Stress Factors and Their Effects on Productivity in Sheep.

Products obtained from sheep have an economically important place in the world. Their adaptability to different climatic conditions, their ease of care and feeding, their high utilization of poor pasture areas with low yield and quality, the ease of flock management, their high twinning rate, and their short intergenerational period are some of the advantages of sheep production. Sheep production has the ability to adapt better to environmental stress factors, as can be understood from the presence of sheep in different geographical regions at a global level. However, the changes in environmental conditions and production cause some negative results in animals. All these negative results expose animals to various stress factors (heat, cold, transport, treatment, nutritional, shearing, weaning, etc.). All stress factors that directly and indirectly affect sheep production ultimately lead to compromised performance, decreased productivity, increased mortality, and adverse effects on the immune system. In order to cope with the current stress parameters in animals and to achieve optimum production, a holistic approach is needed according to the environmental conditions and available resources. It is important to consider the factors involved in these responses in order to manage these processes correctly and to develop adequate strategies and improve sheep welfare. This review aimed to reveal the importance of some stress factors in sheep and their effects on sheep productivity.

Fatty acid profile and sensory properties of lamb meat from males of five indigenous breeds.

The objective of this study was to determine meat quality characteristics, fatty acid profiles, and sensory characteristics of 50 single-birth male lambs from five breeds: Artli ( n = 10 ), Çepni ( n = 10 ), Hemsin ( n = 10 ), Karayaka ( n = 10 ), and Of ( n = 10 ). At the beginning of the experiment, the average age and weight of the lambs were 120  ±  5 d and 30.7  ±  0.68 kg respectively. After 60 d of intensive fattening, the average live weight before slaughter was 40.96 kg  ±  0.76 kg. All evaluations were performed on samples from the longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle. There was no difference between breeds in terms of the pH values of the hot carcasses, whereas the cold carcass pH values were higher ( P < 0.001 ) in Hemsin animals than in the other breeds. Meat chemical properties (such as organic matter; dry matter; and fat, measured as the ether extract), physical properties (such as cooking loss; drip loss; and water-holding capacity, WHC), and instrumental values (such as colour, L * and b * values, chewiness, hardness, and resilience) were significantly affected by breed differences. Additionally, the differences between breeds were found to be significant in terms of the fatty acid composition and the evaluation of organoleptic properties, such as sensory characteristics, flavour, and juiciness of cooked (boiled or roasted) meat. The results show that lamb meat's physical, chemical, and sensory properties vary by breed. The differences found in the composition and presence of meat fatty acids between and within breeds can be used as a source of variation for future genetic improvement strategies.

Quality traits and fatty acid composition in meat of Hair Goat and Saanen × Hair Goat (G1) crossbred kids fattened in different systems.

In this study, meat quality traits and fatty acid compositions of Hair Goat and Saanen  × â€¯Hair Goat ( G 1 ) crossbred kids fattened under intensive, semi-intensive and extensive conditions were determined. For meat quality traits, differences in pH 24 h , pH 45 min , drip loss, water holding capacity, cooking loss and Warner-Bratzler peak shear force values of the experimental groups were not found to be significant. According to colour measurements at the 0th and 45th minute, the extensive fattening group of Hair Goat kids had greater lightness ( L ∗ ) values and the intensive fattening group of Hair Goat kids had greater redness ( a ∗ ) values. For intensive, semi-intensive and extensive fattening groups of Hair Goat kids, total saturated fatty acid contents of longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle samples were respectively measured as 19.28 %, 23.75 % and 23.35 %. Total monounsaturated fatty acid contents were respectively measured as 67.30 %, 66.22 % and 65.72 %. Total polyunsaturated fatty acid contents were respectively measured as 5.46 %, 3.06 % and 3.16 % and conjugate linoleic acid contents were respectively measured as 0.48 %, 0.55 % and 0.65 %. For intensive, semi-intensive and extensive fattening groups of Saanen  × â€¯Hair Goat ( G 1 ) kids, total saturated fatty acid contents of LD muscle samples were respectively measured as 21.01 %; 21.98 %, 19.10 %; total monounsaturated fatty acid contents were respectively measured as 64.04 %, 64.33 %, 52.44 %. Total polyunsaturated fatty acid contents were respectively measured as 3.53 %, 4.89 % and 4.84 % and conjugate linoleic acid contents were respectively measured as 0.52 %, 0.58 % and 0.73 %. It was concluded that the extensive fattening group had greater conjugated linoleic acid contents than the other fattening groups.