Articles | Volume 68, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/aab-68-681-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/aab-68-681-2025
Review
 | 
17 Nov 2025
Review |  | 17 Nov 2025

Genomic characteristics of performance traits and adaptation to heat stress in desert Barki sheep

Adel M. Aboul-Naga, Hamdy Abdel-Shafy, Sherif Melak, Layaly Gamal, Shimaa H. Mustafa, and Ibrahim Abousoliman

Cited articles

Abo El-Maaty, A. M., Abdelhafez, M. A., and Mahrous, K. F.: Effect of diet restriction and polymorphism of bone morphogenetic protein-15 and growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF9) on reproductive performance of three Egyptian fat tail sheep breeds, J. Adv. Vet. Res., 12, 18–24, 2022. 
Aboul Naga, A. M., Abdel Khalek, T. M., Osman, M., Elbeltagy, A. R., Abdel-Aal, E. S., Abou-Ammo, F. F., and El-Shafie, M. H.: Physiological and genetic adaptation of desert sheep and goats to heat stress in the arid areas of Egypt, Small Rumin. Res., 203, 106499, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2021.106499, 2021. 
Aboul-Naga, A., Elshafie, M., Khalifa, H., Osman, M., Abdel Khalek, T., El-Beltagi, A., Abdel-Aal, E., Abdel-Sabour, T., Rekik, M., Rouatbi, M., and Rischowesky, B.: Tolerance capability of desert sheep and goats to exercise heat stress under hot dry conditions, and its correlation with their production performance, Small Rumin. Res., 205, 106550, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2021.106550, 2021. 
Aboul-Naga, A. M., Alsamman, A. M., El Allali, A., Elshafie, M. H., Abdelal, E. S., Abdelkhalek, T. M., Abdelsabour, T. H., Mohamed, L. G., and Hamwieh, A.: Genome-wide analysis identified candidate variants and genes associated with heat stress adaptation in Egyptian sheep breeds, Front. Genet., 13, 898522, https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2022.898522, 2022. 
Aboulnaga, A. and Abdelsabour, T.: Review of sheep and goat Research and Development in Egypt since the forties: II-phenotypic characteristics, production, and reproduction performance of local sheep breeds, J. Anim. Poult. Prod., Mansoura Univ., 14, 43–52, https://doi.org/10.21608/jappmu.2023.206649.1073, 2023. 
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Short summary
Genomic characteristics of desert Barki sheep reflected the number of genes associated with lamb and ewe performance in a number of locations. Significant effects of heat stress on Barki sheep were detectable in respiration rate and gas volume. Candidate genes associated with tolerance to heat stress are involved in multiple pathways for a variety of biochemical processes. Genetic studies encourage selection for better growth, maintaining medium-weight ewes  with adaptation to heat stress.  
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