Adaptive dynamics of indigenous sheep in Canary Islands, Spain: A machine learning approach.

The objective of the study was to characterize the adaptive profile of Ibero-American sheep of the Canaria breed, evaluating the possible changes in thermoregulatory responses and coat characteristics to which the animals are exposed in the different seasons of the year. Data collected over a period of 12 months were analyzed, with information being observed in the interval of 15 days of each month, in 23 adult ewes kept in an intensive breeding system. The rectal temperature (RT) of Canaria ewes was higher (P < 0.001) in the summer and spring seasons. In contrast, the respiratory rate (RR) of the animals was higher in autumn. The surface temperature (ST) of the herd was lower during the spring. It was observed that the hair length (HL) and the hair density (NH) did not vary during the seasons. However, the hair diameter (HD) and the coat thickness (CT) varied, being in the spring, the season in which the animals had the highest HD and autumn, the season in which they had the lowest. The performance was similar throughout the seasons (P > 0.05). The morphological variables of the coat presented 63.8% of original cases grouped, which may characterize the morphological responses of the coat of these animals as an important trait of the adaptive profile of the breed, whereas the opposite occurred for thermoregulatory responses. The variables most used by the herd and that were most important were autumn (CT, NH, HD, HR, RT, and HL), summer (ST and RR), spring (RR, ST, and RT), and winter (RT, HD, HR, and RR). Sheep of the Canaria breed have an adaptive profile that dynamically uses thermoregulatory and morphological responses, molding themselves according to climate changes resulting from seasonal periods on the Island of Tenerife, Spain. The Canaria sheep stood out for the modification of the morphological characteristics of the coat, especially during autumn and spring, and can be considered an excellent genetic resource with excellent adaptive characteristics for arid environments such as those found in the Canary Islands.

Phenotypic selection of Brahman bulls: Adaptive typification for breeding programs.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between adaptive and productive performance and determine which characteristics related to adaptation could be included as criteria for the selection of Brahman bulls managed in a tropical region. Fifty Brahman bulls were evaluated in relation to productive performance and adaptive capacity to a hot environment. The animals were grouped according to the following characteristics: Respiratory rate (RR), Sweating rate (SR) and coat traits. Three clusters were formed with these different characteristics related to thermoregulation after that these clusters were compared with productive performance that includes weighing of animals, carcass and scrotal circumference. The high adapted group corresponded to the animals with higher productive performance, with heavier animals in terms of weight at 550 days and carcass weight. The principal components analysis (PCA1) showed that carcass weight (0.95), weight at 550 days (0.92) and gain weight (0.71) were characteristics strongly correlated with the performance of the animals. These sets of characteristics were analyzed together (productive characteristics) in a multiple regression. The animals with better productive performance presented shorter hair, a greater capacity to heat dissipate by sweating and a lower rectal temperature. These characteristics were most suitable to inclusion in the breeding programs, resulting in higher economic gains. It is possible to simultaneously select resistant animals to thermal stress as well as to maintain the productivity of the flocks.

Genetic diversity evolution of a sheep breed reintroduced after extinction: Tracing back Christopher Columbus' first imported sheep.

New World's hair sheep breeds may genetically stem from West African introgression into established ecotypes of Spanish descent presumably extinct in the XIX Century. However, present Canary non-wooled breeds have presumably regressively resulted from the absorption of primitive individuals through Venezuelan descendants. We studied genetic diversity, structure, and evolution of the Canary hair sheep since its reintroduction in the 1950s. Demographic and genetic variability were evaluated using ENDOG (v4.8). Effective population size based on individual inbreeding rate was around one third higher than when based on individual coancestry rate. Nei's distances and equivalent subpopulations number indicated a highly-structured population. Although genetic diversity loss since the founder generations could be considered small, narrower pedigree bottlenecks could result from intraflock breeding policies and excessive contribution of few ancestors. Long generation intervals could be considered when reducing inbreeding. Wright's fixation statistics indicated slight interflock inbreeding. Pedigree completeness suggested genetic parameters were reliable, hence controlling inbreeding negative effects, could indeed, be crucial preserving these animal resources, consolidating the population in the archipelago after reintroduction.