Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.2
3.0
Journals
Animals
Special Issues
Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool...
share announcement

Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Products".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 19280

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Wei Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Interests: animal nutrition; rumen metabolism; cashmere and wool quality; mutton quality; nutritional management; nutrient requirement; feed evaluation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Liwen He

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
Interests: ruminant nutrition; cashmere quality; feed resource exploitation; feed processing; fermentation microbiology; woody forage

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Wool and cashmere, the main products in sheep and goat husbandry, are always important textile materials as quality animal fiber, and their production exists as an integral part of sheep and goat feeding around the world. Wool and cashmere production is a main source of income for sheep and goat feeding, and its benefit highly depends on fiber yield and quality (such as fiber length, diameter, and lightness). Better wool and cashmere production, especially higher fiber yield and better fiber quality, is badly in need to meet the increasing consumption of better woolen goods, and improve its sustainability. We are pleased to invite you to publish scientific work in the Special Issue “Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production”. This Special Issue aims to share the innovation progress in technical research or theoretical recognition concerning wool and cashmere production on fine or semi-fine wool sheep and cashmere goats, mainly focusing on higher fiber yield and better fiber quality. In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: nutrition regulation, management strategy, genetic breeding, reproduction technology, disease control and prevention, fiber quality modulation and analysis, etc. In addition, as the meat performance of wool sheep is attracting increasing attention, this Special Issue also welcomes relevant research papers on fine wool sheep, semi-fine wool sheep and cashmere goats.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Wei Zhang
Dr. Liwen He
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sheep and goat

  • fiber quality
  • wool and cashmere
  • nutrition and management
  • genetic breeding
  • disease control
  • growth performance
  • slaughtering performance
  • meat quality

Published Papers (16 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

11 pages, 227 KiB  
Article
Correlation of 20 Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms with Weight and Wool Traits in Alpine Merino Sheep
by Tong Xiao, Yuhang Li, Lin Yue, Zengkui Lu, Chao Yuan, Yali Song, Bohui Yang, Jianbin Liu and Tingting Guo
Animals 2024, 14(1), 127; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani14010127 - 29 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 651
Abstract
SNPs associated with important traits of fine-wool sheep that were previously obtained through genome-wide association analysis screening were verified and analyzed. A total of 20 SNPs related to birth weight, bundle strength, cleaning rate, and fiber diameter were screened using whole-genome resequencing, and [...] Read more.
SNPs associated with important traits of fine-wool sheep that were previously obtained through genome-wide association analysis screening were verified and analyzed. A total of 20 SNPs related to birth weight, bundle strength, cleaning rate, and fiber diameter were screened using whole-genome resequencing, and the SNPshot assay was used to detect and analyze polymorphisms. This study found that, among the 20 SNPs associated with important traits in Alpine Merino sheep, 8 were monomorphic and 12 were polymorphic, of which 6 showed moderate polymorphisms and 6 showed low polymorphisms. The heterozygosity of the 12 polymorphic loci ranged from 0.10 to 0.49, the effective number of alleles ranged from 1.11 to 1.98, and the polymorphic information content ranged from 0.09 to 0.37. The chi-square test showed that only RHPN2:g.42678119T>G and RALYL:g.90030866A>G were in Hardy–Weinberg disequilibrium (p < 0.05); the other loci were in equilibrium (p > 0.05). These SNPs associated with important traits in Alpine Merino sheep provide a theoretical basis for genomic selection and molecular design breeding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production)
23 pages, 3823 KiB  
Article
Effects of Dietary Protein Levels on Sheep Gut Metabolite Profiles during the Lactating Stage
by Sikandar Ali, Xiaojun Ni, Muhammad Khan, Xiaoqi Zhao, Hongyuan Yang, Baiji Danzeng, Imtiaz Hussain Raja and Guobo Quan
Animals 2024, 14(1), 121; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani14010121 - 29 Dec 2023
Viewed by 860
Abstract
Diet-associated characteristics such as dietary protein levels can modulate the gut’s primary or secondary metabolites, leading to effects on the productive performance and overall health of animals. Whereas fecal metabolite changes are closely associated with gut metabolome, this study aimed to see changes [...] Read more.
