on-station characterisation of indigenous menz and … · y 24 meses de vida. se incluyeron en los...

61

AGRI 2004, 35: 61-74

On-station characterisation of indigenous Menz and HorroSheep breeds in the central highlands of Ethiopia

M. Tibbo1, W. Ayalew1, K. Awgichew2, E. Ermias & J.E.O. Rege1,3

1International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Animal Genetic Resources,P.O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

2Institute of Biodiversity Conservation and Research (IBCR),P.O. Box 30726, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

3International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Biotechnology, P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi, Kenya

Summary

On-station characterisation of indigenousMenz (n = 1 639) and Horro (n = 1 135)sheep of Ethiopia in the central highlands ofthe country was undertaken between 1992and 1997 at the Debre Berhan ResearchStation of the International LivestockResearch Institute (ILRI) to study thephenotypic characteristics of the breeds.Body weights, linear body measurements,and testicular parameters were studied. Thetraits studied were live body weights (LWT),body length (BL), heart girth (HG), height atwithers (WH), pelvic width (PW), chestdepth (CD), distance between last rib andtuber coxae (DLP-ATR), scrotalcircumference (SC), testicular diameter (TD),testicular length (TL), and epididymal taildiameter (ED). All except LWT (which wasalso measured at birth) were measured at 3,12 and 24 months age. Fixed effects includedin the analyses were breed, sex, birth type,birth season, birth year, and significantfirst-order interactions.

The Horro sheep had significantly(P<0.05) larger LWT at all ages than theMenz by as much as 6 to 18%. In bothbreeds, lambs born single were significantly(P<0.05) heavier than those born as twins ortriplets. In all age categories and both breeds,males were consistently heavier and larger insize than females. Except for lambs of

3 months of age, the Horro sheep had larger(at least P<0.05) testicular measurementsthan Menz for all age categories.

ResumenEntre 1992 y 1997 se llevó a cabo en laEstación de Investigación de Debre Berhan(ILRI) un estudio en estación de lascaracterísticas fenotípicas de las razasindígenas ovinas Menz (n = 1 639) y Horro(n = 1 135) de la zona central del altiplano deEtiopia. Se estudiaron el peso corporal,medidas corporales, y parámetros detestículos. Los estudios portaton sobre pesovivo corporal (LBW), longitud corporal (BL),circunferencia torácica (HG), alzada a lacruz (WH), anchura pélvica (PW),profundida torácica (CD), distancia entre laúltima costilla y coccís (DLP-ATR),circunferencia del escroto (SC), diámetro deltestículo (TD), longitud del testículo (TL), ydiámetro epididimario de la cola (ED). Todaslas medidas, excepto la LWT que también fuetomada al nacimiento, se tomaron a los 3, 12y 24 meses de vida. Se incluyeron en losanálisis como efectos fijos la raza, el sexo,tipo de nacimiento, estación de nacimiento,año de nacimiento, y una serie significativade interacciones de primer orden.

La raza Horro tuvo un LWT mayorampliamente significativo (P<0,05) en todaslas edades, mientras que la raza Menzalcanzó como mucho del 6 al 18%. En ambasrazas los nacimiento de corderos por partosimple fueron significativos (P<0,05),

62Characterisation of Menz and Horro Sheep in Ethiopia

respecto a los nacimientos dobles o triples. Entodas las categoría de edades y en ambasrazas, los machos presentaron mayor peso ylongitud que las hembras. Excepto en el casode corderos de 3 meses, en las demáscategoría de edades la raza Horro presentóuna medida testicular mayor (P<0,05)respecto a la raza Menz.

Keywords: Breed characterisation, Ethiopia,Fat-tailed sheep, Horro, Menz, On-station,Sheep.

IntroductionEthiopia has an estimated sheep populationof 25 million (FAO, 2001) about threequarters of which inhabit the cool highlandagricultural areas of the country (Awgichew,1985). This population is widely distributedfrom the cool alpine climate of themountainous highlands to the arid pastoralareas of the lowlands (Mason and Maule,1960; Galal, 1983; Wilson, 1991; DAGRIS,2003). However, this genetic diversity has yetto be fully studied and described.The Menz sheep are classified as short-fattailed sheep with coarse-hair mixed withwavy wool. They are similar to sheep thatdominate the sheep flocks of Ethiopian andEritrean highlands (Mason and Maule, 1960;Epstein, 1971; Wilson, 1991; DAGRIS, 2003).The Menz sheep almost certainly descendedfrom very ancient importations from Arabiaacross the narrow Bab-el-Mandeb straits atthe mouth of the Red Sea (Epstein, 1971;Wilson, 1991). Different common and localnames have been cited (Shoa, Legagora,Abyssinian, Ethiopian Highland). The breedhas also been associated with other breedsand ecotypes, like the Arsi-Bale, Tukur,Akale-Guzay, Rashaidi, which inhabitadjacent highland areas to the north andsouth of the centre of distribution of thisbreed in central Shoa (Mason and Maule,1960; Wilson, 1991). The breed is known tobe indigenous to eastern parts of the NorthShoa zone and some parts of South Wello,within the 39° to 40°E longitude and 10° to

11°N latitude; the altitude is between2 500 and 3 000 m, with severe windy andcold climate where frost is frequent betweenNovember and January (Galal, 1983; Rege etal., 2002; Tibbo et al., 2003).

The Horro is classified as a fat-tailed hairysheep and is similar in ancestry with thefat-tailed, hair sheep that inhabit the wholeof eastern and southern Africa from Ethiopiasouthwards (Mason and Maule, 1960;Epstein, 1971; Wilson, 1991; DAGRIS, 2003).The Horro has wide distribution in westernhighlands of Ethiopia, including West Shoa,East Wollega, Keffa and Illu-Ababora within35° to 38°E and 6° to 10°N. Moreimportantly, the breed inhabits the fringes oftrypanosome-infested areas, but there is noinformation available as to whether thebreed has any degree of trypanotolerance(Galal, 1983).

The objective of this study was tocharacterise the general morphology andgrowth performance of the Menz and Horrosheep breeds under on-station managementbased on data collected between 1992 and1997 at the Debre Berhan Research Station ofthe International Livestock Research Institute(ILRI).

