Articles | Volume 68, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/aab-68-459-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/aab-68-459-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
On-farm welfare assessment of semi-extensively managed sheep using Animal Welfare Indicators (AWIN) protocol
Serdar Koçak
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, 03200 Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye
Zehra Bozkurt
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, 03200 Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye
Özlem Gücüyener Hacan
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, 03200 Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye
Koray Çelikeloğlu
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, 03200 Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye
Mustafa Tekerli
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, 03200 Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye
Mustafa Demirtaş
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, 03200 Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye
Samet Çinkaya
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, 03200 Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye
Metin Erdoğan
Department of Veterinary Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, 03200 Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye
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Serdar Koçak, Mustafa Tekerli, Metin Erdoğan, Koray Çelikeloğlu, Ebubekir Yazıcı, Zehra Bozkurt, Özlem Hacan, Mustafa Demirtaş, and Samet Çinkaya
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It was detected that Texel and myostatin-carrying BC1 lambs were significantly higher than Pırlak and non-carrying BC1 lambs in the MLD area at weaning. Myostatin-carrying BC1 lambs had a superiority to Pırlak lambs in terms of muscle conformation and fatness of the hind leg. Myostatin-carrying BC1 lambs were found to be better than Pırlak in growth performance. It was concluded that the Pırlak lambs may be improved by introgression of myostatin mutation.
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Factors such as genotype, sex, type of birth, maternal age, weaning age and birth weight must be considered in evaluation of pre- and post-weaning growth traits. Myostatin mutation was introduced to native Turkish breed Ramlıç by marker-assisted introgression (MAI). The mutation has a positive effect on ultrasonographic carcass traits in crosses. Lambs with myostatin tended to have deeper longissimus muscle and good carcass characteristics, and they may be recommendable for Turkish farmers.
Özlem Hacan, Mustafa Tekerli, Samet Çinkaya, and Mustafa Demirtaş
Arch. Anim. Breed., 67, 561–570, https://doi.org/10.5194/aab-67-561-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/aab-67-561-2024, 2024
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This study examined genetic changes in body measurements at birth in Turkish Arabian foals born between 1987 and 2007. Significant factors influencing body size traits were identified. Additive genetic and maternal heritabilities varied, highlighting their impacts on foal traits. Results suggest the potential for selective breeding to enhance these traits over time, aiding future breeding strategies in Turkish Arabian horses.
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Arch. Anim. Breed., 67, 207–216, https://doi.org/10.5194/aab-67-207-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/aab-67-207-2024, 2024
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It was detected that Texel and myostatin-carrying BC1 lambs were significantly higher than Pırlak and non-carrying BC1 lambs in the MLD area at weaning. Myostatin-carrying BC1 lambs had a superiority to Pırlak lambs in terms of muscle conformation and fatness of the hind leg. Myostatin-carrying BC1 lambs were found to be better than Pırlak in growth performance. It was concluded that the Pırlak lambs may be improved by introgression of myostatin mutation.
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Arch. Anim. Breed., 66, 325–333, https://doi.org/10.5194/aab-66-325-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/aab-66-325-2023, 2023
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This study was carried out to estimate variance components using a univariate animal model accounting for maternal effect by the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) method. Some environmental factors affecting body measurements and ultrasound carcass traits in yearling Anatolian buffalo calves were highlighted for the successful selection program. Genetic and phenotypic correlations and selection responses were also revealed in this study.
Mustafa Tekerli, Metin Erdoğan, Serdar Koçak, Koray Çelikeloğlu, Ebubekir Yazıcı, Özlem Hacan, Zehra Bozkurt, Mustafa Demirtaş, and Samet Çinkaya
Arch. Anim. Breed., 65, 231–238, https://doi.org/10.5194/aab-65-231-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/aab-65-231-2022, 2022
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Factors such as genotype, sex, type of birth, maternal age, weaning age and birth weight must be considered in evaluation of pre- and post-weaning growth traits. Myostatin mutation was introduced to native Turkish breed Ramlıç by marker-assisted introgression (MAI). The mutation has a positive effect on ultrasonographic carcass traits in crosses. Lambs with myostatin tended to have deeper longissimus muscle and good carcass characteristics, and they may be recommendable for Turkish farmers.
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Short summary
This study was conducted to identify key welfare risks using the AWIN (Animal Welfare Indicators) protocol for extensively managed sheep farms. Each farm was visited once. A total of 702 sheep were individually assessed on the farms as part of the second-level welfare criteria. The main animal welfare risks identified were housing facilities, the provision of adequate and balanced diets to the animals, and the implementation of appropriate animal health plans in accordance with the breed requirements.
This study was conducted to identify key welfare risks using the AWIN (Animal Welfare...