Diet-associated characteristics such as dietary protein levels can modulate the gut’s primary or secondary metabolites, leading to effects on the productive performance and overall health of animals. Whereas fecal metabolite changes are closely associated with gut metabolome, this study aimed to see changes in the rumen metabolite profile of lactating ewes fed different dietary protein levels. For this, eighteen lactating ewes (approximately 2 years old, averaging 38.52 ± 1.57 kg in their initial body weight) were divided into three groups (n = 6 ewes/group) by following the complete randomized design, and each group was assigned to one of three low-protein (D_I), medium-protein (D_m), and high-protein (D_h) diets containing 8.58%, 10.34%, and 13.93% crude protein contents on a dry basis, respectively. The fecal samples were subjected to untargeted metabolomics using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). The metabolomes of the sheep fed to the high-protein-diet group were distinguished as per principal-component analysis from the medium- and low-protein diets. Fecal metabolite concentrations as well as their patterns were changed by feeding different dietary protein levels. The discriminating metabolites between groups of nursing sheep fed different protein levels were identified using partial least-squares discriminant analysis. The pathway enrichment revealed that dietary protein levels mainly influenced the metabolism-associated pathways (n = 63 and 39 in positive as well as negative ionic modes, respectively) followed by protein (n = 15 and 8 in positive as well as negative ionic modes, respectively) and amino-acid (n = 14 and 7 in positive as well as negative ionic modes, respectively) synthesis. Multivariate and univariate analyses showed comparative changes in the fecal concentrations of metabolites in both positive and negative ionic modes. Major changes were observed in protein metabolism, organic-acid biosynthesis, and fatty-acid oxidation. Pairwise analysis and PCA reveal a higher degree of aggregation within the D-h group than all other pairs. In both the PCA and PLS-DA plots, the comparative separation among the D_h/D_m, D_h/D_I, and D_m/D_I groups was superior in positive as well as negative ionic modes, which indicated that sheep fed higher protein levels had alterations in the levels of the metabolites. These metabolic findings provide insights into potentiated biomarker changes in the metabolism influenced by dietary protein levels. The target identification may further increase our knowledge of sheep gut metabolome, particularly regarding how dietary protein levels influence the molecular mechanisms of nutritional metabolism, growth performance, and milk synthesis of sheep. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 897 KiB  
Article
Association of SLIT3 and ZNF280B Gene Polymorphisms with Wool Fiber Diameter
by Lin Yue, Zengkui Lu, Tingting Guo, Jianbin Liu, Chao Yuan and Bohui Yang
Animals 2023, 13(22), 3552; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani13223552 - 17 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 748
Abstract
The SLIT3 gene encodes a secreted protein, and the ZNF280B gene is a member of the transcription factor family. Both genes have multiple biological functions. This study was conducted to investigate the association between SLIT3 and ZNF280B gene polymorphisms and wool fiber diameter [...] Read more.