Materials and Methods

Experimental site

The ILRI Debre Berhan Research Station islocated some 120 km northeast of AddisAbaba, Ethiopia at latitude 9°36’N, longitude39°38’E and an altitude of 2 780 m. Theclimate is characterised by a long rainyseason (June to September) accounting forabout 75% of the annual rainfall, a shortrainy season (February/March toApril/May) and a dry season (October toJanuary). Annual rainfall at the stationaveraged 920 mm over the study period. Theaverage monthly minimum temperatureranged from 1.3°C in November to 8°C inAugust, while the average monthlymaximum temperature ranged from 18.6°Cin August to 23.4°C in May. The mean

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Tibbo et al.

relative humidity was 60%. Andropogongrasses (A. longipes) with a variableproportion of legumes (Trifolium spp.)dominate the natural pasture of the station.

Study animals

Two indigenous Ethiopian highlandfat-tailed sheep - the Menz and Horro – wereinvolved in the study. The Menz sheep iscoarse-wool type of sheep native to the studyarea (Debre Berhan), and inhabits mainly thecool highlands in central Ethiopia within analtitude range of 2 500 and 3 000 m. Theyare among few coarse woolled and fat-tailedsheep breeds of Ethiopia. The colour isusually black or dark brown, with frequentwhite spots on the head, neck and legs.Animals have a semi-open fleece of conicallocks of coarse hair that may be 15–20 cmlong, and a woolly undercoat of 5–8 cm,especially in the colder highlands. They aresometimes shorn, the annual fleece yieldbeing 0.5 kg (Rege et al., 2002).

The Horro sheep breed is indigenous to itscurrent centre of distribution in the mixedfarming, mid-altitude (1 400 to 2 000 m)zone of western Ethiopia with annualrainfall of 1 000–1 400 mm. It is a fat-tailedbreed with a short hair coat.

The base population ewes and rams agedfrom 8 to 12 months were purchased fromlocalities considered to be home areas of thebreeds (Lalo-Mamma Midir and Gera-Keyadistricts for Menz and Horro-Gudru districtfor Horro), and were quarantined for2-3 months at the station before joining theexperiment. Additional Menz and Horrorams were purchased as and when requiredover the study period from the samelocalities. A large part of the flock consistedof animals born during the study, and hencewith good pedigree information.

Reproduction, health and nutritionmanagement

The Menz and Horro ewes were mated aftersynchronised oestrus to deliver their lambseither in May/June at the beginning of thewet, warm season (long rains from July toSeptember) or in October/November justbefore the onset of the cold and dry season(November to January) (Tembely et al., 1998).Related information on the mating/lambingmanagement of the experimental flock hasbeen summarised by Rege et al. (2002).

The drenching regime for naturalgastro-intestinal nematode parasites infectionwas based on counts of worm eggs per gram(epg). Monthly faecal samples were used todetermine epg and individual lambs withgreater than 2 000 epg were drenched withfenbendazole (Panacur, Hoechst) orlevamisole HCl (Nilverm Super, CoopersAnimal Health) prior to weaning. Atweaning, all lambs were drenched. Betweenweaning and one year of age, all lambs weredrenched only when the mean epg for agroup of monitor lambs exceeded 2 000 epg.In addition, animals in this experiment weredrenched against trematodes withoxyclozanide (Zanil, Coopers AnimalHealth) in August and triclabendazole(Fasinex 10%, Ciba Geigy) in November,December, and January of each year.

Ewes and lambs, grazed together duringthe day on natural pasture and were housedat night in shaded pens with free access tograss hay, water and mineral lick blocks. Apastureland of 138 ha was divided into eightpaddocks for rotational grazing in whicheach paddocks was grazed for 3–4 weeks.

In order to minimize the risk of liver flukeinfections, the whole flock was denied accessto grazing in low-lying paddocks during,and just after, the wet season (July toDecember). Ewes received 200 g/head/dayof a concentrate mixture comprising 33%noug cake (Guizotia abyssinica), 65.5% wheatbran, 1.0% limestone and 0.5% salt. Theallowance was increased to 400 g/head/dayduring the third trimester of pregnancy andduring the peak of the dry season (from


November to January). Before weaning,lambs had no access to feed other than thatfed to their dams. After weaning, at3 months of age, lambs were fed50-150 g/head/day of the same concentrateuntil they were able to graze actively. Femalelambs were separated from the male lambsafter weaning, but managed under the samerotational grazing system until the age of12 months.

Data collection

Fasted live body weights (LWT) wererecorded at fortnightly and/or monthlyintervals either using an electronic weighingscale (BARLO, Spain) or Salter spring scales(Salter, England). Birth weight and datewere also recorded. In addition, thefollowing six linear body measurements wererecorded (in cm) fortnightly or monthlystarting from weaning at 90 days: heart girth(HG), taken as the circumference of the bodyimmediately behind the shoulder blades in avertical plane, perpendicular to the long axisof the body; height at withers (HW), taken tobe the height of an adult animal from thebottom of the front foot to the highest pointof the shoulder between the withers; bodylength (BL), measured as the horizontaldistance from the point of shoulder to thehipbone; pelvic width (PW), which was thedistance between the pelvic bones, across the

dorsum; chest depth (CD), taken to be thedepth of brisket; and distance between lastrib and tuber coxae (DLP-ATR), measured asthe distance between the head of the last riband tuber coxae. In addition, the followingfour testicular measurements (in mm) wererecorded on healthy male lambs at 3, 6, 9, 12,18 and 24 months of age: scrotalcircumference (SC), measured at the widestpart of the testis using a flexible metal tape asdescribed by Coulter and Foote (1979);testicular diameter (TD), recorded withcalliper on the left and right testicles at thewidest anteroposterior diameter; testicularlength (TL), measured on both left and righttesticles, as the distance between the top ofthe tail and the head of the epididymis; andepididymal tail diameter (ED), also on theleft and right testicles, was theanteroposterior diameter measured with acalliper. Records on left and right testicles ontesticular length and diameter and onepididymal diameter were averaged toproduce single values for individual animals.Weaning weights were adjusted to weight at90 days of age as calculated by linearintrapolation for animals weaned before orafter this age.

Physical characteristics, mostly on formand appearance of the animals, wererecorded on a selected representative subsetof 354 adult animals of Menz (n=298) andHorro (n=56) ewes. The number of animalsincluded in the final analysis is listed bycategories of variables in Table 1.

Table 1. Size of samples of the experimental flock included in the data analysis.

