Resistance and resilience to gastro-intestinal nematode parasites and relationships with productivity of Red Maasai, Dorper and Red Maasai X Dorper crossbred lambs in the sub-humid tropics

Resistance and resilience to naturally acquired gastro-intestinal (GI) nematode parasite infections (predominantly Haemonchus contortus) were studied in 1785 lambs born over six lambings (1991 to 1996) consisting of 212 Red Maasai, 311 Dorper and 1262 crossbred (Red Maasai-Dorper) lambs in the sub-h...

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Main Authors: Baker, R.L., Nagda, S.M., Rodríguez Zas, S.L., Southey, B.R., Audho, James O., Aduda, Eric O., Thorpe, W.R.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Cambridge University Press 2003
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/28329
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author Baker, R.L.
Nagda, S.M.
Rodríguez Zas, S.L.
Southey, B.R.
Audho, James O.
Aduda, Eric O.
Thorpe, W.R.
author_browse Aduda, Eric O.
Audho, James O.
Baker, R.L.
Nagda, S.M.
Rodríguez Zas, S.L.
Southey, B.R.
Thorpe, W.R.
author_facet Baker, R.L.
Nagda, S.M.
Rodríguez Zas, S.L.
Southey, B.R.
Audho, James O.
Aduda, Eric O.
Thorpe, W.R.
author_sort Baker, R.L.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Resistance and resilience to naturally acquired gastro-intestinal (GI) nematode parasite infections (predominantly Haemonchus contortus) were studied in 1785 lambs born over six lambings (1991 to 1996) consisting of 212 Red Maasai, 311 Dorper and 1262 crossbred (Red Maasai-Dorper) lambs in the sub-humid coastal region of Kenya. These lambs were the progeny of 41 Dorper and 35 Red Maasai rams. Live weights (LWT), blood packed cell volume (PCV) and faecal egg counts (FEC) were recorded at 1- to 2-monthly intervals from birth until the lambs were about one year of age. Red Maasai were more resistant and resilient post weaning to infections with GI nematodes than Dorper lambs as shown by their significantly lower FEC and their significantly higher PCV, respectively. An increasing proportion of Red Maasai genes in the crossbred lambs was associated with decreased FEC and higher PCV, but there was no heterosis for logarithm-transformed FEC (LFEC) or PCFrom one month of age Red Maasai lambs were significantly lighter than Dorper lambs by about 1 kg, but Red Maasai lambs had significantly lower lamb mortality rate from birth to 12 months of age (proportionately 0.30 and 0.66, respectively). Heritability estimates from a repeated measures analysis for records taken at 6 and 8 months of age were 0.14 (s.e. 0.05) for PCV from an animal model and 0.12 (s.e. 0.05) for LFEC from a sire model. The heritability estimate for LFEC from a repeated measures analysis including the four measurements recorded between 6 and 12 months of age was significantly higher (P < 0.05) for Dorper-sired lambs (0.15, s.e. 0.05 for an animal model and 0.19, s.e. 0.07 for a sire model) than for Red Maasai-sired lambs (0.00 and 0.01, s.e. 0.02). The phenotypic and genetic correlations between PCV and LFEC were moderately to highly negative and averaged -0.34 and -0.81, respectively. None of the genetic correlation estimates between LWT and PCV and LWT and LFEC for lambs post weaning were significantly different from zero. The heritability estimates for PCV and LFEC have important implications for within-breed genetic improvement programmes : for the Red Maasai, improvement should concentrate on resilience (e.g. selection for high PCV); for the Dorper, selection should be feasible for both improved resistance (low FEC) and resilience (high PCV).
