Frequency of chromosomal abnormalities in embryos from superovulated merino ewes

Chromosomal analysis was carried out on 48 Day 2-7 embryos collected from superovulated Merino ewes. Three embryos had abnormal chromosome complements (1 X 1N, 1 X 1N/2N, 1 X 3N), yielding an incidence of 6.25% abnormal embryos. It is concluded that superovulation does not cause an increase in the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in embryos of Merino sheep.     

Climatic adaptation in recently shorn merino sheep

Heart rates, respiratory rates, body temperatures, ad libitum ‘day’ and ‘night’ food consumption and body weight changes have been examined in 15 mature Merino wethers shorn in moderate environmental conditions. All sheep showed a depression in food consumption for two days after shearing. Sheep that gained weight during the next three weeks then increased their food consumption at night by approximately 30% although the average daily consumption was only increased by 5%. Sheep that lost weight showed a depressed food consumption throughout the three week period after shearing. Marked increases in the temperature difference between ear skin and air as well as thermal tachypnoea during the warmest period of the day were recorded in all sheep 14–16 days after shearing. This indicated that the critical temperature for all sheep had decreased by about 10°C. These signs of acclimatisation appeared at similar times in all sheep, suggesting that increased resistance to body cooling developed at similar rates in weight gain and weight loss sheep and independent of the origin of body heat production. The results of the investigations are discussed in relation to the concept that the initial response to cold stress includes a depression in food intake and that the duration of this depression is a function of the cold stimulus and the strain it induces in the sheep.     

Protein synthesis in kidneys of merino sheep in postnatal ontogenesis

By evaluating parameters of activity of the nucleolar organizers (AgNORs), patterns of protein synthesis in cells of the right and left kidneys of merino sheep were examined in dependence of their age, sex, and the organ position. Depending on these parameters, the number of AgNORs in the kidney of merino sheep varies from 2 to 7. The total area of AgNORs in cells was within 0.50 +/- 0.03-2.22 +/- 0.05 mcm2. In different structure of nephrons, regions of nuclear organizers differ in both the quantity and total area. The obtained data testify that in kidney of 3 month old males and females of merino sheep the synthesis of 18S- and 28S-classes of ribosomal RNA and, accordingly, proteins occurs most actively.     

Effects of growth hormone administration on wool growth in merino sheep

The effects of daily administration of 10 mg of highly purified ovine growth hormone (GH) for a period of 4 weeks on wool growth have been measured in 12 Merino ewes fed either a calculated maintenance energy intake or 1.6 times this amount (six on each ration). Concentrations of hormones, glucose, urea, alpha-amino N and amino acids in the blood were monitored and faeces and urine collected for measurement of nitrogen balance. Wool growth rate decreased by 20% during the 4 weeks of GH treatment in sheep fed the high energy diet, largely because of reduced wool fibre diameter. This was followed by restoration of normal growth and then an increase of up to 20% above control levels, a response which persisted for 12 weeks following cessation of GH administration, and which was due to increases in both fibre length and diameter. GH administration caused marked increases in plasma concentrations of GH, insulin and somatomedin C, glucose and free fatty acids, all of which returned to basal levels following cessation of GH administration. No consistent changes in plasma concentration of T3, T4, cortisol, prolactin or alpha amino N were detected. Plasma urea and methionine levels decreased during GH treatment and returned to, or were raised above, basal levels after the GH treatment period. GH injection also resulted in a net retention of N during treatment, followed by a transient period of net N loss. The GH-induced changes in wool growth may be caused by a change in the partitioning of amino acids between the muscle mass and the skin. No other contributing factor(s) were identified.     

Polyploid cells in blastocysts and early fetuses from Australian Merino sheep

Cytogenetic examination was made of 103 13-14-day-old blastocysts and 116 24-32-day-old fetuses from untreated and androstenedione-7-HSA-immunized Merino ewes. There were no differences in the chromosome composition of blastocysts or fetuses from treated or untreated ewes and so the data were combined. At Days 13-14 a 1N/2N mosaic and a 2N - 1/2N/4N mosaic embryo were observed. In addition, 52 of the blastocysts were 2N/4N mosaics, with 8 of these also containing 8N cells, and one blastocyst was a 2N/8N mosaic. No aneuploid fetuses were observed, but 80 of the 116 fetuses contained polyploid cells, including 4N, 6N and 8N cells. The polyploid cells observed in the blastocysts and fetuses should not be considered as abnormal cells as they appear to be a normal part of the developmental processes leading to trophoblast formation and fetal differentiation.     