Breed Age in months

Body weight

Linear measurements (Set 1: HG, HW, BL)

Linear measurements (Set 2: PW, CD, DLP-ATR)

Menz 0 1 639 – – 3 934 905 710 12 1 040 1483 997 24 275 116 86 Horro 0 1 135 – – 3 643 764 601 12 464 616 440 24 88 29 25

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Tibbo et al.

Statistical analyses

Least squares analysis of variance was doneusing the general linear model (GLM)procedure of the statistical analysis system(SAS, 1998). Data analysis was doneseparately for the two breeds; the fixedeffects fitted for linear body measurementsand testicular measurements included thediscrete effects of sex (except for testicularmeasurements), birth type (single, twin ortriple), birth year (1992-1997) and birthseason (wet or dry) nested within birth year,and first-order interactions which werefound significant (P<0.05) in preliminaryanalyses. Other traits analysed were LWT,HG, HW, BL, PW, CD, DLP-ATR, SC, TD,TL, and ED measured at 0 (birth),3 (weaning), 12 and 24 months of age.

Discrete measurements on the form andappearance of the animals were analysedusing the frequency procedure (SAS, 1998).

Results and Discussions

Physical description

Menz

The Menz sheep have a characteristic shortfat tail, which drops to the hocks and has aslight upward twist/curve at the end. Thefleece is semi-open and made up of locks ofcoarse hair and a woolly undercoat. Ramsusually have long twisted horns (Figure 1)while ewes are mostly polled (Figure 2); theears are small with a downward-forwardinclination. Dewlap and wattles are absent.The body is compact, and the neck is short.Both rams and ewes have a very nervousdisposition.

The females of Menz sheep had no beardand ruff and only 6% of them had wattles.Coat colours varied between the head, neck,trunk and limbs; nearly half of them had

Figure 1. Menz rams at Sheno Agricultural Research Centre (Ethiopia).


plain coat colour pattern on the head, mostlyin white (32%) or white and black (34%) orwhite and brown (11%), pure black (8%),deep or light brown (9%), and in black andbrown (6%) colour. The coat colour of therest of the body (neck, trunk and limbs) wasplain black (22%), plain white (16%), plainbrown (11%), light brown (10%), black andbrown (6%), white and brown (6%), whiteand black (5%), and the remaining was inpatchy combined pattern of white, black andbrown. They were generally characterised bycoarse wool and slight (41%) to moderate(25%) and very woolly (31%), and hairy (3%)coat. Nearly all ewes (96%) had slightlydrooping ears. Three quarters (76%) of theewes had horn stumps/buds, and whenpresent horns were curved laterally orbackwards. Some of the above descriptionsare consistent with those of Mason andMaule (1960) and Wilson (1991). A majordifference was observed in colour

descriptions: in the present study, the black,brown and white colours were dominantover other colour combinations.

Horro

The fat-tail of Horro sheep was typicallytriangular in shape (hanging straightdownwards) with a rare twisted end(Figure 3). Males developed manes aroundthe shoulder and brisket (Figure 4). Beardand ruff were absent in ewes and only 5%had wattles; in at least 83% of the animals,the head, neck, trunk and limbs had brownor light brown coat colour; variations of thecolour nearly always came in combinationwith brown. White with brown (10%) colourwas also found. However, plain white (3%)and plain black (2%) colours were rare. Thecoat type was mostly (80%) hairy andslightly woolly (18%), and the hair was

Figure 2. Menz ewes soon after they were shorn and during wet season at ShenoAgricultural Research Centre.

67


Tibbo et al.

Figure 3. Horro ewe flock at Bako Agricultural Research Centre.

always smooth. In all cases, the ears wereslightly drooping. All the Horro ewes hadhorn buds.

The slight woolly undercoat observed inthis flock was not reported before, and itmay be explained by the exposure of theseanimals to the severe cold and windy climateand higher altitude of the experimental sitecompared to its original homeland, whichhas a warmer and less windy climate.

Body weight

The combined analysis of the data for bothbreeds (data not presented) showed thatLWT of the sheep at various ages wassignificantly affected by breed, birth type,birth season (within year) and sex of lamb(after weaning); in all the cases the Horrosheep had larger LWT than their Menzcontemporaries by as much as 6 to 18%(Tables 2 and 3). In most of the agecategories males were heavier than females

in both breeds. Separate analysis of the datafor the two breeds revealed that the overallbirth weight was 2.1 kg for Menz and 2.3 kgfor Horro, and they reached 7.2 and 8.7 kgadjusted 3-months weaning weight,respectively (Tables 2 and 3). They reached16.2 and 16.1 kg at 12 months and 24.2 and26.6 kg at 24 months of age, respectively(Tables 2 and 3). In both breeds, lambs bornsingle were significantly heavier at all agecategories than those born as twins ortriplets. Birth year (P<0.05) and seasonnested within year (P<0.01) significantlyaffected body weights in both breeds.

Levels of sheep performance in bothbreeds for birth, weaning, yearling, and24 months weights reported in this study arelower than those reported by other authors(Lemma et al., 1989; Mukasa-Mugerwa andEzaz, 1991; Wilson, 1991; Hassen et al.,2002). However, birth weight for Menzsheep was similar to the 2.1 kg reported byMukasa-Mugerwa et al. (2000) and 2.17 kgreported by Awgichew (2000) for on-station


Table 2. Least squares means (± S.E.) of body weight (in kg) at different ages by age, sex, birth type, and birth year for the Menz sheep.

Weight at age (in months) of: Variables 0 (birth) 3 (weaning) 12 24 N 1 639 934 1 040 275 Overall 2.08 (±0.04) 7.22 (±0.37) 16.2 (±0.41) 24.2 (±0.27) Sex NS NS * ***

Female 2.06 (±0.06) 7.01 (±0.66) 15.4 (±0.64) 23.2 (±0.27) Male 2.10 (±0.04) 7.43 (±0.31) 17.0 (±0.50) 25.3 (±0.46)

Birth type **** **** **** – Single 2.51 (±0.01)a 9.58 (±0.09)a 17.7 (±0.13)a – Twin 2.08 (±0.02)b 6.96 (±0.14)b 15.5 (±0.25)b – Triples 1.65 (±0.10)c 5.12 (±1.08)b 15.3 (±1.18)b –

Birth year **** **** **** – Birth season (within year)

**** **** **** –

Sex × Birth Type NS NS *** – a, b, c, d Column means with different superscript differ significantly at indicated p-value: *P<0.05; ***P<0.001; ****P<0.0001; NS = not significant (P>0.05). Key: (–) = data not available.

