In the practical application of gonadotropins, it is important to consider the age of the gilts at first conception and to adjust the timing of administration to the body condition of the sows at weaning. This is done in order to achieve excellent breeding results.

The research objective was to determine the blood mineral profile of French Alpine goats during the first third of the lactation period. The research was carried out on 20 5-year-old goats. Analysis of blood minerals and correlations between them can be useful in the determination of the animals’ health statuses during the first third of the lactation period as such information indicates the need for feed supplementation or the revision of the blood test reference range for specific goat breeds.

This study aimed to reveal the effects of birth weight (BW), 6-month live weight (LW₆), and 12-month LW (LW₁₂) on the first lactation milk yield and reproduction characteristics and to determine the non-genetic factors affecting these traits of Anatolian buffaloes in Amasya Province. The effect of growth traits on the first calving age (FCA) of the LW₁₂ group was significant (P = 0.036). 

Protection of tallow-fat addition in the diets of Tuj lambs with calcium soaps affected fattening performance and meat quality, especially fatty acid composition. Protection of tallow-fat addition improved the content of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and oleic acid in fatty acid composition. Protection of tallow-fat addition is a viable strategy for enhancing the economic efficiency of fattening.

This study investigated the spatiotemporal expression pattern of ACSL5 (acyl-CoA synthetase 5) in goats and the association between its polymorphism and body measurement traits. We found that the ACSL5 gene was  expressed ubiquitously in the nine tested tissues of Fuqing goats. The del41712 locus of the ACSL5 gene has a significant impact on multiple body measurement traits of goats, providing a basis for the application of marker-assisted selection in goat breeding.

Genetic variability and selection signatures were analyzed in Anatolian Merino  via 351.539 bi-allelic single nucleotide polymorphisms. Adequate genetic diversity with a low inbreeding coefficient was detected. Effective population size, however, showed a declining trend through generations. Selection signals were observed in 37 and 72 protein-coding genes via  two statistical approaches; a large part of them were associated with milk traits and udder morphology.

The aim of this study was to test the effect of social rank in hair rams on paternity and the postnatal development of lambs born in a semi-desert environment in northeastern Mexico. In this study, the dominant rams sired a higher percentage of lambs than the subordinate rams. The subordinate rams develop opportunistic strategies, allowing them to sire up to 32 % of lambs depending on their mating ability. Lambs sired by dominant rams had higher birth weights. 

This study investigated single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the keratin 27 (KRT27, 1919G/A) and elongation of very-long-chain fatty acids 4 (ELOVL4, 28666C/T) genes, which are associated with production traits in Liaoning cashmere goats. Multivariate analysis was also conducted. The GGCC genotype combination was associated with finer cashmere quality. The GGTT haplotype exhibited a multigenic effect. The TT genotype demonstrated pleiotropy.

Coat color is an important economic trait of Cashmere goats. miRNA-211 is differentially expressed in the skin of Cashmere goats with different coat colors, but the mechanism is unclear. After the targeting relationship between miRNA-211 and AP1S2 was clarified in vitro and in vivo, antagomiRNA-211 was injected into BALB/c, and the expression of miRNA-211 and AP1S2 and melanin content was analyzed. It was demonstrated that miRNA-211 impacts melanogenesis by downregulating AP1S2.

This study explored how genetics might influence the ability of sheep to fight a severe infection known as caseous lymphadenitis (CLA). By examining the genome of 321 Suffolk sheep, we identified specific genetic markers indicating biological processes and pathways that might be associated with the resistance of some sheep to this disease. This discovery is a step towards breeding sheep that are naturally more capable of fighting off CLA, potentially leading to healthier flocks. 

In this study, short synchronization methods that do not contain estradiol before superstimulation in ovum pickup (OPU) applications were investigated. The gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and dominant follicle removal (DFR) were used for follicular wave emergence. It was determined that DFR and hCG for follicular wave emergence increased oocyte yield and in vitro embryo production success in pre-superstimulation synchronization protocols.

Among 180 cows studied postpartum, F2 cows had the highest milk yield (183.9 L per week) and the highest serum glucose. F1 cows showed the best reproductive performance. Holstein-Friesian (HF) cows had the highest somatic cell count, indicating higher mastitis risk. Crossbreeding with Sahiwal improved milk production and reproductive health.

Soybean oil (SO) is used in animal feed due to the metabolic energy that it provides. Our study on metabolic and ingestive behavior, as well as rumen parameters, revealed that its inclusion in lamb diets reduced dry matter (DM), carbohydrate, and nitrogen intake. However, rumen parameters, such as total volatile fatty acids and methane production, were unaffected. We conclude that SO can be included at up to 30 g kg^-1 DM as an energy source in diets for feedlot sheep containing 60 % concentrate.

Intramuscular fat (IMF) is significant for the flavor and taste of buffalo meat. However, fat in subcutaneous and visceral depots is waste. Breeders desire to increase IMF deposition without affecting that in other depots. In the present study, two efficient promoters with specific transcriptional activity in the skeletal muscles of buffaloes were identified which can be used to drive the expression of adipogenesis genes and enhance IMF deposition in the skeletal muscles in buffaloes.

The study evaluated the effects of crude protein levels (high: 16 %, low: 11 %) on meat traits and fatty acid (FA) profiles of three sheep breeds. Only the breed type affected the FA profile: palmitic acid (C16:0) was higher in Queue Fine de l'Ouest (QFO), while stearic acid (C18:0) was higher in Barbarin (BB) and Noire de Thibar (NT). Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and PUFA/saturated fatty acid (SFA) ratio were higher in BB. Health indices were favorable in BB and NT.