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spelling CGSpace283292024-11-15T08:52:08Z Resistance and resilience to gastro-intestinal nematode parasites and relationships with productivity of Red Maasai, Dorper and Red Maasai X Dorper crossbred lambs in the sub-humid tropics Baker, R.L. Nagda, S.M. Rodríguez Zas, S.L. Southey, B.R. Audho, James O. Aduda, Eric O. Thorpe, W.R. tropics sheep haemonchus contortus heritability crossbreds nematoda genetic resistance productivity biological differences red maasai dorper lambs subhumid zones Resistance and resilience to naturally acquired gastro-intestinal (GI) nematode parasite infections (predominantly Haemonchus contortus) were studied in 1785 lambs born over six lambings (1991 to 1996) consisting of 212 Red Maasai, 311 Dorper and 1262 crossbred (Red Maasai-Dorper) lambs in the sub-humid coastal region of Kenya. These lambs were the progeny of 41 Dorper and 35 Red Maasai rams. Live weights (LWT), blood packed cell volume (PCV) and faecal egg counts (FEC) were recorded at 1- to 2-monthly intervals from birth until the lambs were about one year of age. Red Maasai were more resistant and resilient post weaning to infections with GI nematodes than Dorper lambs as shown by their significantly lower FEC and their significantly higher PCV, respectively. An increasing proportion of Red Maasai genes in the crossbred lambs was associated with decreased FEC and higher PCV, but there was no heterosis for logarithm-transformed FEC (LFEC) or PCFrom one month of age Red Maasai lambs were significantly lighter than Dorper lambs by about 1 kg, but Red Maasai lambs had significantly lower lamb mortality rate from birth to 12 months of age (proportionately 0.30 and 0.66, respectively). Heritability estimates from a repeated measures analysis for records taken at 6 and 8 months of age were 0.14 (s.e. 0.05) for PCV from an animal model and 0.12 (s.e. 0.05) for LFEC from a sire model. The heritability estimate for LFEC from a repeated measures analysis including the four measurements recorded between 6 and 12 months of age was significantly higher (P < 0.05) for Dorper-sired lambs (0.15, s.e. 0.05 for an animal model and 0.19, s.e. 0.07 for a sire model) than for Red Maasai-sired lambs (0.00 and 0.01, s.e. 0.02). The phenotypic and genetic correlations between PCV and LFEC were moderately to highly negative and averaged -0.34 and -0.81, respectively. None of the genetic correlation estimates between LWT and PCV and LWT and LFEC for lambs post weaning were significantly different from zero. The heritability estimates for PCV and LFEC have important implications for within-breed genetic improvement programmes : for the Red Maasai, improvement should concentrate on resilience (e.g. selection for high PCV); for the Dorper, selection should be feasible for both improved resistance (low FEC) and resilience (high PCV). 2003-02 2013-05-06T07:00:23Z 2013-05-06T07:00:23Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/28329 en Limited Access Cambridge University Press Baker, R.L., Nagda, S., Rodriguez-Zas, S.L., Southey, B.R., Audho, J.O., Aduda, E.O. and Thorpe, W. 2003. Resistance and resilience to gastro-intestinal nematode parasites and relationships with productivity of Red Maasai, Dorper and Red Maasai x Dorper crossbred lambs in the sub-humid tropics. Animal Science 76:119-136
spellingShingle tropics
sheep
haemonchus contortus
heritability
crossbreds
nematoda
genetic resistance
productivity
biological differences
red maasai
dorper
lambs
subhumid zones
Baker, R.L.
Nagda, S.M.
Rodríguez Zas, S.L.
Southey, B.R.
Audho, James O.
Aduda, Eric O.
Thorpe, W.R.
Resistance and resilience to gastro-intestinal nematode parasites and relationships with productivity of Red Maasai, Dorper and Red Maasai X Dorper crossbred lambs in the sub-humid tropics
title Resistance and resilience to gastro-intestinal nematode parasites and relationships with productivity of Red Maasai, Dorper and Red Maasai X Dorper crossbred lambs in the sub-humid tropics
title_full Resistance and resilience to gastro-intestinal nematode parasites and relationships with productivity of Red Maasai, Dorper and Red Maasai X Dorper crossbred lambs in the sub-humid tropics
title_fullStr Resistance and resilience to gastro-intestinal nematode parasites and relationships with productivity of Red Maasai, Dorper and Red Maasai X Dorper crossbred lambs in the sub-humid tropics
title_full_unstemmed Resistance and resilience to gastro-intestinal nematode parasites and relationships with productivity of Red Maasai, Dorper and Red Maasai X Dorper crossbred lambs in the sub-humid tropics
title_short Resistance and resilience to gastro-intestinal nematode parasites and relationships with productivity of Red Maasai, Dorper and Red Maasai X Dorper crossbred lambs in the sub-humid tropics
title_sort resistance and resilience to gastro intestinal nematode parasites and relationships with productivity of red maasai dorper and red maasai x dorper crossbred lambs in the sub humid tropics
topic tropics
sheep
haemonchus contortus
heritability
crossbreds
nematoda
genetic resistance
productivity
biological differences
red maasai
dorper
lambs
subhumid zones
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/28329
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