Table 3. Least squares means (± S.E.) of body weight (in kg) at different ages by age, sex, birth type, and birth year for the Horro sheep.

Weight at age (in months) of: Variables 0 (birth) 3 (weaning) 12 24 N 1 135 643 464 88 Overall 2.31 (±0.09) 8.74 (±0.43) 16.1 (±1.27) 26.6 (±0.62) Sex NS * *** **

Female 2.26 (±0.16) 8.55 (±0.44) 15.5 (±1.30) 24.7 (±0.46) Male 2.35 (±0.08) 8.93 (±0.43) 16.8 (±1.27) 28.5 (±1.15)

Birth type **** **** ** – Single 2.85 (±0.02)a 10.47 (±0.11)a 19.1 (±0.21)a – Twin 2.31 (±0.03)b 8.29 (±0.19)b 18.0 (±0.42)b – Triples 1.76 (±0.27)c 7.47 (±1.26)b 11.3 (±3.76)b –

Birth year **** **** **** – Birth season (within year)

*** **** ** –

Sex × Birth type NS – – – a, b, c Column means with different superscript differ significantly at indicated p-value: *P<0.05; **P<0.01, ***P<0.001; ****P<0.0001; NS = not significant (P>0.05). Key: (–) = data not available.

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Tibbo et al.

animals but higher than the 1.8 kg reportedby Mukasa-Mugerwa et al. (1994) foron-station animals and 1.76 kg reported byMekoya et al. (2000) for animals underon-farm management conditions. Likewise,birth weight for Horro was similar to the2.3 kg reported by Abegaz (1991) foron-station animals. Weaning weight forHorro sheep was slightly higher than the8.21 kg reported by Awgichew (2000). Thelower performance of Horro sheep in thishigher altitude as compared to reports on thesame breed from its original habitat inwestern Ethiopia might be related to pooradaptability of the breed to the studyenvironment.

Testicular and linear bodymeasurements

Testicular measurements on the fourvariables increased continuously from 3 to24 months of age, and except for lambs of

3 months of age, for all the variables theHorro had larger (at least P<0.05) valuesthan those of the Menz in all age categories.Birth type, birth year and season (withinyear) had a significant effect on the size oftesticular measurements, whereby singlelambs consistently had significantly largervalues than multiple births (Table 4). Arelated study (Toe et al., 2000; Rege et al.,2000) reported that lambs born as singleshad lower proportion of spermatozoa tailabnormalities and lower spermatozoamortality than did those as multiples. Thesame authors reported that lambs born in thewet season produced semen with the highestmass spermatozoa motility and highestconcentration.

All the linear body measurements (HG,WH, PW, CD and DLP-ATR) increased from3 to 24 months of age (Table 5).

Figure 4. Horro ram at Bako Agricultural Research Centre.


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Reproductive performance

Reproductive performance of this flock wasreported earlier (Mukasa-Mugerwa et al.,2002); the average lambing rates (lambsborn/ewes mated) of 2 516 matings of Menzewes and 2 374 matings of Horro ewes over10 lamb crops were 87% and 81%,respectively. Similarly the fertility rates (eweslambing/ewes mated) and litter size werefound to be 73% and 1.13 for Menz and 65%and 1.14 for Horro sheep. Averagepre-weaning mortality rates were 17% and32% for Menz and Horro, respectively. Theperformance of Horro sheep in these traitswere lower than those reported by Abegazand Duguma (2002) and Abegaz et al. (2002)from the Bako Research Centre, which isfound in the same agro-ecological zone of thecentre of distribution of the Horro sheep.This can be explained by the fact that theDebre Berhan Research Station has a higheraltitude and colder microclimate than homehabitat of Horro sheep.

ConclusionsUsing a large and high quality datagenerated over six years this study provides acomprehensive analysis of the physicalcharacteristics, body weight and growth ofthe indigenous Horro and Menz sheepbreeds from Ethiopian highlands, but theHorro away from its home tract while theMenz in its home tract. The results show thatthe Horro sheep were larger than the Menzat all ages by as much as 6 to 18%. In bothbreeds, lambs born single were heavier thanthose born as twins or triplets and that maleswere consistently heavier and larger in sizethan females.

AcknowledgmentsThe authors would like to acknowledge staffof the ILRI Debre Berhan station and LemmaMekonnen, Eshetu Zerihun, Amare Kelemu,

Yenesew Mekoya for contributions to animalcare, data collection, and data entry. ILRIanimal genetics research is principallyfunded by programme grants from theUnited Kingdom, Japan, the EuropeanUnion, Ireland and France and core fundingfrom the CGIAR investors.

ReferencesAbegaz, S. 1991. Effect of weaning age

on 6-month weight of Horro lambs.IAR/NLIC Proceedings (Ethiopia). no. 3.Institute of Agricultural Research, AddisAbaba (Ethiopia), 75–77.

Abegaz, S. & Gemeda, D. 2002.Genetic and phenotypic parameters ofgrowth, reproductive and survivalperformance of Horro sheep at BakoAgricultural Research Centre. ResearchFellowship Report, Animal GeneticResources Group, International LivestockResearch Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa,Ethiopia, February 2002.

Abegaz S., Duguma G., Negussie E.,Gelmesa U., Terefe F. & Rege J.E.O. 2002.Factors affecting reproductive performanceand estimates of genetic parameters of littersize in Horro sheep. Journal of AgriculturalScience (Camb.) 139(01), 79–85.

Awgichew, K. 1985. The status ofsheep and goat research in Ethiopia. In:Kebede, B. (Ed.), Research and Developmentin Ethiopia. Institute for AgriculturalResearch, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, pp. 49–61.

Awgichew, K. 2000. Comparativeperformance evaluation of Horro and Menzsheep of Ethiopia under grazing andintensive feeding conditions. PhD Thesis.Humboldt-Universitat. Berlin (Germany),pp. 159

DAGRIS (Domestic Animal GeneticResources Information System). 2003.Version I. Available: http://dagris.ilri.cgiar.org/dagris. Accessed in May2003.

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Epstein, H. 1971. The origin of thedomestic animals of Africa Volume II.Africana Publishing Corporation. New York.London. Munich, 110–125.