The SLIT3 gene encodes a secreted protein, and the ZNF280B gene is a member of the transcription factor family. Both genes have multiple biological functions. This study was conducted to investigate the association between SLIT3 and ZNF280B gene polymorphisms and wool fiber diameter and to determine potential molecular marker sites for breeding sheep with fine wool. We used Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR to type the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci in the SLIT3 and ZNF280B genes within 1081 Alpine Merino sheep and associated these SNPs with wool fiber diameter. The results revealed one SNP in SLIT3 and ZNF280B, which were each related to sheep fiber diameter. The wool fiber diameters of sheep with the CC genotype in SLIT3 g.478807C>G and AA genotype in ZNF280B g.677G>A were the smallest and differed significantly from the diameters of other genotypes (p < 0.05). These results suggest potential molecular marker sites for fine-wool sheep breeding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 1020 KiB  
Article
Effect of Fasted Live-Weight Gain during the Cashmere Non-Growing Period on Cashmere Production Performance and Secondary Hair Follicle Activity of Cashmere Goats
by Junxia Li, Wenhui Xing, Tana Gegen, Chunxiang Zhang, Youshe Ren and Chunhe Yang
Animals 2023, 13(22), 3519; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani13223519 - 14 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 742
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of fasted live-weight gain during the cashmere non-growing period on cashmere production performance and secondary hair follicle activity, to provide a theoretical basis for appropriate supplementary feeding of cashmere goats. Fifty Inner Mongolian [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of fasted live-weight gain during the cashmere non-growing period on cashmere production performance and secondary hair follicle activity, to provide a theoretical basis for appropriate supplementary feeding of cashmere goats. Fifty Inner Mongolian cashmere goats aged 2–4 years old were randomly selected and weighed in May and September 2019, respectively. Based on fasted live-weight gain between the two weights, the experimental ewe goats were divided into two groups: 0–5.0 kg group (n = 30) and 5.0–10.0 kg group (n = 20). Skin samples and cashmere samples were collected. Results of a Pearson correlation analysis showed that fasted live-weight gain during the cashmere non-growing period had a moderate and strong positive correlation with cashmere yield (p = 0.021) and cashmere staple length (p = 0.002), respectively, but did not correlate with cashmere diameter (p = 0.254). Compared with cashmere goats with a fasted live-weight gain of 0–5.0 kg, cashmere goats with a fasted live-weight gain of 5.0–10.0 kg had a 17.10% increase in cashmere yield (p = 0.037) and an 8.09% increase in cashmere staple length (p = 0.045), but had no significant difference in cashmere diameter (p = 0.324). Results of a Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a strong positive correlation between fasted live-weight gain and the population of active secondary hair follicles in the skin of cashmere goats (p < 0.01). Compared with cashmere goats with a fasted live-weight gain of 0–5.0 kg, cashmere goats with a fasted live-weight gain of 5.0–10.0 kg had an increase in the population of active secondary hair follicles (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the fasted live-weight gain during the cashmere non-growing period had a significant effect on secondary hair follicle activity and cashmere production performance in cashmere goats. Since fasted live-weight gain reflects nutritional level to a certain extent, this study suggests that nutritional manipulations such as supplementary feeding during cashmere non-growing periods can increase cashmere production performance. However, specific nutritional manipulations during the cashmere non-growing period need further research to increase cashmere production performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 5656 KiB  
Article
Developmental Mapping of Hair Follicles in the Embryonic Stages of Cashmere Goats Using Proteomic and Metabolomic Construction
by Yuan Gao, Lei Duo, Xiaoshu Zhe, Lingyun Hao, Weiguo Song, Lizhong Gao, Jun Cai and Dongjun Liu
Animals 2023, 13(19), 3076; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani13193076 - 30 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1010
Abstract
The hair follicle (HF) is the fundamental unit for fleece and cashmere production in cashmere goats and is crucial in determining cashmere yield and quality. The mechanisms regulating HF development in cashmere goats during the embryonic period remain unclear. Growing evidence suggests that [...] Read more.
The hair follicle (HF) is the fundamental unit for fleece and cashmere production in cashmere goats and is crucial in determining cashmere yield and quality. The mechanisms regulating HF development in cashmere goats during the embryonic period remain unclear. Growing evidence suggests that HF development involves complex developmental stages and critical events, and identifying the underlying factors can improve our understanding of HF development. In this study, samples were collected from embryonic day 75 (E75) to E125, the major HF developmental stages. The embryonic HFs of cashmere goats were subjected to proteomic and metabolomic analyses, which revealed dynamic changes in the key factors and signalling pathways controlling HF development at the protein and metabolic levels. Gene ontology and the Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes were used to functionally annotate 1784 significantly differentially expressed proteins and 454 significantly differentially expressed metabolites enriched in different HF developmental stages. A joint analysis revealed that the oxytocin signalling pathway plays a sustained role in embryonic HF development by activating the MAPK and Ca2+ signalling pathways, and a related regulatory network map was constructed. This study provides a global perspective on the mechanism of HF development in cashmere goats and enriches our understanding of embryonic HF development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 266 KiB  
Article
Effects of Rumen-Protected Methionine Supplementation on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestion, Nitrogen Utilisation and Plasma Amino Acid Profiles of Liaoning Cashmere Goats
by Wennan Wang, Lisha Ye, Xingtang Dou, Haiying Liu and Di Han
Animals 2023, 13(19), 2995; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani13192995 - 22 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 922
Abstract
This study determined the effects of rumen-protected methionine (RPM) supplementation on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen (N) utilisation and plasma amino acid profiles of Liaoning cashmere goats during cashmere fibre growth. Twenty-four yearling male cashmere goats (body weight: 35.41 ± 1.13 kg) [...] Read more.
