteristics such as rumen fermentation, sweating, and skin insulation.…”

Section: Heat Stressmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Heat stress is the most important stress in the life of livestock with detrimental consequences for animal health, productivity, and product quality, thus directly affecting animal production. Moreover, due to its indirect effects, heat stress in summer severely hinders pasture and water availability, which ultimately results in severe nutritional and water stress in animals [60,61]. Although small ruminant farming is mostly pasture-based, changes in feed and water resources can cause stress.…”

Section: Heat Stressmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stress Factors and Their Effects on Productivity in Sheep

Tüfekci,

Sejian

2023

Animals

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Products obtained from sheep have an economically important place in the world. Their adaptability to different climatic conditions, their ease of care and feeding, their high utilization of poor pasture areas with low yield and quality, the ease of flock management, their high twinning rate, and their short intergenerational period are some of the advantages of sheep production. Sheep production has the ability to adapt better to environmental stress factors, as can be understood from the presence of sheep in different geographical regions at a global level. However, the changes in environmental conditions and production cause some negative results in animals. All these negative results expose animals to various stress factors (heat, cold, transport, treatment, nutritional, shearing, weaning, etc.). All stress factors that directly and indirectly affect sheep production ultimately lead to compromised performance, decreased productivity, increased mortality, and adverse effects on the immune system. In order to cope with the current stress parameters in animals and to achieve optimum production, a holistic approach is needed according to the environmental conditions and available resources. It is important to consider the factors involved in these responses in order to manage these processes correctly and to develop adequate strategies and improve sheep welfare. This review aimed to reveal the importance of some stress factors in sheep and their effects on sheep productivity.

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“…Among domesticated sheep, wool diameter, staple length and fleece weight vary seasonally with photoperiod and temperature, although the extent of this variation depends on breed [212][213][214][215][216][217]. For instance, Merino sheep still exhibit seasonal fluctuations in fiber fineness [218], although similar variations are more pronounced in traditional Middle Eastern breeds [219]. Given the high financial stakes associated with optimizing production of Merino fine wool today, seasonal meteorological variables are perhaps more significant in pastured wool sheep than ever before [220].…”

Section: Wool Growthmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Time to Sow, a Time to Reap: Modifications to Biological and Economic Rhythms in Southwest Asian Plant and Animal Domestication

et al. 2022

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This paper reviews changes to lifecycle temporality in Southwest Asian plant and animal domestication, exploring their relationship to long-term processes associated with ancient and contemporary globalization. We survey changes under domestication to the timing of seed dispersal, germination, vegetative growth, flowering and maturation in wheat and barley and to birth, reproduction, lactation, wool production and death in sheep, goats and cattle. Changes in biological temporality among domesticates are ultimately related to globally increasing production intensity, geographic diffusion, and agricultural diversity associated with cultivar/breed evolution. Recently, however, increasing crop production intensity and geographic diffusion are accompanied by declining agricultural diversity worldwide. Similar processes are apparent in contemporary economic and cultural globalization, suggesting that long-term agricultural developments might be viewed as a subset of globalization. Moreover, the origin of certain features of contemporary globalization may be traced back to the beginnings of plant and animal domestication. Thus, while biologists since Darwin considered domestication as a model for the study of evolution, we suggest that domestication may also offer a model for the study of globalization.

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Environmental influence on Merino sheep wool quality through the lens of seasonal variations in fibre diameter

Cited by 12 publications

References 22 publications

A comprehensive analysis of the genetic diversity and environmental adaptability in worldwide Merino and Merino-derived sheep breeds

A comprehensive analysis of the genetic diversity and environmental adaptability in worldwide Merino and Merino-derived sheep breeds

Stress Factors and Their Effects on Productivity in Sheep

A Time to Sow, a Time to Reap: Modifications to Biological and Economic Rhythms in Southwest Asian Plant and Animal Domestication

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