Cashmere production of the Himalayan Cheghus.

Pashmina (cashmere) production data of Cheghu goats maintained at 2,400 m altitude at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Mukteswar, were analysed. The least-squares means for the first, second and third yield were 72.59 +/- 1.77 g, 110.50 +/- 2.60 g and 126.54 +/- 3.15 g respectively. The sire effect on different yields was not significant. Year of birth was found to influence all the three yields significantly. Seasons in different years had variable effect on yields. Difference between sex was not significant for the first but was highly significant for the second and third yields. Intraclass regression showed that sex within age at first combing had no effect on the first but significantly influenced the second and third yields.

Follicle characteristics of non-woolly Indian goats.

Skin follicular studies of four non-woolly Indian goat breeds are reported. The number of primary follicles ranged from 2 to 14 mm-2 with an overall mean of 6.40 +/- 0.22. Secondary follicles per mm2 ranged from 1 to 23 with an overall mean of 9.48 +/- 0.55. The secondary/primary follicle ratios (S/P) for Black Bengal, Jamnapari, Barbari and Sirohi goats were 1.57 +/- 0.21, 1.15 +/- 0.16, 1.61 +/- 0.21 and 2.04 +/- 0.21, respectively, with an overall mean of 1.59 +/- 0.99. The corresponding values for the total follicles per mm2 for the four breeds were 16.83 +/- 1.39, 15.86 +/- 1.08, 17.66 +/- 1.41 and 13.19 +/- 1.41 with an overall mean of 15.88 +/- 0.66. Per cent primaries were lowest in Sirohi and highest in Jamnapari goats. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences between breeds for the number of primary follicles and S/P ratio. Sex differences and the interaction between breed x sex were not significant for any of the follicle traits studied. On the basis of follicle characteristics the non-woolly short-haired goats offer a reasonable scope for crossing with fibre goats, and Sirohi goats possibly have better skin quality for leather conversion than other goat breeds studied.

Follicle and fibre characteristics of Indian pashmina goats.

The hair follicle and fibre characteristics of Cheghu and Changthangi pashmina goats are reported. The average numbers of primary follicles mm-2 were 6.80, 5.20, 5.67 and 4.00; secondary follicles 42.40, 27.10, 38.56 and 29.67; secondary to primary follicle ratio 6.46, 5.78, 6.79 and 7.60; total follicle population 49.20, 32.30, 44.22 and 33.67 in Cheghu females, Cheghu males, Changthangi females and Changthangi males, respectively. The breed difference was not significant for any of these traits, but the sex difference was significant for a number of secondary follicles and total density. Study of fleece characteristics of Cheghu goats in a 1 cm2 area of five body regions, namely, neck, shoulder, mid-side, flank and abdomen, showed that females had finer fibres (12.06 to 12.12 micron) than males (13.04 to 13.64 micron) in all regions. The pashmina length, pashmina diameter and fibre thickness ratio were significantly different between sexes and between body regions but hair/pashmina ratio and pashmina yield were significant for sex and body regions, respectively.

Polycystic liver disease in golden hamsters.

Seven cases of multiple hepatic cysts of varying sizes and shapes were recorded in a closed colony of golden hamsters. Ante-mortem examination failed to show any clinical signs except for abdominal enlargement in one hamster. Multiple, thin-walled cysts of varying sizes (0.25 to 3.0 cm) and shape were observed in the liver. The larger cysts protruded from the liver surfaces and contained a colourless, clear, serous fluid and caused pathological change in 5-60 per cent of the hepatic parenchyma. Microscopically, the cysts were uni- or multilocular and lined by low cuboidal or flattened epithelial cells. The hepatic parenchyma around cysts showed pressure atrophy, necrosis, engorged sinusoids or other blood vessels or even haemorrhages, mild to extensive fatty or vacuolar degenerative changes and occasionally proliferation of biliary ducts.

Haematological studies on Indian pashmina goats.

Haematological studies were conducted on 61 clinically normal pashmina producing goats of the Cheghu breed, acclimatised to the temperate, humid climatic condition of Mukteswar, about 2400 m above sea level. The experimental goats comprised four age groups (birth to one month, six to nine months, three to five years and six to 10 years) of both sexes. The overall values, irrespective of age and sex, for the parameters examined were: red blood cells, 14.17 +/- 1.96 X 10(12) litre-1; haemoglobin, 7.46 +/- 0.79 g dl-1; packed cell volume, 0.31 +/- 0.04 litres litre-1; mean corpuscular volume, 21.62 +/- 2.46 fl; mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, 23.72 +/- 1.80 g dl-1; mean corpuscular haemoglobin, 5.11 +/- 0.67 pg; erythrocyte sedimentation rate, 0.00 mm at one hour; plasma protein 6.58 +/- 0.78 g dl-1; icterus index, 9.15 +/- 2.92 units; white blood cells 12.26 +/- 2.66 X 10(9) litre-1; absolute count of lymphocytes, 4.62 +/- 1.40; neutrophils, 5.91 +/- 2.84; monocytes, 0.38 +/- 0.15; eosinophils, 0.32 +/- 0.17 and basophils, 0.05 +/- 0.05 (X 10(9) litre-1). The sex of the animal did not affect the haematological parameters but the effect of age was evident. In newborn kids the haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin and packed cell volume values were higher and the total leucocyte count was lower than in other age groups. As the kids grew older lymphocyte numbers decreased while neutrophils increased.