This study determined the effects of rumen-protected methionine (RPM) supplementation on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen (N) utilisation and plasma amino acid profiles of Liaoning cashmere goats during cashmere fibre growth. Twenty-four yearling male cashmere goats (body weight: 35.41 ± 1.13 kg) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments: a corn–soybean meal basal diet deficient in methionine (negative control, NC) and a basal diet supplemented with 1, 2 and 3 g/kg of RPM. The RPM supplementation quadratically increased the average daily gain (ADG) and decreased the feed to gain ratio (p = 0.001) without affecting the final body weight and dry matter intake. In particular, compared to NC, 2 g/kg RPM supplementation increased the ADG by 35 g/d (p < 0.001) and resulted in the lowest feed to gain ratio (p < 0.001). RPM increased the apparent total tract digestibility of N and decreased the faecal N levels, both in a linear fashion (p = 0.005). Urinary N levels did not have an effect, but the N retention levels increased linearly with PRM (p = 0.032). Moreover, the RPM decreased the plasma urea N levels (p < 0.001) and increased the plasma Met levels quadratically (p < 0.001). In conclusion, RPM supplementation in the diet of cashmere goats can enhance the utilisation of N and improve ADG during the cashmere fibre growing period, and 2 g/kg of RPM in the diet is suggested. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production)
14 pages, 307 KiB  
Article
Effects of Different Dietary Energy Levels on Development, Quality of Carcass and Meat, and Fatty Acid Profile in Male Lambs
by Dan Zhang, Chao Yuan, Tingting Guo, Jianbin Liu and Zengkui Lu
Animals 2023, 13(18), 2870; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani13182870 - 9 Sep 2023
Viewed by 993
Abstract
This experiment was conducted to study the effects of dietary energy level on the growth performance and meat quality of weaned Alpine Merino lambs. The study ran for a total of 104 days (20-day pretrial, 84-day trial). From three groups of test lambs, [...] Read more.
This experiment was conducted to study the effects of dietary energy level on the growth performance and meat quality of weaned Alpine Merino lambs. The study ran for a total of 104 days (20-day pretrial, 84-day trial). From three groups of test lambs, we randomly selected ten lambs per group to determine slaughter performance, meat quality characteristics, and organ indexes. The slaughter performances of the lambs improved as the dietary energy level increased. The live weight before the slaughter of the lambs was significantly higher in the high group than in the low and medium groups. The carcass weight was significantly higher in the high group than in the low group. Dietary energy level had little effect on the organ weight of lambs. Meat quality differed among the three dietary energy levels. The muscle yellowness and redness scores decreased significantly as the energy levels increased. The C18:0, C21:0, C20:1, C18:2n6c, and C20:2 contents in the muscle were significantly higher in the high group than in the medium and low groups. The C18:3n6 content in the muscle was significantly higher in the low group than in the medium group. The C20:5n3 content in the longissimus dorsi was significantly higher in the high group than in the medium and low groups. The monounsaturated and unsaturated fatty acid contents in the muscle were significantly higher in the high group than in the low group. A dietary energy level of 10.5 MJ/kg is suitable for fattening weaned male Alpine Merino lambs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production)
13 pages, 2642 KiB  
Article
Identification of the Keratin-Associated Protein 22-2 Gene in the Capra hircus and Association of Its Variation with Cashmere Traits
by Zhanzhao Chen, Jian Cao, Fangfang Zhao, Zhaohua He, Hongxian Sun, Jiqing Wang, Xiu Liu and Shaobin Li
Animals 2023, 13(17), 2806; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani13172806 - 4 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1032
Abstract
The Cashmere goat is an excellent local goat breed in Gansu Province of China, and it is expected to improve cashmere production and cashmere quality through selection and breeding to enhance its commercial value. Keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) play an important role in maintaining [...] Read more.