GSH biosynthesis in glutathione deficient erythrocytes from Finnish landrace and Tasmanian merino sheep.

1. The maximum activities of the enzymes for the biosynthesis of GSH (gamma-glutamyl-cysteine synthetase and GSH synthetase) have been assayed in high GSH and low GSH erythrocytes from Tasmanian Merino and Finnish Landrace sheep. 2. For the Merinos, the activities (mumol product/g haemoglobin per min +/- S.E.M. (n)) in the high and low GSH erythrocytes respectively were: gamma-glutamyl-cysteine synthetase: 0.776 +/- 0.065 (11) and 0.375 +/- 0.063 (13); and GSH synthetase: 0.069 +/- 0.003 (11) and 0.066 +/- 0.002 (13). 3. For the Finnish Landrace sheep the activities in the high and low GSH erythrocytes respectively were: gamma-glutamyl-cysteine synthetase: 0.595 +/- 0.063 (12) and 0.555 +/- 0.033 (10) and gamma-glutamyl-cysteine synthetase: 0.073 +/- 0.002 (12) and 0.070 +/- 0.002 (10). 4. gamma-Glutamyl-cysteine synthetase was markedly inhibited by physiological GSH concentrations. No evidence was found for the presence of an inhibitor of GSH biosynthesis (other than GSH) in low GSH erythrocytes from Finnish Landrace sheep. 5. Although for the Merinos the low GSH trait can be explained in terms of a diminished activity of gamma-glutamyl-cysteine synthetase, no such explanation is tenable for the Finnish Landrace sheep.     

The genetics of resistance and resilience to Haemonchus contortus infection in young merino sheep

Young Merino sheep in 60 half-sib groups, totalling over 1000 lambs, were given a single dose of 11,000 Haemonchus contortus larvae. Resistance was measured, together with productivity during infection and when uninfected. One half-sib group exhibited an extremely high level of resistance; its sire was postulated to be the carrier of a major resistance gene. Genetic parameters were estimated for productivity during infection and in the absence of infection, for resistance as measured by faecal egg count and haematocrit, and for resilience as measured by the depression of productivity due to infection. The heritability of faecal egg count was estimated at 0.3, that for haematocrit after infection at 0.4. The heritability of resilience was too low to allow substantial progress by direct selection for this trait. Genetic correlations between resistance to infection and production traits when uninfected were not significantly different from zero. It was concluded that selection for polygenically controlled resistance would lead to substantial progress for this trait and would also increase productivity of infected animals.     

The enzymes of glutathione synthesis in erythrocytes from gsh-high and gsh-low type australian merino sheep

• 1.1. The activity of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase and glutathione synthetase was determined in erythrocytes from Australian Merino sheep of different erythrocyte haemoglobin, potassium and GSH types.
• 2.2. The activity of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase was diminished in GSH-low type erythrocytes, but glutathione synthetase had a similar activity in erythrocytes of both GSH types.
• 3.3. γ-Glutamylcysteine synthetase from erythrocytes of both GSH types was inhibited by physiological concentrations of GSH, but a greater inhibition of the enzyme from GSH-low type erythrocytes occurred at low GSH concentrations.

     

A mutation in gene CNGA3 is associated with day blindness in sheep

Lambs with congenital day blindness show diminished cone function, which is characteristic of achromatopsia, a congenital disorder described in humans and dogs. To identify gene(s) associated with sheep day blindness, we investigated mutations in the CNGA3, CNGB3, and GNAT2 genes which have been associated with achromatopsia. Sequencing the coding regions of those genes from four affected and eight non-affected lambs showed that all affected lambs were homozygous for a mutation in the CNGA3 gene that changes amino acid R236 to a stop codon. By PCR-RFLP-based testing, homozygosity for the stop codon mutation was detected in another 19 affected lambs. Non-affected individuals (n = 386) were non-carriers or heterozygous for the mutation. While a selection program has been launched to eradicate the day blindness mutation from Improved Awassi flocks, a breeding nucleus of day-blind sheep has been established to serve as animal models for studying human achromatopsia.     

