Small Ruminant Research最新文献

{"title":"Evaluation of ddRADseq Data for SNP and InDel discovery in Pırlak sheep","authors":"Umit Bilginer ,&nbsp;Eymen Demir ,&nbsp;Cedric Gondro ,&nbsp;Bahar Argun Karsli ,&nbsp;Murat Soner Balcioglu ,&nbsp;Taki Karsli","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2026.107707","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2026.107707","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The detection of genetic variants that lead to differentiation in terms of morphological, psychological, and behavioral traits within a specific population enables the design of comprehensive characterization, conservation, and selection strategies in livestock. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of genetic data obtained from the double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) technique in the discovery of genetic variants at three levels of depth of coverage (DP), including 2, 5, and 10. Via genotyping 21 animals belonging to Pırlak sheep, a higher number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (ranging from 869,471 to 1204,553) than insertion–deletions (InDels) (varying between 73,762 and 88,327) were identified in the sheep genome depending on the DP criterion. Despite the high number of genetic variants identified across the genome, the annotation survey validated that a small percentage of variants (ranging from 0.009 in DP2 and 0.001 in DP5 and DP10) were of high functional impact on phenotype. Moreover, 544,154 SNPs were novel at DP 10, indicating that ddRADseq is promising for screening population-specific variants in sheep. Further analyses validated that 44 SNPs categorized as high functional impact overlapped with 43 genes, which were previously reported to be associated with reproduction (<em>TRNAC-GCA</em>, <em>ATG10</em>, <em>TRNAS-GGA</em>, and <em>ANKRD31</em>) and milk traits (<em>SLC50A1</em>, <em>THSD7B</em>, and <em>VPS37C</em>) in various mammalian species. Moreover, genetic diversity parameters showed observed heterozygosity (H_O = 0.333) slightly higher than expected heterozygosity (H_E = 0.328), with an inbreeding coefficient of FIS = -0.018. Compared to whole genome sequencing and array technologies, the ddRADseq was shown to be an alternative technique to identify genetic variants for further genomic studies due to its specific advantages, such as being cost-efficient and not having bias for the detection of population-specific variants. Genetic variants identified by the ddRADseq technique are promising to improve ongoing molecular characterization, conservation, and breeding programs via various genomic studies, such as genetic variability, genome-wide association studies, and selection signatures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"257 ","pages":"Article 107707"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146090165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular insights into growth regulation in Indian sheep: Role of GH, LEP, and IGF-1 in marker-assisted breeding","authors":"Shilpa Mahajan ,&nbsp;Gopal Dass ,&nbsp;Rishikesh Shukla ,&nbsp;Rakesh Kaushik","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2026.107708","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2026.107708","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>India possesses a rich and diverse ovine genetic resource, with 44 registered indigenous sheep breeds adapted to a wide range of agro-climatic conditions. These sheep are multifunctional, contributing significantly to rural livelihoods through meat, wool, milk, and manure. Among the economically important traits, growth performance plays a pivotal role in assessing productivity, health status, and market value. Growth is a complex trait regulated by both genetic and environmental factors, with <em>growth hormone (GH), leptin (LEP) and Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)</em> identified as a central hormonal regulator of physiological and metabolic pathways. In recent years, a substantial body of research has emerged focusing on the phenotypic characterization and molecular dissection of growth traits in Indian sheep. This review specifically synthesizes advances related to <em>GH, LEP, and IGF-1</em>, highlighting their polymorphisms, expression patterns, and associations with growth traits across indigenous breeds. These genes are critical in regulating growth rate, feed efficiency, and body composition, thereby offering practical applications in selective breeding. Particular emphasis is placed on heavy mutton breeds, which exhibit superior carcass quality and meat yield, to demonstrate how these markers contribute to production-oriented breeding. The review emphasizes the significance of Marker-assisted selection (MAS) in improving growth performance and the need for integrating molecular tools in traditional breeding programs. Such integration can lead to more efficient and targeted genetic improvement strategies. Additionally, comparative sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis reveal the evolutionary conservation of <em>GH, LEP, and IGF-1</em> across ruminant species, especially within the Caprinae lineage, reinforcing their functional importance. Overall, this review advocates for a genomics-driven approach to exploit the full potential of indigenous sheep for sustainable meat production in India.