Merits of the fat-tailed Barbarine sheep raised in different production systems in Tunisia: digestive, productive and reproductive characteristics

Abstract

Barbarine sheep is the dominant breed in Tunisia. This fat-tailed breed present in all production systems is characterised by metabolic and digestive adaptation to the contrasting environment conditions prevailing in the country (heat stress, water deprivation, salinity etc.). The fat tail (1.5 to 7 kg) is an energy reservoir that is used in periods of feed scarcity. Moreover, the rumen of this breed harbours a microflora enabling it to valorize low-quality roughages and native range vegetation. Barbarine sheep could make benefit from a wide range of local feed resources like fodder shrubs (e.g. cactus and oldman saltbushes), tannin-containing shrubs (e.g. Acacia cyanophylla) and agro-industrial by-products (e.g. olive cake, bran etc. conserved in the form of feed blocks or pellets). It has a very shallow anoestrous, the intensity of which is dependant upon nutrition conditions rather than day length as temperate breeds. Productive and reproductive performances of late pregnant-early suckling, pre-mating ewes and also rams of this breed are not affected when some alternative feed resources replace common feedstuffs which are expensive and cannot afford regularly to smallholders. In brief, the merits of the Barbarine sheep in the production systems and other main adaptive mechanisms of this breed are discussed in this paper. The prospective of Barbarine sheep husbandry in the system dynamics, climate change and the evolution of the socioeconomic context are also envisaged.

Follicle growth, ovulation rate, body weight change, and antioxidant and metabolic status in three fat-tailed sheep breeds fed a half-maintenance diet

“…Similarly, the Barbarine (fat-tailed) breed is being held in Tunisia can lay down subcutaneous and intramuscular fat from energy surplus and mobilize energy accumulated in the tail when facing feed scarcity. 19 The decrease in body weight due to 50% diet restriction in our study was also observed 1 week later when sheep fed 30% of food intake fed to controls for 35 days. 20 Similarly, half-maintenance ewes underfed for 27 days presented lower body weight throughout an experiment.…”

Genetic structure and variability within and among populations of the fat-tailed Barbarine sheep breed using microsatellites markers

“…The BAR has developed tolerance to both warm and cold climates, a remarkable mothering ability, resistance to internal and external parasites and the ability to use a wide range of low quality feed resources (shrubby vegetation, cactus, cereal straw, olive cake, etc.) (Ben Salem et al, 2011). Genetic parameters and genetic evaluation of the BAR breed have been extensively described by several authors from national databases of flocks established in central semi-arid Tunisia (Ben Hammouda 1985;Khaldi et al, 1987;Djemali et al, 1994;Atti and Ben Hammouda 2004;Bedhiaf-Romdhani and Djemali, 2006).…”

“…BAR sheep is raised mainly in extensive systems and adapted to transhumance. This breed can be encountered in Algeria and dominated in Tunisia and Libya (Ben Salem et al, 2011) and it also seems to be the breed at origin of the current "plateau" breeds, as well as those of the Atlantic coast in Morocco (Guessous et al, 1989). In addition, BAR is at origin of "Tunis" breed in the USA (Djemali et al, 1994) and the Barbaresca Italian one (Sarti et al, 2002;Tolone et al, 2011).…”

Strategic Feeding Alternating a 2-months’ Feeding Restriction and a Short Boost of the Feeding Level Increases Conception Rate in Sheep

“…8, No. 1;2016 this breed (Lassoued 1998;Ben Salem, Lassoued & Rekik, 2011). For QFO ewes, High ewes maintained the highest live weight amongst all other experimental groups, perhaps explaining the higher litter size recorded for this group since within species, larger breeds tended to produce larger litters even if the reverse relationship can occurred and could be explained with the duration of pregnancy.…”