Cloning of sheep and cow embryos

The results of experiments aimed at cloning of sheep and cattle embryos are described. Two experimental approaches were used to study the developmental potential of blastomeres from sheep and cow embryos: (i) blastomere separation followed by culture and (ii) fusion of isolated blastomeres with enucleated eggs followed by culture. Both approaches allow embryos to be cloned, but whereas blastomere separation allows only a relatively small number of genetically identical animals to be produced, nuclear transplantation will probably open the way for large-scale cloning of livestock.     

Pigmented spots in the wool-bearing skin on white merino sheep induced by ultraviolet light

Black-grey pigmented skin spots, some of which contained pigmented wool fibres, were observed in a flock of 8.5-year-old white Merino ewes. The spots were concentrated along the backline and increased in number following shearing, suggesting exposure to sunlight to be of importance in the development of these non-congenital pigmented skin spots in genetically white Merino sheep. To test the effect of ultraviolet light, white Merino sheep, ranging in age from 3 to 8 years, had a closely clipped midside area of wool-bearing skin irradiated on each of 28 consecutive days. Pigmented skin spots developed in 6 of the 16 white Merino sheep irradiated. Spots first appeared after 10 days of irradiation, the number subsequently increasing with time, and two skin spots were found to contain sparse numbers of black-grey pigmented wool fibres. Histological examination showed both the naturally occurring and irradiation-induced pigmented skin spots resulted from an increase in both number and activity of melanocytes localized along the epidermal-dermal border of the epidermis. With time, the melanocytes were observed to have entered, to varying depths, the outer-root sheath of follicles still producing white wool fibres. These ultraviolet-light-induced changes to epidermal melanocytes in white Merino sheep presumably occur due to alterations within the local tissue environment in which the melanocytes lie.     

Effect of intravenously infused dexamethasone on collagen metabolism in skin of merino sheep.

The effects of an 8-day intravenous infusion of dexamethasone (7.6 mg kg-0.75 body weight) on collagen biosynthesis and wool growth in skin were examined in four Merino wethers. Plasma dexamethasone concentrations reached their peaks during the first 24 h infusion, which were followed by relatively stable levels (c. 1 X 10(-7) M) for the next 4--5 days. Minor increases in plasma dexamethasone levels were recorded during the final 2 days of treatment. Dexamethasone concentrations quickly fell below the level of detection once infusion ceased. Marked decreases in the wet weight, thickness and protein content of skin were observed at the end of infusion. DNA content was reduced to 42.4 +/- 4.9% s.e.m. during the first 2 days of treatment, but in the next 4 days of infusion gradually increased to 85.0 +/0 12.5% of controls. The level of collagen (expressed as hydroxyproline content of its acid hydrolysate) was elevated throughout the infusion and then gradually declined in 3 weeks to about 60% of controls. The biosynthesis of collagen measured by the rate of [14C]hydroxyproline formation and the activity of proline, 2-oxoglutarate dioxygenase (EC 1.14.11.2. formerly prolyl hydroxylase) was reduced during the first half of treatment to a greater extent than the rate of [14C]proline incorporation into proteins. Wool growth was reduced by 80.4 +/- 11.6% in the post-infusion period which allowed three sheep out of four to be defleeced. Inhibition of collagen biosynthesis in sheep skin was due initially to a decrease in the activity of proline, 2-oxoglutarate dioxygenase and later to the reduced rate of proline incorporation into proteins. It was also evident that changes in biosynthetic rate of collagen were not reflected in the total level of skin collagen. The extent of wool growth depression in individual animals paralleled the changes in DNA content and the extent of collagen biosynthesis inhibition.     