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"257 ","pages":"Article 107708"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146039965","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The composition of the lactation diet but not the previous rearing feeding level affects the response to an oral drench of propylene glycol in primiparous lactating dairy goats","authors":"A.A. Ponter ,&nbsp;A. de Paula Reis ,&nbsp;C. Duvaux-Ponter","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2026.107712","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2026.107712","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The aim of this experiment was to study if different growth trajectories during rearing influence adaptive capacity to metabolic challenges during lactation. Sixteen female Saanen goats were selected at weaning and given either a high growth trajectory diet (High GT, n = 8) or a control growth trajectory diet (Control GT, n = 8) until parturition. The diets were formulated to produce a weight difference at parturition of 10 %. Oestrous cycles were synchronised and the goats were inseminated at 7 months of age. Three weeks after parturition, four metabolic challenges were performed: day 21 (goats were fed the normal lactation diet and given 1 mL PG/kg liveweight, by drenching), day 28 (goats were fed straw for 2 days and then given 1 mL water/kg liveweight, by drenching), day 35 (goats were fed the normal lactation diet and given 1 mL PG/kg liveweight, by drenching) and day 42 (goats were fed straw for 2 days and then given 1 mL PG/kg liveweight, by drenching). The metabolic response to PG (an increase in circulating glucose and insulin) was delayed after the day 42 challenge (straw diet) compared to the day 21 and 35 challenges (lactation diet). Several hypotheses may explain this finding: poor adaptation of rumen microbes for PG fermentation after a straw diet, reduced rumen-emptying in the straw fed goats (therefore slower absorption of PG and its metabolites) or reduced gluconeogenesis in the liver of straw fed goats compared to lactation diet fed goats due to mild steatosis. After the day 28 challenge (straw diet), the High GT goats appeared to be less metabolically versatile than the Control GT goats since the High GT goats had beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentrations which were close to those defined as indicating sub-clinical ketosis (&gt;1.2 mmol/L) while Control GT goats had low BHB concentrations. Short-term metabolic challenges may be interesting tools in the study of metabolic versatility in farm animals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"257 ","pages":"Article 107712"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146090166","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Whole-genome resequencing reveals candidate genes and genetic mutations associated with colostrum yield in Hu sheep","authors":"Yiyu Sha ,&nbsp;Guiqiong Liu ,&nbsp;Jianping Ding ,&nbsp;Fuqing Hou ,&nbsp;Huiguo Yang ,&nbsp;Yongbin Liu ,&nbsp;Xunping Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2026.107711","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2026.107711","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Colostrum is essential for neonatal lamb growth, immune competence, and survival, yet insufficient secretion remains a major cause of early mortality. Despite its importance, systematic studies on the characteristics and genetic determinants of colostrum in sheep are limited. Hu sheep, a prolific indigenous Chinese breed, display considerable variation in colostrum yield, providing a suitable model for investigation. In this study, colostrum samples were collected from individual ewes at 12 h intervals within the first 72 h postpartum. Yield, compositional traits (fat, protein, lactose, total solids, non-fat solids), and immunoglobulin concentrations (immunoglobulin G [IgG], immunoglobulin A [IgA], and immunoglobulin M [IgM]) were quantified, and high- and low-yield groups were subjected to whole-genome resequencing (WGRS). Colostrum yield increased progressively, reaching 3.489 ± 0.921 kg at 72 h, whereas immunoglobulin levels peaked at parturition (IgG: 108.014 mg/mL; IgA: 4.139 mg/mL; IgM: 0.447 mg/mL) and declined sharply thereafter. Fat and protein contents decreased with time, while lactose rose. WGRS identified 1627 candidate genes under positive selection and 69,336 variants, including 408 missense mutations. Among these, lactoferrin (<em>LTF</em>), protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type K (<em>PTPRK</em>), and leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (<em>LIFR</em>) were strongly associated with colostrum yield. Six missense mutations (rs422619216, rs429528738, rs408968100, rs161149074, rs411119461, rs162154352) within these genes were predicted to alter protein hydrophilicity and local structure, potentially influencing lactation. These findings provide practical guidance for managing the nutritional requirements of newborn lambs and identify promising genetic markers for breeding high-yield sheep.