The Cashmere goat is an excellent local goat breed in Gansu Province of China, and it is expected to improve cashmere production and cashmere quality through selection and breeding to enhance its commercial value. Keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) play an important role in maintaining wool structure. The gene encoding the keratin-associated protein 22-2 (KAP22-2) gene has been identified in selected species other than goats, such as humans, mice, and sheep. In this study, the sequence of the sheep KAP22-2 gene (KRTAP22-2) was aligned into the goat genome, and the sequence with the highest homology was assumed to be the goat KRTAP22-2 sequence and used to design primers to amplify the goat gene sequence. A total of 356 Longdong Cashmere goats (Gansu Province, China) were used for screening of genetic variants. Four specific bands were detected by polymerase chain reaction-single-stranded conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis, and they formed a total of six band types individually or in combination. Four alleles were identified by DNA sequencing of PCR amplification products. A total of four single nucleotide polymorphic sites (SNPs) were detected in the four sequenced KRTAP22-2 alleles. Two of them are in the 5’UTR region and the other two are in the coding region, and the variants in the coding region are all non-synonymous mutations. In addition, there was a 6 bp length variation in allele C. The gene was expressed in the cortical layer of primary and secondary hair follicles, the inner root sheath, as well as hair papillae and hair maternal cells in goats. The results of the correlation analysis between genotypes and cashmere traits showed that after excluding genotypes with a gene frequency of less than 5%, the mean fiber diameter (MFD) of cashmere was significantly higher in the AB genotype than in the AA and AC genotypes. That is, the KRTAP22-2 gene variants are associated with mean fiber diameter in cashmere. The above results suggest that the goat KRTAP22-2 variant can be utilized as a molecular marker candidate gene for cashmere traits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 9139 KiB  
Article
Effect of Fibroblast Growth Factor 10 and an Interacting Non-Coding RNA on Secondary Hair Follicle Dermal Papilla Cells in Cashmere Goats’ Follicle Development Assessed by Whole-Transcriptome Sequencing Technology
by Yuan Gao, Weiguo Song, Fei Hao, Lei Duo, Xiaoshu Zhe, Chunyan Gao, Xudong Guo and Dongjun Liu
Animals 2023, 13(13), 2234; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani13132234 - 7 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1249
Abstract
Cashmere, a keratinised product of secondary hair follicles (SHFs) in cashmere goats, holds an important place in international high-end textiles. However, research on the complex molecular and signal regulation during the development and growth of hair follicles (HFs), which is essential for the [...] Read more.
Cashmere, a keratinised product of secondary hair follicles (SHFs) in cashmere goats, holds an important place in international high-end textiles. However, research on the complex molecular and signal regulation during the development and growth of hair follicles (HFs), which is essential for the development of the cashmere industry, is limited. Moreover, increasing evidence indicates that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) participate in HF development. Herein, we systematically investigated a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network mediated by circular RNAs (circRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in skin samples of cashmere goat embryos, using whole-transcriptome sequencing technology. We obtained 6468, 394, and 239 significantly differentially expressed mRNAs, circRNAs, and miRNAs, respectively. These identified RNAs were further used to construct a ceRNA regulatory network, mediated by circRNAs, for cashmere goats at a late stage of HF development. Among the molecular species identified, miR-184 and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 10 exhibited competitive targeted interactions. In secondary HF dermal papilla cells (SHF-DPCs), miR-184 promotes proliferation, inhibits apoptosis, and alters the cell cycle via the competitive release of FGF10. This study reports that FGF10 and its interaction with ncRNAs significantly affect SHF-DPCs, providing a reference for research on the biology of HFs in cashmere goats and other mammals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 3378 KiB  
Article
CRABP2 Promotes the Proliferation of Dermal Papilla Cells via the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway
by Mingliang He, Xiaoyang Lv, Xiukai Cao, Zehu Yuan, Kai Quan, Tesfaye Getachew, Joram M. Mwacharo, Aynalem Haile, Yutao Li, Shanhe Wang and Wei Sun
Animals 2023, 13(12), 2033; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani13122033 - 19 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1469
Abstract
In our previous study of Hu sheep hair follicles, we found that CRABP2 was highly expressed in DPCs, which suggested that CRABP2 may influence the number of DPCs. In the present study, we aimed to understand the effect of CRABP2 in Hu sheep [...] Read more.