FAO. 2001. FAO production yearbook.Vol 53, 1999. FAO Statistics Series. no. 156.FAO. Rome (Italy), pp. 245.

Coulter, G.H. & Foote, R.H., 1979.Bovine testicular measurements as indicatorof reproductive performance and theirrelationship to productive traits in cattle: areview. Theriogenology 11, 297–311.

Galal, E. 1983. Sheep germplasm inEthiopia. UNEP/FAO Animal GeneticResources Newsletter 1, 4–12.

Hassen, Y., Sölkner, J., Gizaw, S. &Baumung, R. 2002. Performance of crossbredand indigenous sheep under villageconditions in the cool highlands ofcentral-northern Ethiopia: growth, birth andbody weights. Small Ruminant Research 43,195-202.

Lemma, S., Awgichew, K., Worku, G.,Kitila, A. & Fletcher, I. 1989. Comparativeevaluation of Menz and Awassi x Menzcrossbred sheep: 1. Birth weight, weaningweight, and wool production. IARProceedings. Institute of AgriculturalResearch, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), pp. 82-86.

Mason, I.L. & Maule, J.P. 1960. Theindigenous livestock of eastern and SouthernAfrica. Common wealth AgriculturalBureaux. Farnham Royal, Bucks England.

Mekoya, A., Yami, A. & Hedge, P.B.2000. Growth performance and mortality ofMenz sheep in the traditional sector of LalloMama Mider woreda, north Shewa. ESAPProceedings (Ethiopia). ESAP. EthiopianSociety of Animal Production, Addis Ababa.Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), pp. 211–219.

Mukasa-Mugerwa, E. & Ezaz, Z.1991. Resumption of post-partum oestrousbehaviour and associated plasmaprogesterone profiles in Menz ewes. AnimalProduction (UK). 52(2), 297–300.

Mukasa-Mugerwa, E., Said, A.N.,Lahlou-Kassi, A., Sherington, J. & Mutiga,E.R. 1994. Birth weight as a risk factor forperinatal lamb mortality, and the effects ofstage of pregnant ewe supplementation andgestation weight gain in Ethiopian Menzsheep. Preventive Veterinary Medicine (TheNetherlands). 19(1), 45–56.

Mukasa-Mugerwa, E.,Lahlou-Kassi, A., Anindo, D, Rege, J.E.O.,Tembely, S., Tibbo, M. & Baker R.L. 2000.Between and within breed variation in lambsurvival and the risk factors associated withmajor causes of mortality in indigenousHorro and Menz sheep in Ethiopia. SmallRuminant Research 37, 1–12.

Mukasa-Mugerwa E., Anindo D.,Sovani S., Lahlou-Kassi A., Tembely S.,Rege J.E.O. & Baker R.L. 2002.Reproductive performance and productivityof Menz and Horro sheep lambing in the wetand dry seasons in the highlands of Ethiopia.Small Ruminant Research 45, 261–271.

Rege, J.E.O., Toe, F.,Mukasa-Mugerwa, E., Tembely, S.,Anindo, D., Baker, R.L. & Lahlou-Kassi, A.2000. Reproductive characteristics ofEthiopian highland sheep. II. Geneticparameters of semen characteristics and theirrelationships with testicular measurements inram lambs. Small Ruminant Research 37,173–187.

Rege, J.E.O., Tembely, S.,Mukasa-Mugerwa, E., Sovani, S.,Anindo, D., Lahlou-Kassi, A., Nagda, S. &Baker, R.L. 2002. Effect of breed and seasonon production and response to infectionswith gastro-intestinal nematode parasites insheep in the highlands of Ethiopia. LivestockProduction Science. 78, 159–174.

SAS (Statistical Analysis System)Institute Inc. 1998. SAS/STAT ProceduresGuide for Personal Computers, 8th edition,Cary, NC.

Tembely, S., Lahlou-Kassi, A.,Rege, J.E.O., Mukasa-Mugerwa, E.,Anindo, A., Sovani, S. & Baker, R.L. 1998.


Breed and season effects on theperi-parturient rise in nematode egg outputin indigenous ewes in a cool tropicalenvironment. Veterinary Parasitology 77,123–132.

Tibbo, M., Mukasa-Mugerwa, E.,Woldemeskel, M. & Rege, J.E.O. 2003. Riskfactors for mortality associated withrespiratory disease among Menz and Horrosheep in Ethiopia. The Veterinary Journal.165(3), 276–287.

Toe, F., Rege, J.E.O.,Mukasa-Mugerwa, E., Tembely, S.,Anindo, D., Baker, R.L. & Lahlou-Kassi, A.2000. Reproductive characteristics ofEthiopian highland sheep. I. Geneticparameters of testicular measurements inram lambs and relationship with age atpuberty in ewe lambs. Small RuminantResearch 36, 227–240.

Wilson, R.T. 1991. Small ruminantproductions and the small ruminant geneticresource in tropical Africa. FAO AnimalProduction and Health Paper. no. 88. FAO,Rome (Italy), pp. 231.

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AGRI 2004, 35: 75-85

Changthangi Goats: A rich source ofpashmina production in Ladakh

T.K. Bhattacharya, S.S. Misra, F.D. Sheikh, P. Kumar & A. Sharma

Animal Genetics Division, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar,Bareilly, U.P.-243122, India

SummaryPashmina, internationally known as“cashmere”, a fine luxury fibre, is beingproduced from Changthangi goats bred inthe Ladakh region of India. The Leh districtof Greater Ladakh produces around30 000 kg of pashmina fibre which isharvested from about 0.15 millionChangthangi goats reared by the Changpanomads in Changthang region of GreaterLadakh. Changthangi goats are sometimesalso called Changra goats. Pashminaproducing goats are of great importance forrevitalising the economy of the povertystricken region of Changthang and the Lehdistrict of Ladakh. The information onChangthangi goats was collected from bothsmall and large-scale farmers in Ladakh, and337 animals were included in the study.

The body colour of Changthangi goatsvaries from white to light brown and nearlywhole body is covered with pashmina andlong hairs. The average birth weights of maleand female kids were estimated as 2.11 ± 0.3and 2.06 ± 0.2 kg, respectively while weightat 300 days was found to be 20.0 ± 2.1 and18.7 ± 1.9 kg in male and femalesrespectively.

