Reproductive biology of Nilgiri tahr, Hemitragus hylocrius (Mammalia: Bovidae)

The reproductive biology of Nilgiri tahr ( Hemitragus hylocrius ) was studied in Eravikulam National Park, Kerala, India from August 1979 to September 1981.
The rutting season occurred during the monsoon (July and August) and the main birth season was January to mid-February. Gestation was estimated at 179 days.
Three females which lost their first young in 1981 conceived 18 to 21 days post-partum. One female conceived of her second young while the first was 15 days old. The remainder of the individually identified females gave birth to one young (n=40) or none (n=4).
Infant mortality was highest during the first two weeks after birth. Young born during the monsoon also had a high mortality rate (0.50/week).
Oestrus during the rut was discontinuous in 1980 and 1981. Periods of frequent oestrus corresponded with periods of low rainfall with a mean lag time of 4.9 days.
The ultimate factor determining the birth season in Nilgiri tahr appears to be weather. The main birth season is timed so as to minimize thermal stress.
Several proximal factors may be important in stimulating reproductive activity. These include photoperiod, temperature, the presence of males in mixed groups, and nutrition. The photoperiod response is unusual in that Nilgiri thar evidently respond to the abrupt decrease in apparent day length associated with the onset of the monsoon.
The inverse correlation of rainfall and oestrous activity may have been effected through the sudden decrease in thermal stress on the females or heavy rainfall (5.7 cm/day) masking pheromonal stimulation.
The pattern of lactation anoestrus observed in Nilgiri tahr approximates results obtained from some studies of domestic Caprini.
Nilgiri tahr females are presumably able to increase their lifetime reproduction by giving birth twice in one year. However, this strategy seemed counterproductive in 1981 as survival was low for second offspring.     

Sex determination in sheep and goats using bovine Y-chromosome specific primers via polymerase chain reaction: potential for embryo sexing.

A simple and novel method, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been standardized for accurate sex determination in sheep and goats. The assay utilizes a pair of bovine Y-chromosome specific primers and the genomic DNA isolated from blood samples of adult male and female sheep and goats. The primers recognize and amplify the Y-chromosome specific sequences in male goats and sheep. The assay is accurate, reliable and rapid.     

The genetics of scrapie in sheep and goats

Scrapie, an invariably fatal disease of sheep and goats, is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). The putative infectious agent is the host-encoded prion protein, PrP. The development of scrapie is closely linked to polymorphisms in the host PrP gene. The pathogenesis of most TSEs involves conversion of normal, cellular PrP into a protease-resistant, pathogenic isoform called PrPSc. The conversion to PrPSc involves change in secondary structure; it is impacts on these structural changes that may link polymorphisms to disease. Within the structured C-terminal part of PrP polymorphisms have been reported at 15 and 10 codons of the sheep and goat PrP genes respectively. Three polymorphisms in sheep are acutely linked to the occurrence of scrapie: A136V, R154H and Q171R/H. These generate five commonly observed alleles: ARQ, ARR, AHQ, ARH and VRQ. ARR and AHQ are associated with resistance; ARQ, ARH and VRQ are associated with susceptibility. There are subtle effects of specific allele pairings (genotypes). Generally, more susceptible genotypes have younger ages at death from scrapie. Different strains of scrapie occur which may attack genotypes differently. Different sheep breeds vary in the assortment of the five alleles that they predominantly encode. The reason for this variation is not known. Furthermore, certain genotypes may be susceptible to scrapie in some breeds and resistant in others. The explanation is not known, but may relate to different scrapie strains circulating in different breeds, or there may be effects of other genes which modulate the effect of PrP.     

Blood supply of the greater omentum in sheep and goats

The course and shape of the arteries and veins which - as side branches of the A. and V. gastroepiploica and the A. and V. epiploica - supply the greater omentum of sheep and goat were demonstrated by means of the india ink method and by stained membrane preparations. The terminal vascular bed shows the principle of the s.c. bridgeformation, consisting of a preferential channel and parallel connected capillaries, which are encircled with precapillary sphincters. The capillaries comprise a continuous endothelium. There are capillary convolutes - sometimes furnished with a fenestrated endothelium - which are parts of the milky spots. Other capillary convolutes not belonging to the milky spots contain a nonfenestrated endothelium.     

Genome-wide cross-amplification of domestic sheep microsatellites in bighorn sheep and mountain goats

We tested for cross‐species amplification of microsatellite loci located throughout the domestic sheep (Ovis aries) genome in two north American mountain ungulates (bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis, and mountain goats, Oreamnos americanus). We identified 247 new polymorphic markers in bighorn sheep (≥ 3 alleles in one of two study populations) and 149 in mountain goats (≥ 2 alleles in a single study population) using 648 and 576 primer pairs, respectively. Our efforts increased the number of available polymorphic microsatellite markers to 327 for bighorn sheep and 180 for mountain goats. The average distance between successive polymorphic bighorn sheep and mountain goat markers inferred from the Australian domestic sheep genome linkage map (mean ± 1 SD) was 11.9 ± 9.2 and 15.8 ± 13.8 centimorgans, respectively. The development of genomic resources in these wildlife species enables future studies of the genetic architecture of trait variation.     

Haemonchosis in sheep and goats in Sierra Leone

The incidence of haemonchosis in sheep and goats in Sierra Leone showed a seasonal variation with a high peak in the dry season (October to January) and a low one from March to May. Mean relative densities were significantly higher in young hosts and showed two peaks, a high one from August to December and a low one from April to June while the mean relative densities of old hosts were low and exhibited an irregular seasonal pattern with no defined peaks. The peak seasons in young hosts coincided approximately with the dry and rainy seasons. Male hosts showed an overall higher but not a significant mean relative density than females but for most of the months mean relative densities of infection of female hosts were not significantly higher than those of males. The roles of climatic conditions and arrested development (hypobiosis) and self-cure and host age immunity on Haemonchus contortus worm burdens are discussed.     

Genetic improvement of reproductive efficiency of sheep and goats

Sheep and goats are produced in a wide range of production systems and climatic conditions and possess great genetic diversity in reproductive potentials. Mean litter sizes range from near 1 to 3 or more, and patterns of seasonal reproduction are often strongly synchronised to local conditions. Thus, optimisation, rather than maximisation, of reproductive potentials is required, and optimum reproductive rates are often well below those which could be achieved. However, changing employment patterns, increasing urbanisation, and emergence of new markets provide corresponding opportunities for sustainable intensification of small ruminant production, potentially requiring enhancements in reproductive potentials. Heritabilities for most reproductive traits are less than those for many other traits, usually ranging from 0.05 to 0.15, and opportunities for within-breed selection are therefore limited. Substantial changes in litter size or major changes in seasonal breeding patterns are thus best achieved by crossing of divergent breeds to rapidly reset genetic potentials for these traits, followed by within-breed selection to optimise reproductive potentials. Various mutations influencing ovulation rate and litter size in sheep provide additional opportunities to rapidly adjust genetic potentials, but require careful breeding management. Comparable major genes have not yet been found in goats or for traits associated with breeding season.