In our previous study of Hu sheep hair follicles, we found that CRABP2 was highly expressed in DPCs, which suggested that CRABP2 may influence the number of DPCs. In the present study, we aimed to understand the effect of CRABP2 in Hu sheep dermal papilla cells (DPCs). First, we explored the influence of CRABP2 on the ability of Hu sheep DPCs’ proliferation. Based on the results obtained from some experiments, such as CCK-8, EDU, qPCR, and Western blot experiment, we found that the overexpression of CRABP2 facilitated the proliferation of DPCs compared to the negative control group. Then, we also detected the effect of CRABP2 on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway based on the important function of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in hair follicles. The results showed that CRABP2 could activate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in DPCs, and it rescues the proliferation of DPCs when the Wnt/β-catenin pathway was inhibited. In summary, our findings indicate that CRABP2 is a vital functional gene in the proliferation of Hu sheep DPCs. Our study will be of great use for revealing the roles of CRABP2 in the hair follicles of Hu sheep. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 3265 KiB  
Article
Combination of Transcriptomics and Proteomics Reveals Differentially Expressed Genes and Proteins in the Skin of EDAR Gene-Targeted and Wildtype Cashmere Goats
by Gui-Zhen Gao, Fei Hao, Lei Zhu, Guo-Qing Jiang, Wei Yan, Jie Liu and Dong-Jun Liu
Animals 2023, 13(9), 1452; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani13091452 - 24 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1579
Abstract
Cashmere goats play a pivotal role in the animal hair industry and are economically valuable. Cashmere is produced through the periodic growth of secondary hair follicles. To improve their yield of cashmere, the regulatory mechanisms of cashmere follicle growth and development need to [...] Read more.
Cashmere goats play a pivotal role in the animal hair industry and are economically valuable. Cashmere is produced through the periodic growth of secondary hair follicles. To improve their yield of cashmere, the regulatory mechanisms of cashmere follicle growth and development need to be analysed. Therefore, in this study, EDAR gene-targeted cashmere goats were used as an animal model to observe the phenotypic characteristics of abnormal hair growth and development at the top of the head. Transcriptomic and proteomic techniques were used to screen for differentially expressed genes and proteins. In total, 732 differentially expressed genes were identified, including 395 upregulated and 337 downregulated genes. In addition, 140 differentially expressed proteins were identified, including 69 upregulated and 71 downregulated proteins. These results provide a research target for elucidating the mechanism through which EDAR regulates hair follicle growth in cashmere goats. It also enriches the available data on the regulatory network involved in hair follicle growth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

6 pages, 208 KiB  
Article
Phenotypic Correlation between Guard Hair and Down Hair in Chinese Alashan Left Banner White Cashmere Goat: A Preliminary Study
by Stefano Pallotti, Dario Pediconi, Alessandro Valbonesi, Carlo Renieri, Sun Haizhou, Zhou Junwen and Marco Antonini
Animals 2023, 13(8), 1295; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani13081295 - 10 Apr 2023
Viewed by 1103
Abstract
In cashmere production studies, few trials have considered the guard hair features and their correlation with down fiber attributes. In this preliminary work, early observations on 158 one year old Chinese Alashan Left Banner White Cashmere goats were carried out. The aim was [...] Read more.