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"257 ","pages":"Article 107711"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146090167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Supplementation of cGMP during in vitro culture enhances the developmental competence of sheep embryos","authors":"Jia Hao ,&nbsp;Si Ouyang ,&nbsp;Yubing Wang ,&nbsp;Lei Cheng ,&nbsp;Dayong Chen ,&nbsp;Chunjuan Qiu ,&nbsp;Riga Wu ,&nbsp;Yongji Xie ,&nbsp;Jianhui Tian ,&nbsp;Lei An ,&nbsp;Guangyin Xi","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107692","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107692","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aims to investigate the effect of cyclic guanosine-3’,5’-monophosphate (cGMP) on ovine embryo development, thereby providing new strategies to improve the efficiency of <em>in vitro</em> embryo production (IVP). Following <em>in vitro</em> maturation (IVM) and <em>in vitro</em> fertilization (IVF) of ovine oocytes derived from abattoir, the presumptive zygotes were treated with different concentrations of cGMP. In order to explore the effect of cGMP on the developmental competence of embryos derived from ovum pick-up (OPU)-oocytes, the presumptive zygotes were cultured with cGMP after IVF. The cleavage rate and blastocyst rate were recorded at 24 h and on day 7 after IVF. On day 7, the blastocysts derived from slaughterhouse oocytes were collected to assess mRNA expression of development- and apoptosis-related genes. Additionally, the blastocyst quality, antioxidant capacity, mitochondrial function and lipid metabolism of blastocysts were evaluated. The results showed that cGMP significantly increased cleavage rate and blastocyst rate, with an increase in total cell number and ICM. The expression of pluripotency-related gene (<em>NANOG</em>) was upregulated and apoptosis-related gene (<em>CASPASE3</em>) was downregulated after cGMP treatment. The administration of cGMP resulted in decreased lipid content and fatty acid levels, along with a significant decrease in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation. Additionally, mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels were elevated after cGMP treatment. Furthermore, cGMP also increased blastocyst rate of IVF embryos from ovine oocytes collected via OPU. These results demonstrate that cGMP can improve embryo developmental competence by enhancing lipid metabolism and reducing oxidative stress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"256 ","pages":"Article 107692"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145886003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Signatures of selection and genomic diversity in diverse Indian goat breeds: A whole genome perspective which suggests Co-evolution","authors":"Nandhini Palaniappan Balasubramaniam ,&nbsp;Subrata Koloi ,&nbsp;Sanjeev Singh ,&nbsp;Avnish Kumar Bhatia ,&nbsp;Satpal Dixit ,&nbsp;Indrajit Ganguly","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107690","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107690","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Genomic diversity of Indian goats offers insights into developing sustainable goat production systems. In this study, whole-genome sequences from 11 Indian goat breeds (n = 102), generated using the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform, were compared with publicly available data from 30 global breeds and five outgroup species (n = 101). Following quality control and alignment to the ARS1 reference genome, 21.44 billion high-quality reads were retained for downstream analyses. Sequencing achieved an average coverage of 99.2 %, with a duplication rate of 17.2 % and a mean sequencing depth of ∼9X. SNP discovery varied across breeds, with Kanni Adu (KAN) exhibiting the highest count (1.95 M) and Jharkhand Black (JB) the lowest (30.77 K). JB showed the highest average linkage disequilibrium (r² = 0.859), whereas Jakhrana (JAK) displayed the lowest (r² = 0.496). LD decay (r² &lt; 0.2) typically occurred within 5 kb for most breeds, except JB, Sangamneri (SAN), and KAN. Nucleotide diversity was highest in Changthangi (CHA) and JAK (π = 0.379 and 0.363, respectively), while protein-coding nucleotide diversity (PN) was highest in KAN (0.340). Observed heterozygosity was greatest in CHA (Ho = 0.505), whereas JB exhibited the lowest (Ho = 0.119). Expected heterozygosity was highest in CHA (He = 0.378) and lowest in KAN (He = 0.249). Principal component analysis revealed clear clustering patterns among KAN, Tellicherry (T), SAN, and JB, and further confirmed the distinct separation of other Capra species from <em>C. hircus</em>. Indian goat breeds formed genetically distinct clusters from exotic breeds, with two Pakistani and one Bangladeshi breed grouping closely with them. Indian goats exhibited high within-breed diversity (&gt;94 %). Selection signatures identified through DCMS highlighted shared genomic regions associated with fitness and survival. The combination of strong within-breed diversity, gene flow among indigenous populations, and common selection pressures/shared selection signatures contributes to their admixed genetic nature.