The pashmina yields of bucks, does, malehoggets and female hoggets were estimatedas 402 ± 19 g, 248 ± 14 g, 255 ± 12 and280 ± 16 g, respectively. The length ofpashmina fibre was found to be4.25 ± 1.2 cm in males and 4.02 ± 1.5 cm infemales while fibre diameter in male andfemale goats was estimated as 12.9 ± 2.6 μand 13.0 ± 3.0 μ, respectively.

The twining rate was found to be verylow, nearly 0.3%. A preliminary study atDNA level with PCR-RFLP indicatedmonomorphism at the growth hormonegene. The occurrence of disease was quitelow although some genetic deformities in thisbreed were not uncommon.

ResumenLa “pashmina”, fibra lujosa conocidainternazionalmente como “cashmere”, seproduce a partir del pelo de las cabras deraza Changthangi provenientes de la regiónde Ladakh en la India. En el districto de Leh,en la zona Alta de Ladakh, se producenarlededor de 30 000 kg de fibra pashminaproveniente de 0,15 millones de cabrasChangthangi criadas por los nómadasChangpa en la región de Changthan en lazona Alta de Ladakh. Esta raza de cabrasChanthangi a veces es conocida tambiéncomo Changra. La producción de pashminaes de gran importancia para revitalizar laeconomía de gran pobreza de la región deChangthang. La información sobre las cabrasChangthangi se base en datos provenientestanto de pequeñas como medianasganaderías del Ladakh y comprende paraeste estudio 337 animales.

La capa de las cabras Changthangi varíadel blanco al marrón claro y a menudo todoel cuerpo está cubierto de pelo largo depashmina. El peso medio al nacimiento delmacho y de la hembra ha sido estimado en

76Changthangi Goats for pashmina production

2,11 ± 0,3 y 2,06 ± 0,2 kg, respectivamente;mientras que el peso a los 300 días fue de20,0 ± 2,1 y 18,7 ± 1,9 kg, respectivamente.

El rendimiento medio de pashmina en elmacho cabrío, en la cabra, y en los jóvenesmachos y hembras se estimó en 402 ± 19,248 ± 14, 255 ± 12 y 280 ± 16 g,respectivamente. La longitud de la fibra depashmina fue de 4,25 ± 1,2 cm en los machosy 4,02 ± 1,5 cm en las hembras, mientras queel diámetro en los machos y hembras fue de12,9 ± 2,6 μ y 13,0 ± 3,0 μ, respectivamente.

La media de partos dobles fue muy baja,alrededor del 0,3%. Un primer estudio delnivel de ADN con PCR-RFLP indicó unmonomorfismo en el gen de la hormona decrecimiento. El nivel de enfermedad en estaraza es bastante bajo a pesar de la presenciacomún de algunas deformidades genéticas.

Keywords: Changthangi goat, Evolution,Growth, Pashmina, PCR-RFLP, Production,Reproduction.

IntroductionPashmina internationally known as“cashmere”, a fine luxury fibre, is beingproduced from Changthangi goats bred in

the Ladakh region of India. The word“pashmina” is of Persian origin. Literally“pashm” means wool and “pashmina” meanswoolen in the English language. The Lehdistrict of Greater Ladakh produces around30 000 kg of pashmina fibre every yearwhich is harvested from about 0.15 million ofChangthangi goats reared by the Changpanomads in Changthang region of GreaterLadakh. Ladakhi pashmina fibre is relativelylonger and finer, and this allows theKashmiri weavers to spin the fibres moreeasily when preparing various wintergarments. The fibre has three times theinsulating values of the finest wool on acomparable weight basis and also possesses90% of the strength of merino wool and 60%of the strength of mohair. The importance ofthis valuable fibre was discovered byEuropeans during 17th century (Ali, 2000).The craftsmen in Kashmir had developedtheir own technique to process the rawmaterial and used it for the manufacture ofshawls. Thousands of artisans in this regionare involved in preparing shawls and theprofits from the pashmina business sustainthousands of artisan families, the alternativeagricultural opportunities in Changthangbeing few. People in Changthang rear largeherds of goats and continue to migrate alongspecific routes in search of better pasture for

Figure 1. The breeding tract of the Changthangi goat are the Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh.

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their livestock. The available pasture wassufficient for the number of livestock rearedin Changthang by the Changpas till 1959,but during Chinese invasion in 1962 asubstantial number of people from westernTibet migrated to the Changthang area alongwith their livestock (Anonymous, 2000).They settled in Changthang and ultimatelyextra stocking of livestock on limited pasturescaused damage to the pasture land due toovergrazing.

However, Changthangi goats aresometimes also called Changra goats. Thesegoats are of great importance for revitalisingthe economy of the poverty stricken region ofChangthang and the Leh district of Ladakh.Keeping these facts in mind a survey wasconducted to evaluate the performance ofChangthangi goats in the Ladakh region.

Materials and MethodsA survey was carried out in some areas ofChangthang region of Ladakh in 2002. Theinformation on Changthangi goats wascollected from both small and large-scalefarmers in Ladakh, and 337 animals wereincluded in the study. The records werecollected through interviews with villagefarmers. The records included birth weight,body measurement at birth, kidding, yield ofpashmina, staple length and diameter,disease occurrence etc. The data wasanalysed statistically to estimate mean andstandard deviation of the traits. In addition,5 ml blood samples were collected from10 male and 10 female goats kept at thevillagers’ homes (10 herds) and transportedto the laboratory on ice. Genomic DNA was

Figure 2. A landscape of Changthang region, characterised by undulations with ruggedterrains and is bifurcated by the Indus River.


isolated from the blood and a preliminarystudy at DNA level was conductedemploying the polymerase chainreaction-restriction fragment lengthpolymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique at thegrowth hormone locus (Bhattacharya, 1999).

Results and Discussion

Native area

The native areas of the Changthangi goat arethe Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh(Figure 1). The Nyoma block of theChangthang subdivision, comprising22 villages/hamlets and the Durbook block,comprising 12 villages specifically Chushul,Kargium and Phobrang are the mainpashmina producing zones of Ladakh. In theDurbook block the population ofChangthangi goats is nearly 40 000. Besidesthe Leh block, the Khaltsi block particularlythe Lingshet, Fotoksar and Tia villages, and

the Nobra block especially the Diggar,Tangyar, Khardang and Panamic villages ofthe Leh district are also supplementing thepashmina production of Ladakh.