In cashmere production studies, few trials have considered the guard hair features and their correlation with down fiber attributes. In this preliminary work, early observations on 158 one year old Chinese Alashan Left Banner White Cashmere goats were carried out. The aim was to describe the phenotypic correlation between the guard hair length and other fiber traits. The guard hair length was positively correlated with guard hair diameter and the down fiber length. Negative correlations were found between guard hair length and the coefficient of variation of guard hair diameter, between the guard hair diameter and its coefficient of variation, and between the down fiber diameter and the coefficient of variation of down fiber diameter. The body weight at first combing was not correlated with any of the other traits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production)
10 pages, 2995 KiB  
Article
Effect of Controlling Light on Cashmere Growth and Harmful Gas Parameters in Shanbei White Cashmere Goats
by Wenyuan Cui, Changlong Lin, Yuyang Liu, Zhixin Qiu, Wenrui Gao, Chunxin Wang, Yulin Chen and Yuxin Yang
Animals 2023, 13(6), 995; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani13060995 - 9 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1000
Abstract
The quality and yield of cashmere closely affect the economic benefits of cashmere goat farming. Studies have shown that controlling light can have an important impact on cashmere but can also affect the concentration of harmful gases. In order to explore the impact [...] Read more.
The quality and yield of cashmere closely affect the economic benefits of cashmere goat farming. Studies have shown that controlling light can have an important impact on cashmere but can also affect the concentration of harmful gases. In order to explore the impact of a short photoperiod on the growth of cashmere and harmful gases in goat houses, 130 female (non-pregnant) Shanbei white cashmere goats, aged 4–5 years with similar body weights, were randomly divided into a control group and a treatment group, with 65 goats in each group. The dietary nutrition levels of the experimental goats were the same, and completely natural light was used in the control group; the light control group received light for 7 h every day (9:30–16:30), and the rest of the time (16:30–9:30 the next day) they did not receive light. The light control treatment was carried out in a control house, and the gas content was analyzed. It was found that a shortened period of light exposure could increase the annual average cashmere production by 34.5%. The content of each gas has a certain functional relationship with the measurement time period, but at the same time, we found that the content of NH3 also changes seasonally. In summary, the use of shortened light periods when raising cashmere goats can significantly increase cashmere production and quality, but at the same time, it will increase the concentration of harmful gases in the goat barn, and ventilation should be increased to ensure the health of the goats and the air quality in the barn. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 1572 KiB  
Article
In Situ Degradation Kinetics of 25 Feedstuffs and the Selection of Time Points in Mathematical Statistics
by Sen Li, Liwen He, Fang Mo and Wei Zhang
Animals 2023, 13(5), 947; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani13050947 - 6 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1262
Abstract
Rumen degradation kinetics of 25 feedstuffs (six protein feeds, nine energy feeds and ten roughages) were first determined using the nylon bag technique in situ and the differences of degradation characteristics fitted with five or seven time points measuring data were evaluated with [...] Read more.
Rumen degradation kinetics of 25 feedstuffs (six protein feeds, nine energy feeds and ten roughages) were first determined using the nylon bag technique in situ and the differences of degradation characteristics fitted with five or seven time points measuring data were evaluated with the goodness of fit (R2) of degradation curves. Protein and energy feeds were incubated for 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 36, 48 h, roughages were incubated for 4, 8, 16, 24, 36, 48, 72 h, where three and six data sets of five time points were screened out, respectively. Only the degradation parameters a (rapidly degraded proportion), b (slowly degraded proportion) and c (degradation rate of slowly degraded proportion) of several feeds at five time points were significantly different from those at seven time points (p < 0.05), and the others were not significant (p > 0.05). The R2 of the degradation curves obtained at five time points was closer to 1, indicating that the fitting obtained at five time points was more accurate in predicting the real-time rumen degradation rate of feed. These results indicate that it is feasible to determine the rumen degradation characteristics of feedstuffs by only setting five measuring time points. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 4523 KiB  
Article
Hair Follicle Development and Cashmere Traits in Albas Goat Kids
by Xiaogao Diao, Lingyun Yao, Xinhui Wang, Sen Li, Jiaxin Qin, Lu Yang, Liwen He and Wei Zhang
Animals 2023, 13(4), 617; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani13040617 - 9 Feb 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1411
Abstract
The objectives of this trial were to study the growth and development of hair follicles and cashmere traits in cashmere goats and to provide a theoretical basis for the regulation of secondary hair follicle development and the scientific breeding selection of cashmere goats. [...] Read more.