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"256 ","pages":"Article 107690"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145886001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physicochemical and cytological stability of cerebrospinal fluid in small ruminants and agreement between methods for lactate measurement","authors":"Juliana Massitel Curti ,&nbsp;Caroline Ambiel Barros Gil Duarte ,&nbsp;Caroline Gonzatto Fracasso ,&nbsp;Stefany Lia Oliveira Camilo ,&nbsp;Maria Antonia de Campos Tornich ,&nbsp;Lais Sodré Santana Alves ,&nbsp;Gabriela Fernanda Vitoretti Machado ,&nbsp;Priscilla Fajardo Valente Pereira ,&nbsp;Karina Keller Marques da Costa Flaiban","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107694","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107694","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is fundamental in diagnosing neurological diseases, with lactate described as a relevant biomarker in humans, dogs, and cattle, but little explored in small ruminants. This study aimed to evaluate physicochemical and cytological stability of CSF from healthy goats and sheep, and agreement between a portable lactometer (PL) and an automated biochemical analyzer (ABA) for lactate measurement. CSF samples were collected from ten goats and ten sheep by atlanto-occipital puncture, and stored refrigerated (4°C) for analysis at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h, and frozen (-20°C) for analysis at three, six, and 12 months. Refrigerated samples underwent physicochemical and cytological evaluations, while frozen samples were assessed for electrolytes and lactate using PL and ABA. CSF remained stable for specific gravity, glucose, proteins, and total nucleated cell for up to 72 h (4°C). Electrolyte concentrations varied without clinical relevance, allowing analysis for up to 12 months (-20°C). Lactate measured by PL varied, whereas ABA remained stable in both species. No agreement was observed between PL and ABA in goats and in frozen sheep samples. Physicochemical parameters in CSF from healthy goats and sheep can be analyzed for up to 72 h (4°C) and electrolytes for up to 12 months (-20°C), allowing safe transport to the laboratory. PL can be used in field situations to measure lactate (except in frozen goat samples), but ABA provided greater reliability. Lactate emerges as a promising biomarker to aid in the diagnosis of neurological disorders in small ruminants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"256 ","pages":"Article 107694"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145886002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A genetic variant of the goat PRDM2 gene and its effect on litter size","authors":"Ebadu Areb ,&nbsp;Luqi Wang ,&nbsp;Qihui Zhu ,&nbsp;Lingyuan Ma ,&nbsp;Yangyang Bai ,&nbsp;Kassahun Bekana ,&nbsp;Xiaolei Chen ,&nbsp;Chunzhi Wang ,&nbsp;Xianyong Lan ,&nbsp;Chuanying Pan","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107693","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107693","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The <em>PRDM2</em> (PR/SET domain 2) gene plays a role in cell differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, nucleic acid template transcription, and in developmental and biosynthetic pathways. This study aimed to evaluate mRNA expression across tissues, genetic variability, and association between the 11-bp insertion (ins) at intron 7 of the goat <em>PRDM2</em> gene and firstborn litter size. <em>PRDM2</em> mRNA expression was examined in eight tissues collected from dams of Shaanbei White Cashmere (SBWC) goats. We then evaluated a novel mutation of 11-bp-ins using 1002 firstborn female SBWC goats. The results indicated that <em>PRDM2</em> mRNA was expressed in all examined tissues, and genetic variation was observed. Litter size was associated with the novel 11-bp-ins genotype. Dams with the II genotype had 2.7 times higher odds of having multiple births than those with the DD genotype. Additionally, five more transcription factor binding sites were predicted from the II sequence, which may have a positive effect on litter size. Furthermore, the Cashmere goat population exerted strong selection pressure on the 11-bp-ins genomic region of the <em>PRDM2</em> gene. In summary, the findings of this study suggest that <em>PRDM2</em> is an important candidate gene influencing litter size in goats and may serve as a potential genetic marker for use in breeding programs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"256 ","pages":"Article 107693"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145886000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of silage-based diets on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and carcass traits in Avishaan lambs","authors":"R.S. Bhatt,&nbsp;Srobana Sarkar,&nbsp;Arvind Soni,&nbsp;Lalit Kumar,&nbsp;M.C. Meena,&nbsp;Arun Kumar","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2026.107706","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2026.107706","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To study the effect of silage feeding on growth performance, microbial nitrogen synthesis, meat quality and