羊草(Leymus chinensis)草地雨天放牧与非雨天放牧的绵羊采食特征

通过受控实验,比较了雨天和非雨天放牧在采食方式、采食损失量、践踏折损率以及土壤含水量和容重的差异.得出雨天放牧条件下,羊草各种采食方式的比例降低,去顶量依旧随放牧压升高而增加,但与非雨天放牧不同的是不再占主要比例.羊草采食损失量与非雨天差异不大,对于适口性更高的植物,如芦苇和全叶马兰,雨天放牧时损失更高.绵羊在冷湿环境中活动明显减少,羊草的践踏折损率各放牧压下差异不大,但芦苇的折损率依旧表现为随放牧压增强而增加.放牧后土壤15cm的含水量都低于对照小区,表明绵羊践踏加速了土壤水分的蒸发.放牧后土壤容重与放牧前和非牧区差异显著,并且容重随放牧压增强而增加.     

Osmotic characteristics of sheep and cattle embryos

Ten minutes of exposure to increasing concentrations of sucrose caused a proportional decrease in the volume of sheep late morulae, their relative volume changed as a linear function of the reciprocal of the osmolality of the medium. Day 6 sheep and Day 7 cattle embryos responded to the addition of permeating cryoprotectants by an initial shrinkage which was followed by gradual reexpansion. After 1.25 min exposure the relative volumes of sheep and cattle embryos respectively were 20 and 25% smaller in glycerol than in ethylene glycol. The volumes of cattle and sheep embryos remained smaller in glycerol than in ethylene glycol up to the final observation at 30 min. The osmotic response of sheep late morulae to 2.0 M propylene glycol was intermediate between their response to 2.0 M glycerol and to 2.0 M ethylene glycol. These results indicate that Day 6 sheep and Day 7 cattle embryos are more permeable to ethylene glycol than to glycerol.     

Temperature-induced abnormalities in sheep oocytes during maturation

The susceptibility of sheep oocytes to temperature changes during maturation in vitro was tested by reducing the incubation temperature to 20 degrees C at various stages of meiosis. Cooling induced chromosomal abnormalities including disorganized metaphase plates and multipolar spindles in 28-54% of oocytes cooled at all stages of meiosis from germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) to metaphase II. The time of GVBD (8-11 h after the start of culture) was the most sensitive to cooling, whereas fewest abnormalities were found in oocytes cooled in late metaphase I (16-19 h). In addition to the chromosomal abnormalities, unusual vesicles appeared in the cytoplasm of oocytes cooled at 8-11 h and 12-15 h. No abnormalities in protein synthesis were detected by one-dimensional SDS gel electrophoresis. The consequences of the abnormalities for the developmental potential of the cooled oocytes were tested by transfer to recipient ewes and fertilization in vivo. After 12 days of development only 6% and 11% oocytes cooled at 12-15 h and 20-23 h respectively had developed to expanded blastocysts, compared with 44% of control oocytes. The results demonstrated that maturing sheep oocytes are very sensitive to a drop in temperature.     

Gonadotrophin-induced abnormalities in sheep oocytes after superovulation

The development of preovulatory follicles involves an initial phase of somatic cell differentiation and a final phase, initiated by the LH surge, when both the somatic and germinal compartments alter. Abnormalities in this pattern of compartmental development after superovulation have been identified by examining follicles from control, PMSG- and FSH-treated sheep. The pattern of proteins synthesized by oocytes from untreated sheep did not differ after culture of follicles in hormone-free medium from that of germinal vesicle oocytes in vivo. Similarly, 93.5% of oocytes from sheep injected with a pituitary gonadotrophin (FSH-P) synthesized the unchanged germinal vesicle pattern of proteins during culture in an hormonally neutral culture environment. By contrast, the administration of the placental gonadotrophin, PMSG, induced in 28% of oocytes changes in the pattern of synthesis which are normally associated with maturation. An examination of follicular steroidogenesis showed that both total output and particularly oestrogen secretion was over twice as high in follicles from PMSG-treated as compared with FSH-treated animals (P less than 0.01). We conclude that the compartmental pattern of development and steroidogenesis is grossly perturbed in many follicles from PMSG-treated animals. Premature activation of the germinal compartment results in aged or abnormal oocytes and a hostile reproductive tract.