Topography

Ladakh is located in a Himalayan range ofmountains at an altitude of 3 000 to 6 000 mabove mean sea level. The total area ofChangthang is about 20 000 km2, whichconstitutes about 33% of the total area of theJammu and Kashmir State in India. The soilof this region is sandy in nature coupled withbrown rocks. It is a plateaued region,characterised by undulations with ruggedterrains and is bifurcated by the Indus Riverwhere glacier melt water runs throughoutthe year (Figure 2).

The annual rainfall in this area is quitelow i.e. up to 8-9 cm, while the temperaturevaries from 35°C in summer to -40°C inwinter. The Dras area of Ladakh is one of the

Figure 3. Herds of Changthangi at grazing.

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coldest places in the world withtemperatures during the winter seasonreaching as low as -50°C. Snowfall is a verycommon phenomenon in winter. The highwind velocity with a low precipitation rate,low humidity, low oxygen tension andfluctuating temperature makes the climatemost inhospitable to man and livestock. Thisarea abounds in pasture grass but vegetativecover is very thin. Its distinct flora and faunamakes it one of the most unique places in theworld. The area has an excessive surfacewater system but due to rugged terrain, avery insignificant fraction of water is utilisedfor irrigation. Thus only a poor standard ofagriculture has been possible along the waterchannels which have a perennial supply ofmelted glacier water. The whole Ladakhregion is interspersed with small villagehamlets which look like oases in the desert.

Breed evolution

The Changthangi goat of Ladakh is highlyadapted to the environmental conditions ofthe area. The animals are very stout and canwalk long distances every day in search ofpasture grasses and herbs. It is believed thatthis goat evolved as a result of unplannedcrossing between wild caprines like Markhovand Bazoar (Sharif, 2000). Some people alsobelieve that the Ibex goat has contributedsome genetics to this breed formation as thehorn pattern and body colour ofChangthangi goat are similar.

Management practices

The hardy and agile Changthangi animalsare well adapted to the migratory lifepracticed under difficult conditions by

Figure 4. Animals in the open air with wire fencing.


Changpas. The Changpas live in theirtraditional “Rebo” which consists of acircular tent with a heating arrangement inthe centre. The herds are taken out each dayfor grazing (Figure 3) stay there throughoutthe day and return to the villages orencampment by night. The herds remainmigratory throughout the year and thegrazing areas during summer and winterhave been properly earmarked. Theimportant pasture species found in the areaare grasses such as Poa pratensis , Festucarubra, Bromus macrostachy,Elymus sibiricus,Agropyron lange-aristatum etc ; legumes suchas Astragalus tribulifolius, Oxytropismicrophylla, Cicer microphylum etc; andbushes such as Caragana vesicolor, Myricariagermonica, Myricaria prostrata etc... (Mir,2000). The harsh natural conditions inducethe animals to produce an undercoat inorder to insulate themselves against the chillyweather. The animals are well adapted tosurvive on a poor and sparse diet, preferringscrub to richer grass. Normally goats moult

at the beginning of the summer season,combing is then done by the end of winterwith the aid of a combing device to get themaximum yield of pashmina.

The sexual cycle is dependent onphotoperiodism and is triggered by thedecreasing day length, the animals becomingsexually active from June onwards. Thus,breeding normally takes place during themonth of November and December andkidding takes place during the April-May.During this time 98% of kiddings arecompleted and the kid mortality has beenfound to be very low, i.e.3%. For mating, onebuck is sufficient to breed 40 does.

Weaning of the young is normallypracticed at the age of four months. Theaverage daily milk production was observedas nearly 700 ml/animal with a lactationlength of 5 months. The animals arenormally kept in the open air with wirefencing (Figure 4). Normally highlandgrazing was followed during the month ofJuly to September (Figure 5) while pasture

Figure 5. Highland grazing is followed during the months of July to September.

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grazing in lowland areas is undertakenduring May to June and October toDecember. From January to April, goats areconfined to stall feeding due to the very coldweather and snowfall. During stall feeding,the average amount of concentrate given toindividual animals daily was estimated as500 g for bucks, 400 g for does and 300 g foryoung animals, while daily fodder given toeach individual averaged 1.5 kg to bucks and1 kg each to does and young animals.

Morphological characters

The body colour of Changthangi goat variesfrom white to light brown (Figure 6) with88% of the goats being white in colour and12% having a light brown colour. The colourof the head varied from white to black withsome animals having a grey head. At thetime of birth, the length of the animal wasfound to be 26.0 ± 0.2 cm while the height atwither and girth at chest were estimated as

Figure 6. The body colour of Changthangi goat varies from white to light brown.

27.7 ± 2.0 cm and 29.9 ± 1.6 cm, respectively.Darokhan and Tomar (1983a) reportedcomparatively lower chest girth and bodylength and higher height at wither at birth.The whole body was found to be coveredwith a fine undercoat of pashmina and longhair. The face and muzzle were devoid ofhair. The ears were small, erect and stumpywhile the horns possessed a typicalcharacter. The horn curved first upwardthen backward, downward and onward.The body was found to be straight andheavy.

Growth performance

The birth weight of male kid was foundhigher than that of female kid (Table 1).Kumar (2000) reported slightly higherestimate of birth weight while Darokhan andTomar (1983a) found lower birth weight forboth male and female kids. Our findings ofaverage weaning weight of male and female


0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1st year 2nd year 3rd year

Wo

ol

yiel

d (

g)

Figure 7. Pashmina wool production.

Table 1. Mean performance of Changthangi goats

Characters Mean ± S.E. Birth weight of male kid (kg) 2.11 ± 0.3 (63) Birth weight of female kid (kg) 2.06 ± 0.2 (61) Weight at weaning of male kid(kg) 13.8 ± 1.2 (53) Weight at weaning of female kid(kg) 13.1± 1.1 (58) Mature body weight of male at 300 days of age (kg) 20.0 ± 2.1 (51) Mature body weight of female at 300 days of age (kg) 18.7± 1.9 (51) Pashmina yield by buck (g) 402± 19 (51) Pashmina yield by doe (g) 248± 14 (51) Pashmina yield by male hogget (g) 255± 12 (53) Pashmina yield by female hogget (g) 280± 16 (58) Staple length of pashmina in male (cm) 4.25 ± 1.2 (104) Staple length of pashmina in female (cm) 4.02 ± 1.5 (109) Diameter of pashmina fibre in male (μ) 12.9± 2.6 (104) Diameter of pashmina fibre in female (μ) 13.0± 3.0 (109) Twining rate (%) 0.3 (104 births)

Figures within parenthesis indicate the number of animals.