fatty acid profile of growing lambs, an experiment conducted on fifty-four lambs of Avishaan strain under randomized block design. The lambs were randomly divided into three group of eighteen lambs (n = 18) in each, experimental period was 90 days (3–6 month of age) and the initial average weight of the lamb was 16.8 ± 0.09 kg. All the lambs were offered 300 g concentrate daily and <em>ad libitum</em> roughage. Roughage in control (C) group was dry chaffed <em>Cenchrus ciliaris</em> hay, in test group T-I dry chaffed cenchrus hay plus silage on equal dry matter basis whereas in test group T-II only fresh silage. During the experimental period nutrient utilization and rumen fermentation studies were undertaken. After six months of age, eight representative male lambs from each group were slaughtered to study the carcass traits, quality and muscle fatty acid composition. Results revealed higher(P &lt; 0.05) digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and fibre fractions in T-I and T-II group compared to C lambs. The microbial nitrogen synthesis per kg of digestible organic matter intake was higher (P &lt; 0.05) in T-II group. Rumen fermentation revealed higher (P &lt; 0.05) total nitrogen and TCA-ppt-N in T-II followed by T-I and C groups. However, TVFA was lower in T-II and T-I compared to C group. Carcass data revealed lower (P &lt; 0.05) quantity of ingesta as well as lower (P &lt; 0.05) carcass fat with silage feeding in T-II and T-I compared to C group lambs. Values of TBARS in meat were significantly lower (P &lt; 0.05) in T-II and T-I group compared to C group, and antioxidant activity showed a corresponding increase with silage feeding, being highest in the T-II group, followed by T-I, and lowest in the C group. <em>Longissimus thoracis</em> muscle fat revealed higher (P &lt; 0.05) proportion of C16, C18 and lowered (P &lt; 0.05) that of C18:1n9c fatty acids with silage feeding, consequently the proportion of SFA was increased and that of MUFA decreased with silage feeding. The proportion of n-3 fatty acids was increased with silage feeding in T-II and T-I group. The ratio of n – 6/ n-3 and C18 desaturase activity was lower (P &lt; 0.05) whereas C16 to C14 thioesterase activity was higher(P &lt; 0.05) with silage feeding in T-II and T-I compared to C group lambs. Based on the findings of this experiment, it can be concluded that in arid and semi-arid regions, silage feeding serves as an eco-friendly strategy for small ruminant production and supports better shelf life of meat, reduced fat in the <em>Longissimus thoracis</em> muscle, with increased proportion of n-3 fatty acids. However, for achieving better weight gain and improved feed conversion efficiency, a combination of grass hay and silage on an equal dry matter basis is recommended.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"256 ","pages":"Article 107706"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146023546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Authentication of sheep milk geographical origin using FTIR spectroscopy and chemometric analysis","authors":"Selman Kef ,&nbsp;Seher Arslan ,&nbsp;Koray Şarkaya","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2026.107703","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2026.107703","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, the effects of feeding systems based on geographical origin on the milk of Pırıt sheep breed in Denizli were investigated using FTIR and GC combined with chemometrics. The samples were analyzed for dry matter, protein, fat content, pH, color parameters, total fatty acids, and subjected to Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Significant regional differences (P &lt; 0.05) were observed in fat, dry matter, protein content, L*, b*, and fatty acid composition. The Sarayköy region, where sheep graze on natural pastures, exhibited the highest fat, dry matter, and protein contents. Regional variation in fatty acid profiles was statistically significant (P &lt; 0.05) for all fatty acids except C4:0 and C17:0. Evaluation of nutritional quality indices revealed that milk from Sarayköy had the lowest atherogenic index (AI) and thrombogenic index (TI), along with the highest polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acid (PUFA/SFA), health-promoting index (HPI) value and hypercholesterolemic/hypocholesterolemic (h/H). The chemometric analysis of FT-IR data explains 95.8 % and 3.0 % of the total variance for the first two principal components (PC1 and PC2), respectively. This indicates that 98.8 % of the total variability in the data is captured by the first two components, demonstrating the model's strong discriminatory capacity. Chemometric analyses showed that sheep grazed in pastures (Sarayköy region) were separated from other feeding systems. These findings demonstrate that FTIR spectroscopy combined with chemometrics can be used as an effective method for classification of sheep milk according to feeding regimes based on geographical origin.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"256 ","pages":"Article 107703"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145978898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}