The objectives of this trial were to study the growth and development of hair follicles and cashmere traits in cashmere goats and to provide a theoretical basis for the regulation of secondary hair follicle development and the scientific breeding selection of cashmere goats. Twelve single-fetal female kids were selected as research objects. A long-term tracking plan was created to regularly determine their growth performance, cashmere performance, and hair follicle traits. The results showed no significant difference in live weight after the first and second combing. The cashmere yield and unit yield of the first combing were significantly higher than those of the second combing (p < 0.05). Sections of hair follicles showed that the primary hair follicles are almost fully developed by 1 month, and the secondary hair follicles are fully developed by 5–6 months after birth. The primary hair follicle density (PFD) and secondary hair follicle density (SFD) were highest at birth and decreased within 1 month; and SFD was stable at 5–6 months of age. The change of MSFD took a maximum time of 2 to 3 months. The S:P increase reached its peak at 6 months. BMP4 expression increased with time. FGF2, FGF21 and BMP7 were higher at 3 months old than at the other two-time points. In conclusion, this study determined the total development time of primary and secondary hair follicles from morphology and speculated that FGF2, FGF21, and BMP7 may play a regulatory role in developing secondary hair follicles. Therefore, the period from birth to 6 months of age was the best time to regulate secondary hair follicle development in cashmere goats kids. The traits of the hair follicle and cashmere at 6 months of age could be breeding selection indicators for cashmere goats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 1700 KiB  
Article
Supplementary Feeding of Grazing Inner Mongolian Cashmere Goats during Pregnancy—Based on “Nutrient Requirements of Cashmere Goats”
by Xin-Hui Wang, Qing Li, Zi-Bin Zheng, Xiao-Gao Diao, Li-Wen He and Wei Zhang
Animals 2023, 13(3), 473; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani13030473 - 29 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1811
Abstract
This study aimed to conduct precise supplementation for pregnant cashmere goats under grazing based on the feeding standard. Eight Inner Mongolian pregnant cashmere goats of near-average body weight were selected at early gestation (44.41 ± 4.03 kg) and late gestation (46.54 ± 4.02 [...] Read more.
This study aimed to conduct precise supplementation for pregnant cashmere goats under grazing based on the feeding standard. Eight Inner Mongolian pregnant cashmere goats of near-average body weight were selected at early gestation (44.41 ± 4.03 kg) and late gestation (46.54 ± 4.02 kg) to measure their nutrient intake. Then, two pregnant cashmere goat flocks, No. 10 (control group, on-farm supplement) and No. 11 (supplemented group, supplement based on standard), with the same goat herd structure and grassland type, were chosen to conduct the supplemental feeding experiment. The results showed that pregnant cashmere goats lacked daily the intake of dry matter, digestive energy, crude protein and most essential mineral elements under grazing. After supplemental feeding, the supplementation based on the feeding standard increased the cashmere length and cashmere length growth volume and decreased the cashmere fineness, with no statistical significance. The goat cashmere yield, goat weight after shearing, single and twin-birth kid weight and kids’ mature secondary hair follicle density were significantly higher in the supplemented group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, supplementation in accordance with “Nutrient Requirements of Cashmere Goats” can enhance pregnant cashmere goats’ fiber production, growth performance, fertility and kids’ secondary hair follicles development, which is of great importance for the healthy and precise nutrition and management of cashmere goats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Sheep and Goat for Better Fiber (Wool and Cashmere) Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-16
Back to TopTop