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Bhattacharya et al.

goats were similar to the findings of Kumar(2000). The average body weight at 300 daysof age was found to be higher than theestimates reported by Kumar (2000).

Production parameters

The pashmina yields of bucks, does, malehoggets and female hoggets are presented inTable 1 and the fibre yield of differentclippings in Figure 8. Kumar (2000) reporteda slightly lower pashmina yield by bucks anda relatively higher yield by does. Misra et al.(1998) described clipping fibre yield as78 ± 6 g, 15.9 ± 9 g, 227 ± 9 g, 191 ± 10 g and195 ± 20 g in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th clippings.While considering yearly yield, the pashminaproduction during the third year was highest(Figure 7) and this trend was similar to thefindings of Misra et al. (1998).The staple length of pashmina fibre wasfound to be higher than the findings reportedby Kumar (2000) while Darokhan andTomar (1983b) revealed a significantly higherstaple length than our estimates. The lengthof fibre was observed as higher in males thanfemales, which was similar to the reportspublished by Kumar (2000). The fibrediameter in male and female goat wasestimated as slightly lower than the findingsstated by Kumar (2000). Acharya andSharma (1980) revealed a significantly higherestimate of staple diameter. Koul et al. (1987)reported the number of primary andsecondary follicles per sq. mm area as 4, 6and 30, 39 in male and female Changthangigoats, respectively. Kumar (2000) estimatedthe percentage of down and scouring yield(%) in male and female goat as 53 ± 19,49 ± 19 and 85 ± 9, 84 ± 9, respectively.

Reproductive parameters

The reproductive traits of animals are animportant part of the farmers’ ability tomaintain the farm systematically and makethe farming enterprise a profitable business.Kumar (2000) reported the age at first

tupping, age at first kidding, gestationperiod, kidding interval and litter size ofChangthangi goat as 668 ± 18 days,830 ± 13 days, 152 days, 397 ± 7 days and 1,respectively. The percentage of female livebirths was found to be 49 %. The twinningrate was observed as very low (Table 1),lower than the results revealed by Misra et al.(1998). However, the majority of the kiddingwas completed between November andDecember, while Misra et al. (1998) reportedkidding in the month of September andOctober. The farmers prefer natural servicewhere one buck was sufficient to breed40 does.

Economics of pashmina production

As the major profession of people inChangthang is pastoral farming, a significantpercentage of pashmina goats are reared inthe Changthang region of Ladakh. Almost90% of the population of the Changthangarea survives on the income from goats andsheep, which is nearly $ 8.4 million annually.Ladakh produces more than 80% of the totalpashmina yield of the country. Thepashmina prices have dwindled and swungbetween extremes during the last decade.The price of raw pashmina was $ 63/kgduring 1993-94, $25/kg during 1996-97 and$17/kg today (Samphel, 2000). This pricetrend is mainly due to the involvement ofmiddlemen. Unfortunately the local industrydoes not consume more than 5% of thewhole production and the remainingpashmina is being sold outside Ladakhthrough middlemen. Thus, the real benefit isgoing to the middlemen while the end usersand low-income growers are being exploited.The highest yield of pashmina per animalwas found to be from breeding bucks anddoes while the returns i.e. benefit cost ratiowas highest in castrated bucks i.e. 1.49(Rs. 765.02) followed by does i.e. 1.37(Rs. 653.99) and breeding bucks i.e. 1.14(Rs. 254.87) (Wani et al., 1999).


Study at DNA level

A molecular study at the growth hormonegene locus with polymerase chainreaction-restriction fragment lengthpolymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was conductedat 223 bp fragment spanning over the fourthquarter of 4th intron and almost the whole5th exon except last triplet codon of thegrowth hormone gene. The results revealedthe presence of two bands of 171 and 52 bpat agarose gel electrophoresis (Figure 8)indicating monomorphism at this locus withthe genotypic frequency of 1.00. Themonomorphism may be due to fixation of theallele in the goat population over the yearsunder natural selection. Presence of twobands indicated the existence of one cleavagesite of Alu I restriction enzyme at thefragment under study.

Disease prevalence

Occurrence of diseases was found to be quitelow in Changthangi goats. Most of theproblems were related to growth, wherestunted and retarded animals were common.Sometimes, animals were found to besuffering from diarrhoea which might be dueto parasites or poisonous grasses. In kids,tapeworm, roundworm and coccidiainfestation was also observed. Theoccurrence of pox and FMD was not socommon. In large farms, vaccination wasfollowed for FMD and pox. Circling disease(Gid) caused by Coenurus cerebralis was acommon incidence in Changthangi goats.Tick infestation was sometimes found.Deworming with anthelmintics and dippingwith some antiparasitic drugs twice a yearwas being followed in some of the organisedfarms. However, these veterinary activitieswere not so common among the poorer smallvillage farmers, who have a correspondinglyhigher mortality in their animals. Sometimes,genetic defects like cryptorchidism, stumpyear, short legs, prognathism and mixture ofbody colour were found in some animals.

ConclusionPashmina, as a valuable fibre being producedby Changthangi goat, should be marketedproperly in order to help the farmers derivegreater economic benefit. Fodder banks maybe established to supply fodder to thefarmers during lean periods. A properlymanaged and well planned breedingprogramme should be adopted to enhancethe performance of Changthangi goat. Fieldprogeny testing should be taken up toproduce good quality proven bucks whichcan be used to improve the local goatpopulation.

Figure 8. A molecular study at the growthhormone gene locus with polymerase chainreaction-restriction fragment lengthpolymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results show thepresence of two bands of 171 and 52 bp atagarose gel electrophoresis.

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List of ReferencesAcharya, R.M. & V.D. Sharma. 1980.

Note on pashmina production and its qualityfrom Changthangi pashmina goats. IndianJournal of Animal Sciences 50: 586-587.

Ali, M. 2000. Brief note on Pashmina(Cashmere wool). Proceedings of NationalLevel Seminar on “Development ofpashmina wool in Ladakh” held at Leh,Ladakh, 19-21 June, 2000, pp. 75-81.

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on-station characterisation of indigenous menz and … · y 24 meses de vida. se incluyeron en los...

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