BACKGROUND: Red blood cells play an essential role in the oxygen transport and the immune system. Moreover, hematologic parameters are an important clinical indicator of various diseases including anemia and metabolic syndrome.OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to conduct genome-wide association studies (GWAS) based on gene-set enrichment analysis to identify the loci associated with hematological traits using 630K arrays.METHODS: For this purpose, the phenotype records included 498 genotyped Alpine Merino sheep were used for red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and RBC volume distribution width coefficient of variation (RWD_CV). Genome-wide association study was performed with hematological traits using TASSEL software. Using biomaRt2 R package R, SNP was assigned to genes. GO, KEGG, DAVID, and PANTHER databases were used to assign the genes to functional categories.RESULTS: 11 SNP markers on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, and 20 located in TRPC4, SPAT1, TMCC2 (RBC), KRT26, GPLD1, EPAS1 (HGB), RAC2, HSPD1, PDGFRA (HCT) and BBS1, HAG1, PIK3R3, STXBP5, FCER1G  (MCH, MHCH, RWD_CV) genes were identified. Based on the pathway analysis, 17 pathways from gene ontology and biological pathways were associated with hematological traits (P˂0.05). The pathways have important functions in the development and differential of red blood cells, hypoxia, adaptation process, environmental stress, and platelet activation.CONCLUSIONS: In total, this study supported previous results from the GWAS of hematological traits, and also revealed additional regions in the sheep genome associated with important traits, using these findings could be potentially useful for genetic selection in the breeding programs.

In bovine tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis, cattle are known as the main host, and sheep are relatively resistant. Sheep become infected only when there is very close contact between cattle and sheep or when the mycobacterium is abundant in the environment. In the present study, a case of generalized tuberculosis was reported in the sheep of the Sanandaj slaughterhouse.The examined animal carcass was transferred from the slaughterhouse to the University of Kurdistan microbiology laboratory and was dissected under complete health safety conditions. In the carcass examination, necropsy lesions (generalized tubercular granulomas) were visible in different organs and mediastinal lymph nodes, bronchioles, mesentery, and liver portal system. These lesions were seen in the lymph nodes of different body parts, including the lung, liver, digestive system, reproductive system, bladder, and different muscles, including the peritoneal muscle, diaphragm muscle, and abdominal muscles.Diagnostic tests included clinical observations, Ziehl-Neelsen staining for Mycobacterium bacteria, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) molecular technique. In Ziehl-Neelsen staining, Mycobacterium acid-fast bacilli were seen in red color on the pale blue background of the slide. Also, the product of 499 base pairs was amplified in the specific PCR reaction, which confirmed Mycobacterium bovis.The present report shows that Mycobacterium bovis strains present in the region can be transmitted to sheep and cause disease with severe clinical symptoms. This report is critical, particularly for mixed cattle and sheep farming. Since cattle and sheep are kept together in many breeding farms in Kurdistan province, special attention was paid to the possibility of transmission of bovine tuberculosis to sheep and humans.

Nematodes of the Trichuris genus are commonly reported parasites that can cause trichuriasis in many animals, which leads to inflammation, intestinal bleeding and reductions of productivity in livestock. Knowledge of the prevalence of Trichuris infestation in the Tianshan ovine population and of the nematode species parasitising the population is not exhaustive, and this study aimed to expand the knowledge.

Contagious agalactia of ruminants is an endemic disease caused by Mycoplasma agalactiae in flicting significant losses on farms in deaths and forced slaughter of sick animals, abortions, births of sick young animals, and reduced milk and wool production. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of hydrometeorological conditions on the distribution and forms of contagious agalactia in sheep in Bessarabia, Ukraine.

Kasba virus belongs to the Palyam serogroup of the Orbivirus genus and Reoviridae family. Kasba virus is the causative agent of many reproductive disorders in infected animals, which result in considerable economic losses, mainly in the cattle industry. The epidemiology of Kasba virus infection is poorly defined and remains unclear in South Korea.

The haemato-biochemical profile of sheep and goat with gastrointestinal parasitism was studied. A total of 100 blood samples were collected from Nellore (Jodipi) sheep and Tellicherry goats, reared under the semi-intensive system in the University research farm in Madhavaram Milk Colony, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS), Chennai, Tamil Nadu from January to June, 2022. The haemoglobin (Hb) value, packed cell volume (PCV) values and RBC values showed significant reduction.Similarly, the reduction of the differential count was also observed in infected sheep viz., lymphocyte and monocyte, whereas there was asignificant increase in total neutrophil count, total eosinophil count and basophil in infected sheep as compared to healthy sheep. In goats, there was significant reduction in Hb, PCV, RBC and WBC values whereas there was a significant increase in total monocyte count in infected goat as compared to healthy goats. 

Tiruchy Black is one of the coarse wool breeds of sheep reared in Tamil Nadu. An investigation was undertaken to ascertain the migratory pattern and socio-economic status of Tiruchy Black sheep at 71 flocks in 53 villages of Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri Districts of Tamil Nadu. The migratory tracts were almost regular over the year in the breeding tract. A total of eight migratory tracts comprising of three major and five minor tracts were identified. The overall distance covered was 98.64 ± 1.13 km with a range of 15 to 128 km. The mean radial migratory distance was 184.12 ± 1.42 with range from 65 to 234 in major tracts and 34.12 ± 1.62 with a range of 15 to 64 Km in minor tracts. The Tiruchy Black sheep farmers family size was comprised of 2-5 numbers and both the genders were involved in sheep rearing. In the present study, it was observed that vast majority of sheep farmers belonged to the most backward (72.16 %), followed by backward (22.37 %) and others (5.47 %). Majority of sheep farmers belonged to the ‘Kurumba Gounders’ (96.00%). A small proportion of them in small farms belonged to the Vanniyars (4.00%). Statistical analysis revealed no significant relation between caste, community and farm size. Depending upon the condition of the animal, prices of adult rams and ewes varied from Rs. 7,000 to 8,000 and from Rs.5000 to 6,000 respectively. Surplus ram lambs were sold at the age of 3 to 5 months for Rs.1,750 to 2,500. It is concluded that the Tiruchy Black sheep farmers were following traditionally migratory pattern over the generations and which helps improves their socio­economic status in the breeding tract of Tamil Nadu.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of addition of estradiol and growth hormone on in vitro growth, maturation and antrum formation of preantral follicles (PFs’) in sheep. Preantral follicles isolated from the sheep ovarian cortical slices were cultured for six days in bicarbonate buffered tissue culture medium 199B, standard culture medium supplemented with estradiol and growth hormone during the culture period at different time points. Cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) segregated from the follicles toward the end of six days culture in various treatments were exposed to in vitro maturation for extra 24hrs. Estradiol plus growth hormone supplementation during 0-2 days of the culture significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased the average diameter of PFs' and supported better for antrum formation. Further the in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes in COCs isolated were developed to metaphase II stage at a higher rate. First two (0-2) days supplementation with estradiol plus growth hormone to TCM 199B in vitro culture medium followed by standard medium in later stages (3-6 days) supports better development of PFs' and appears to be advantageous for the development of oocytes to M-II stage.